What is a CD Magazine?
A CD magazine, also referred to as a CD cartridge, is a small box with internally stacked CD trays or “pages” of trays. Each tray can be swiveled outward from the box to accept a CD, then returned to its original position. Once filled, the magazine slides into a CD changer or multi-disc player. Today the CD magazine is most often used in mobile (automobile) CD changers.
A CD magazine is proprietary, meaning a Sony CD magazine is meant for a Sony CD changer, a Pioneer for the Pioneer changer, and so on. The CD magazine must also be made to hold the number of discs that the changer can accommodate. The most common models require either the 6-disc or 12-disc CD magazine, though some models use an 8-disc or 10-disc cartridge.
Before the CD changer was invented, switching CDs was a continual hassle. It was common for music enthusiasts to end up with stacks of CDs lying around without the protection of their jewel cases. This holds even truer in the car where carefully replacing a CD in its case means taking eyes off the road for too long. Instead, CDs get tossed around, often becoming scratched or dirty on their way to becoming completely disorganized.
A CD magazine not only makes switching CDs a breeze, it also protects and can organize CDs. Many people prefer to buy several CD magazines to permanently store their music in them, categorizing each CD magazine to build a library. The Beatles’ Abbey Road, for instance, might remain in CD magazine #5, disc #2. A CD magazine might be loaded by artist, era, or genre, and stored for future use. In essence, the CD magazine becomes a 6, 8, 10 or 12-disc monster compilation.
When in-home multi-disc CD players were introduced to consumers in the 1980s, they originally used CD magazines. Soon the popular design switched to a large, rotating carousel tray. Today most home CD players use the multi-disc tray, though Pioneer has reintroduced the CD magazine to the home player. This conveniently allows consumers to share CD magazines between home and car.
Written by R. Kayne
