The convenience of streaming music is unmatched, but in my opinion, it’s missing the intentionality that comes with physical media. My aunt passed her Sony CMT-NE3 CD player down to me as a kid, and for almost two decades, I’ve been using it to play CDs and cassettes from my dad’s old collection as I build my own.
It’s not just a CD player either — the Sony CMT-NE3 is a full audio entertainment system with a CD player, a cassette player and AM/FM radio. It has a sleek silver body and a bright orange digital display screen that shows track numbers, mode settings, radio station channels and more, along with two high-fidelity speakers. It doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth capabilities, however, I can easily connect it to my Bluetooth speaker with audio cables (which I figured out by checking the inputs on the player and my speaker).
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Like my record player, I use it during days spent around my room — ones that usually involve tidying up, reading, doing a puzzle or even putting together a Lego set. I think of it as a happy medium between the unlimited choices of my streaming services and the more regimented listening of my vinyl records. With a CD player, I can still switch fairly easily between songs, or even discs, but choosing and playing my music feels a lot more intentional. That usually means that I’ll let the CD play all the way through, or at least play a few specific tracks before switching.
It also makes a cute piece of decor. Not only the player itself, but the CD stacks surrounding it complement the physical media I have stored around the rest of my room — I like that they immediately display my interests and tastes to whoever enters my space. The CD player is also a constant topic of conversation among guests (which I love, since it gives me the chance to induct them into my collecting frenzy).
My CD player’s benefits lie largely in the connection it gives me to the CDs themselves. It has a sleek yet funky design that stands out in my room, and I love that it also lets me play records, but the CD experience is the true highlight of it all. Most older CDs include details like photo booklets, liner notes and more, all of which help you to learn more about the people, thoughts and processes behind your favorite albums. I enjoy going through the liner notes and lyrics, which enhances the experience and brings me more in tune (no pun intended) with the music.
My CD player has also sparked countless trips to the thrift store to dig through the racks of donated CDs, along with entire days spent bopping from record store to record store with my friends, on the hunt for something new, an old fave or a unique find for my collection. Like so many others my age, CDs were my first introduction to music. My family would play music during every car ride, and at home we had a huge, eight-disc stereo system that my dad kept guarded with towers of CDs on either side. His collection spanned genres like reggae, rap, gospel, funk, jazz, calypso, rock, pop and R&B — I used to be in awe of the sheer size (if I had to guess, I’d say he had anywhere from 300-400 discs), and helping him sort through and organize his hundreds of discs was how I met so many of the albums, artists and songs that have been with me throughout my life. As much as the CD player is a useful device for entertainment, it’s also a nostalgic symbol that represents the ripple effect music has had on my life. Every time I use it, I’m brought back to those awe-inspiring moments that formed the basis of the music taste that I hold so dearly now.
The bottom line
In an age where choice is overwhelming and favorites are fleeting, it’s an affordable way to forge a deeper connection with the music we’re listening to. Buying a CD player leads to the discovery of new music, new artists, new places to buy media, and more. If you’re looking to buy a vintage CD player of your own, NBC Select reporter Harry Rabinowitz suggests checking reputable sites like eBay, and factoring in seller ratings, product descriptions, condition labels and return policies to make sure you’re getting the best buy possible. Although prices on vintage CD players can go into the hundreds, there are also affordable options that make it accessible to everyone — it’s a low-maintenance hobby that’s as easy as it is rewarding, and it’s a choice I’d easily make again and again.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select, covering skin care, lifestyle and more, along with being a longtime music fan and collector of records, CDs, magazines and more. For this piece, I wrote about my Sony CMT-NE3 CD player and why, after almost two decades, I still love it.
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