Optical drives are still practical for many users, whether to play old CDs and DVDs, install software, or create backups—especially with modern laptops, which are usually supplied without a drive.

If you were wondering if people still buy CD players, McIntosh just pulled back the curtains on a mighty player built for CDs and high-res streaming. During our tour of the WoM (World of McIntosh) ...

Audio files may seem to have put paid to CDs, but new technology shows that, like vinyl, the format still has a few tricks left up its sleeves. CDs do a pretty good job of reproducing music, but many ...

Once upon a time portable cassette players like the Sony Walkman revolutionized the way people listened to music, by introducing the concept of carrying your music with you and listening privately on ...

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› By Brent Butterworth Brent Butterworth is a writer dedicated to audio gear. He ...