999 Reasons

Is the old CD-player dead? So you have a growing digital music library. Here's one way you can use that library to replace your old CD player and maximize the use of your music library.

Here's a few options that may be worth investigating:

1) use a centralized computer (PC, Mac or Linux) box as the centralized server that you use to rip all your music. You'll probably choose the exact program depending on what you need. For example, if you have an iPod you'll probably use iTunes, Windows Media Player for Zune etc. It's probably worth choosing a non-proprietary, non DRM (Digital Rights Management) format for your ripped files. For example MP3. 

2) to play your music in other areas of the house there are a few options:

• Use a Wired or Wireless networked device like Apple's Airport Express, Netgear's EVA800 Network Digital Receiver, Roku Soundbridge or Slimdevice's Squeezebox to stream your music across the home. All you're need at the receiver is set of speakers. Sure you can plug it into an amplifier or surround sound system for improved quality.
• When you're picking one of these devices be careful. Check out what backend server is required to serve the music. For example, Slimdevices does a great job of running it's software on Windows, Linux and Mac. Some of the other devices only run on Windows.
• Check out what the display of the devices is. For example, Roku and Slimdevices allow you to browse and select music from the remote device where Apple's Airport Express requires you to be on the central server using iTunes to start the music playing. There option to do this remotely but you still cannot see what's going on - ie no visual device.
• Check out some the digital media receivers like Apple TV and  products from Netgear and D Link that allow you use your TV, which is often close to your stereo to view the music/video library. Apple TV actualy syncs / caches the music and video onto a local device which ensure quality... I does not reply on continous wireless bandwidth which often drops out.