Cheap CD player to hook up to Yamaha MG16X 16-Channel Mixer and how?

[punkyfish]

Hi,

I want to hook up a CD player to our mixer but need help with:

1. A relatively cheap CD player that will do the job playing backing tracks
2. What cables I need to be able to do it

Am based in UK, thank you for any help

[Drew Stephenson]

Any separates CD player with a set of RCA (also called phono) outputs, an RCA-RCA cable, plug into the RCA inputs on either of the last two channels on your mixer.
As to the actual player itself, you're almost certainly best looking second hand. Richer Sounds cheapest standalone CD player is £159. You'll get a perfectly good one from any of the main Japanese brands for about £30 from a second hand shop.

[Hugh Robjohns]

All CD players have unbalanced outputs on RCA-phono sockets.

And your mixer has unbalanced stereo inputs on RCA-phono sockets on the last two stereo channels 13/14 and 15/16.

So all you need is a standard stereo RCA-phono lead. The CD player may come with one in the box. If not you can find them easily on Amazon or other outlets.

As for the CD player, again you'll find plenty to choose from on all the usual online retailers.

However, CDs are a bit clunky and bulky these days. I'd replay tracks stored* on a phone or mp3 player. You'd need a 3.5mm mini jack to dual RCA-phono plug lead to run from the player's headphone output to mixer input.

*Make sure they are downloaded and stored on the player, not streamed live over the Internet or 4G! Mr Sod will ensure that streaming will work during the soundcheck but not the gig!

[Wonks]

It may be more convenient to have a battery powered (but maybe with a PSU) portable CD player. I’ve used one in the past.

In that instance you’ll probably only have the headphone output, so you’ll need a 3.5mm TRS to two RCA connector lead.

Do you need the facility to play certain tracks or loop back to the beginning?

[punkyfish]

As for the CD player, again you'll find plenty to choose from on all the usual online retailers.

However, CDs are a bit clunky and bulky these days. I'd replay tracks stored* on a phone or mp3 player. You'd need a 3.5mm mini jack to dual RCA-phono plug lead to run from the player's headphone output to mixer input.

*Make sure they are downloaded and stored on the player, not streamed live over the Internet or 4G! Mr Sod will ensure that streaming will work during the soundcheck but not the gig!

Thank you, struggling to find a CD player online though with outputs, one that isn’t ridiculously expensive anyway. The MP3 idea sounds good, the only thing is all of our backing tracks are on CD

[punkyfish]

Thank you for your quick reply. It needs to be new as work are purchasing but I know they won’t pay that.

[punkyfish]

It may be more convenient to have a battery powered (but maybe with a PSU) portable CD player. I’ve used one in the past.

In that instance you’ll probably only have the headphone output, so you’ll need a 3.5mm TRS to two RCA connector lead.

Do you need the facility to play certain tracks or loop back to the beginning?

If we could play back certain tracks and loop that would be good, I have seen lots on Amazon with a headphone socket but it states they are input only. Is that what you mean? Thank you for the reply.

[The Elf]

The MP3 idea sounds good, the only thing is all of our backing tracks are on CD

If you only have your audio on CD you risk the chance that a disc becomes damaged and your audio would be gone for good! Hopefully you have backup CDs.

CD was never an ideal backing medium - one slight knock on the player and all hell could break loose.

It's simple to rip the audio from CD and render to a file. I would actually rip to WAV files and use those, unless you are really struggling for space on whatever device you use for playback.

Ripping from CD is simple and can be done from any computer format (as long as it still has an optical drive - most don't now). I'm sure there are loads of YouTube videos that will guide you through it.

[punkyfish]

Thank you for the reply. We do have backups. If I rip to a Wav file, what would I use to playback and what lead would I need? I have an iPod but to be honest I have never had success with it nor my iPhone. I have never been able to either get stuff off my phone or put stuff on it. Hence the CD idea

[Hugh Robjohns]

Thank you, struggling to find a CD player online though with outputs, one that isn’t ridiculously expensive anyway.

Try searching for rack mount CD players. You do get what you pay for, but much depends on what facilities you require.

The MP3 idea sounds good, the only thing is all of our backing tracks are on CD

It's trivially simple to rip the CD to audio files and load those files on a player or smart phone.

[Mike Stranks]

I stopped using CDs for live-work I guess in about 2010...

For a while I used a small laptop - 11" screen, but fairly quickly switched to a 7" Android tablet... using WAVs...

Small, easily portable and utterly reliable IME.

[Sam Spoons]

The issue with domestic CD players skipping if moved is a real one, even the slightest knock or floor bourn vibration can cause real problems* (I know this from personal experience ). The only sensible option is to use an .mp3/.wav device.

* A professional CD, rack mount or DJ type will have decent shock resistance but will cost many times more than a domestic CD player.