Brennan B2

Feb 13 2020 13:46

The Brennan B2 is a delightful piece of gear. And I have today finished loading my entire CD collection onto it.

The project began a few years ago when my pair of Sony mega CD changers, complicated mechanisms that lasted many more years than I had any right to expect, finally gave up the ghost (likely it was just worn out belts but I’m not sufficiently mechanically inclined to investigate.) I pulled all 600+ CDs and stored them in half-width jewel cases. I began to rely on streaming services for music. I had long dreamed of ripping the collection but the job was daunting.

When I found out about the Brennan, which has a built-in CD, I decided that each time I pined for an old CD I would rip it. But I’m a completist at heart, and I was concerned for the CD mechanism on such a large job, so I got an external drive, and figured I’d do the collection in batches over a few weeks… months… it turned into years. Meanwhile, I played the music back through Sonos speakers, using the Brennan as a NAS.

The job is complete today! The Brennan goes to the living room where I can hook it up to the receiver and play music by means the Brennan’s fine DAC through my beautiful old Boston Acoustic speakers with the perfect mid-range response. How I’ve missed that sound!