CKMorpheus

So you just walked out of the store, with a new album in the tiny plastic bag strapped to your wrist.

What do you do?

For me it really depends on who's album it is.

If it's a band known for high production values, like Nine Inch Nails, or Sigur Ros, I'll wait till I get home, lock my door, plug in my Sennheiser headphones, and pop in the CD while reading the liner notes/lyrics. Afterwards, I'll rip it to my iTunes with either Apple Lossless, or MP3/320 quality, and get it to my iPod as soon as possible.

If it's just a band I enjoy, I'll pop in my cars stereo and leave it spinning a few days before eventually taking it inside and ripping it.

What's your ritual?

Drexl

I usually listen to it some before ripping with EAC, but I'll rip it before removing it.

auto

I definitely leave it in the car for a few days/weeks before I rip it.

What I like to do is listen to the first four tracks for a couple of days. Then I move on to the next four and listen to the first 8 for a couple days. Then I finish it off and spin the whole album until I get sick of it. I like to take it slow and introduce myself to the album over a good week or so.

superdeluxe

I agree with you, if its a band that I know I am going to love the cd, I'll take it home..pop the disc in, and I dunno why, kind of strange..but first thing I do is take out the booklet and smell it, then open it to look at artwork, lyrics.

neilo13

I must listen to the disc in its entirety while reading the liner notes. If its a soundtrack or other comp I will read any liner notes, but will sit and pay attention to the music. Its getting harder to find the time to do this now that I'm married and my wife understands nothing about wanting to hear the whole album while paying attention to only the music.

clckworang

Rip plastic off CD, often while walking to my car from the store. Open trunk, replace a couple CDs in my changer. Drive away with new music playing.

islandclaws

Rip off plastic on the side of the nearest sharp edge, pop it in my player, drive home, rip it to my ipod and listen to it until I'm sick of it.

Giles

buy it, either it's an import or not, if it is, it aint wrapped, wait about a week (or longer) before actually giving it a listen.

Tscott

Usually, if I've got one CD, I've got 3 or more.

I go to the computer. Open Music Collectorz and Itunes.

Then I take a pocket knife down the left side of each, in between the two pieces of plastic on the jewel case (assuming it's that kind of case) and remove said plastic.

Next I take my finger nail and unhinge the lower part of the CD case and flip it open. Remove the CD and place it in the computer. Add it to Collectorz, then import in Itunes.

As it imports, I remove the white sticker label at the top of the CD. With the cover unhinged, it's a piece of cake to get it off easy and in one piece.

Repeat for the other CDs, and as they import make sure things like album info and covers are correct in both computer programs.

Finally, sync with Ipod and listen with liner notes in hand (as time allows).

gryffinmaster

Crack the newness open, pop it in the CD player on the way home, take it out, send it to my iPod, then go for a brisk walk with the new tunes.

mndtrp

I'll listen to it in whatever vehicle I'm in on the way home. Once there, I rip it to the computer and update the ipod. I'll then create an mp3 cd with the new music, and whatever else suits my fancy, to be placed in the pickup. The store bought disc either goes to my entertainment center, or to my mustang, which doesn't play mp3 discs. I'll quite often make a copy of the mp3 disc for my girlfriend's car.

This way, I always have a place to listen to the new music.

mndtrp

I'll listen to it in whatever vehicle I'm in on the way home. Once there, I rip it to the computer and update the ipod. I'll then create an mp3 cd with the new music, and whatever else suits my fancy, to be placed in the pickup. The store bought disc either goes to my entertainment center, or to my mustang, which doesn't play mp3 discs. I'll quite often make a copy of the mp3 disc for my girlfriend's car.

This way, I always have a place to listen to the new music.

Hollowgen

pretty much always in the car first, unless it's an album i've already heard. i may wait to get home. regardless, i wait to properly judge it until i've listened to it on my high-end speakers.

Rocketdog2000

I usually bring it home first, open it, and immediately rip a copy. It's this copy that will then go in my car, or wherever else I need it to - as the original NEVER leaves the house. That way, I haven't any fear of losing or damaging the original - and it stays safely archived until I need it again.

Depending on what I have for free time, I'll then either...
- give the album a full listen at home (while checking out the liner notes)
- put it in the car stereo to listen to
- listen to it at work the next day (yes, I'm fortunate to have a job where I get to listen to music at work, everyday.)
- or listen to it on my mp3 player while taking a walk.

I'll then repeat said steps as often as possible during the week, until I feel I've fully digested the album.

And all that is if I only get one new CD in a week. If it's more than that, and it usually is, then I have have to spend a little less time with each one, and some I might not get around to right away.

Anubis2005X

-Open in my car
-Put it in the CD changer to listen on the ride home
-Rip it at home to iTunes/iPod
-Put it back in my car CD changer

DeanoBKN

- Open in my car, and listen to a sample on the ride home
- At home, rip it to iTunes
- Burn a copy for myself
- Transfer the MP3's to iPod
- Put the album in my "trade-in" pile

(Yes, 9 out of 10 times I sell back the CD to FYE in the following weeks after I purchased. As long as I have the music I am happy, and unless it's a band/artist I love and collect their albums on disc, I have no need for the original disc)

innocentfreak

If it is a group I know and love or if it is something that I know I like 2-3 songs and I only picked it up for 6.99-7.99, I will open it in the car and listen on the way home.

If it is a group I know only the hit single for I will usually buy it if it is on sale for 9.99 or so. Then I will leave it in the bag till I get home and listen to samples online either via Itunes or Amazon. If I like more of the tracks I will put it aside to listen to samples again later. If after I listen the the samples again a day or so later and don't get hooked on several songs, I will take it back to the store.

If I don't like the samples I will leave it in the bag to take back.

These days I listen more to podcasts than music so I tend to return most CDs unless I truly love it.

sergtv

open it in the parking lot, pop it in my car radio.. listen to it for about a week.. i'll put it on my ipod when i have about five cd's to burn.. hardly ever open up the liner notes.. can't wait to pop in the new slipknot cd comeing out at the end of the month.

JAA

As a CD collector, I love to run across consumers like you in the used racks - dead mint, barely used merchandise, at a fraction of the cost. Paradise!

DeanoBKN

I'm glad I can help!

Darth Maher

What he said....
Then I have to try and remember to return the replaced CD back to it's original jewel case. I still can't find my "Barenaked Ladies Are Men" CD.

Then I'll usually listen to the CD a few times and decide which tracks to rip (or NOT to rip) to my computer.

Alan Smithee

I record mine onto cassette right away. No, not really.

The worst thing I do with a good CD is make a copy to keep in the car- at home I listen to the actual real CD!