Don’t bother! Seriously, unless you need local files for use outside of Roon, or have such musical taste that isn’t on Tidal, just stream everything from a Tidal sub. Just rip the CDs that aren’t on Tidal.
Whether playing local or Tidal files you need an internet connection with Roon, so local files are fairly pointless to a large degree now.
The problem with relying solely on streaming platforms is that artists/labels can pull content on a whim, or geographical licensing arrangements can make it suddenly unavailable in a particular country. For albums that I really like, I either buy it on CD or pay for a >= CD quality download which goes into my local library.
But, if you pay to stream the files you don’t own, then streaming the others is free.
Basically, I don’t own any files, don’t want to own any, and would not be heart broken to lose any of my 3000+ linked albums. There is more than enough to listen to over my remaining lifetime.
While I like the idea of ‘owning’ a copy, I must confess I’ve wasted 1000s on LPs and CDs over the years that I rarely listen to. I must have 100s of CDs I bought, span once and never bothered with again
In that sense, streaming saves me money; rather than buying music that languishes, I can click on it and try it - if it sticks, great - if not, no loss
Now streaming quality is really good, that former obstacle has gone too - I’m a convert
In the event I lost access to a streamed only favourite - I’d just buy it, confident it’s already a fave
Ownership matters. My music archive is completely impervious to censorship, artist disputes and licensing squabbles. Collecting and ripping CDs is a fun hobby.
Isn’t that part of the process? With some investment made, you also value the work of the artist in another way, and perhaps give your LP a second or third listen and discover aspects you wouldn’t have if it was just another “passer by” in the streaming flow?
I share the experience, but rarely regret a purchase.
CDs are obsolete. I buy downloads most of the time and get CDs for anything I don’t find otherwise. I like ownership (and I am using LMS btw, which works offline), but, as @Traian_Boldea said, it’s the artist I’m rewarding.
Pretty good actually, thanks for asking! I was able to use the exact same topology (core, Pi endpoints etc.) I never used fancy search; I either know what I want to listen to or (most often) just go to Qobuz’s new releases list. I listen mostly in the kitchen (ceiling speakers) and at my desk (small bookshelf speakers or headphones), so I don’t really need DSP for now. Most importantly, I’m using OpenVPN in my router, so I can access everything from everywhere. For a free product, it’s more than I could ask for.
People who argue against CDs, against Vinyl, etc etc, assume that people are (or ought to be) optimizing for cost and/or efficiency. Many people prioritize other things including the idea of owning media, the idea of shopping in person at a store for things, the act of selecting a disc from a shelf and spinning it in a machine to play sound. Sure it’s not “optimal” for those who prioritize cost/convenience but it may well be “optimal” for others (they just have a different cost function).
Moving away from analog media is mainly about quality. Moving away for all media is about reducing environmental impact. I think those are good enough reasons for saying people ought to do it.