....from the net:
If, like me, you've got a CD collection that's truly huge, then you most likely aren't keen about the notion of ripping (converting) all those discs into (sonically inferior) MP3 files on your computer's hard drive (where your music files could be subject to eventual "crashes" and ultimate destruction). Such a conversion project could conceivably take many months or even years, depending on the size of your CD collection.
But why bother doing that? Just insert your CDs in one or more Sony CDP-CX455 changers, and enjoy full, linear, 16-bit sound quality or connect to external DAC for Audiophile sound.
Even if you don't (yet) have enough CDs to fill all the changer slots, I strongly recommend you buy (at least) TWO of these changers so as to instantly "link" them (via a very cheap cable per the user manual) and thereby enjoy their "no-delay playback" feature. (Why bother waiting up to 25 or 30 seconds between tracks when operating your changers in their "all-discs" and "shuffle" modes?)
Better still, consider connecting your Sony changers to your COMPUTER and thereby "supercharge" your musical entertainment! [Just use some special software ("TitleTrack" is the best choice, in my experience) together with a "SAVR2" or "SAVR3" adapter plus (if necessary) a modestly priced "USB to serial" adapter for connection to one of your computer's USB ports. By the way, if you own more than two Sony changers, you may additionally use a basic "mixer" so as to hear sound from any/all of your changers without having to continually fiddle with your amp/receiver's audio-input selector. I bought my mixer from Radio Shack, and I'm very pleased with it.]
Now that I'm able to emulate a colorful, infinitely adaptable/programmable, on-screen "jukebox" (via my computer), I can honestly say that I would never want to return to playing my Sony changers in the relatively limited, "old-fashioned" way (i.e., minus computer control with unlimited, savable, randomizable "playlists" of my favorite songs from multiple changers, etc.). In fact, I no longer have to resort to touching the changers' own "jog dials" to find and play any of my "zillions" of CDs. Moreover, the computer software can interface with a (free) on-line database that makes it unnecessary for you yourself (via attaching a keyboard to each changer) to enter (hardly) any of your CDs' "titles" and "artist names" into the Sony changers' respective memories.
Nevertheless, even "all by themselves", these Sony 400-CD changers are obviously impressively and conveniently powerful. If you have more than a few audio CDs, you absolutely owe it to yourself to own one (or, better yet, two) of these delightful, reliable CDP-CX455 changers!
P.S.: Don't confuse this Sony "400-CD" (audio only) changer with Sony's more recently introduced "400-DVD/CD combo" (video/audio) units. While the latter are undeniably "adequate" for playing (specifically) DVD VIDEOS, they are disappointingly limited as AUDIO (CD) players. This is because such "combo" units lack any truly easy-to-use playback-mode or music-programming features (not to mention no "artist mode" playback capability, no "linking to a second changer" expandability, and no disc names or artist names displayable within a single, teeny LED window). Evidently, Sony designed their so-called "combo" units primarily for playing VIDEOS, not music. MOREOVER, after one year, my 400-DVD "combo" unit (like many others that I've read about) lost all the on-screen data that I'd entered via a keyboard. It continues to PLAY DVDs okay; it just won't reliably display/retain user-input data on the attached TV's screen. Fortunately, NO such "data-loss" trouble has ever plagued any of my four CX-455 (CD, not DVD) models.
