COMPACT DISCS MAKE GREATS EVEN GREATER

I love my CDs.

That recent realization surprised me because my reaction when compact discs came on the market in 1983 was, “Who needs ‘em?”

Sure, the early claims by CD manufacturers were impressive: The sound of the digital CDs is far purer than that of records or cassettes. You can play the discs repeatedly without loss of quality and they are much easier to store than traditional LPs.

But the price was steep. Early CD players cost nearly $1,000 and discs went for about $18 each. Added drawbacks when CDs were introduced: You couldn’t play your existing tapes or albums on the CD players, and only a few albums were available on compact disc.

Plus, I had seen so many of these revolutions in sight and sound come and go over the years--notably eight-track tape cartridges and quadraphonic sound--that I knew to be cautious.

The green light for me was the June issue of Consumer Reports, which stated flatly: “In theory, a CD system is . . . capable of delivering high-quality sound reproduction. But we were simply not prepared for the uniformly excellent performance of these players. By every criterion we used, the players were far superior to any sound-reproduction device we have ever tested.”

Two other Consumer Reports findings were significant: There was no noteworthy difference in sound quality among more than a dozen tested models, and the prices had become more reasonable. While suggested retail prices for the models examined ranged from $390 to $550, discounts are “widely available,” the magazine reported.

Following up, I found a CD model in a local discount store that was marked down to $199--a model that was ranked fourth of the 15 tested by Consumer Reports. The differences between the machines are in the area of features, according to the magazine’s research team, not sound quality.

That was enough for me. I bought the player, plugged it into my stereo system (the same way you plug in a cassette player or a turntable) and then slipped in a disc. The sound quality: breathtaking.

The state of recording in the ‘50s and ‘60s keeps many of the albums made in that era from matching the sound dynamics of more recent releases, but every disc I played sounded cleaner and more dynamic than the same record did on the most expensive tape or turntable setup.

There are so many new albums to enjoy and explore that I haven’t spent much time in recent years listening to old albums, but CDs make the old albums seem fresh again through this new dimension in sound.

The intimacy that is established with this clearer sound is so much greater than what we have been accustomed to with traditional stereo hookups that you feel a renewed sense of discovery listening to Janis Joplin’s voice again or the opening synthesizer effects on the Who’s “Who’s Next.”

But the world of CDs isn’t without problems: The discs remain expensive (about $12 each in discount shops) and the number of titles is limited. Of the umpteen-thousand pop titles available in album or cassette form, only a fraction have been released on CDs.

Leslie Rosen, executive director of the New York-based Compact Disc Group, estimates there will be 1.5 million CD players in use by the end of the year, but only about 1,600 pop-rock titles available in the CD format. And the outlook is for only a few hundred to be added during 1986.

“Ultimately everything will be put on CD,” Rosen said. “The problem at this point is this phenomenon has grown so fast that there aren’t enough manufacturing plants to handle the demands for CDs. That means companies have concentrated on newer titles, which have more sales potential. As soon as more plants are opened, the companies will go back in their catalogues and make older titles available.”

This limited selection can be frustrating. A Joni Mitchell fan, for instance, can buy “Court and Spark” in CD, but not “For the Roses” or “Blue.” There is no Chuck Berry or Little Richard album in CD yet, according to the latest Compact Disc Group catalogue, and the only Jimi Hendrix album available in CD is “Kiss the Sky.” Most surprisingly, legal complications have kept Capitol Records from putting any of its Beatles albums on CD.

Despite this frustration, Consumer Reports is so bullish on CDs that the magazine predicts CD players will soon be a standard part of component hi-fi systems. The magazine even advises “those assembling their first component system to consider a CD player instead of a conventional turntable and begin their disc collection with CDs.”

This seems extreme for anyone who has wide musical interests because of the limited title selection. You not only can’t hear many old, classic albums, but you can’t hear a lot of new acts until they become best-sellers. If I only had a CD player, I couldn’t listen to some of my favorite albums of the year: the Blasters’ “Hard Line,” 10,000 Maniacs’ “The Wishing Chair” or the Meat Puppets’ “Up on the Sun.”

For those who maintain large record libraries, a more sensible choice is to have a CD player in conjunction with a turntable or cassette player. Until the price of CDs drops, the best thing seems to be to continue to buy albums or cassettes, reserving CDs as a sort of “connoisseur collection” of your very favorite works.

With that in mind, I put together a basic pop-rock library of CDs--the 10 CDs I’d select first to reflect the heartbeat of pop-rock over the last 30 years. In doing so, I set two conditions: only one album per artist and only albums released before 1980. The latter restriction establishes at least a minimal test of time.

In assembling the collection, I considered primarily musical influence and content--not CD sound quality. This is not a universal criterion among CD owners. I’ve found that many are so enamored of the sound dynamics that it becomes the most important element of the record. The record most frequently cited as “something you’ve got to hear on CD” by friends who are into sound quality is Donald Fagen’s “The Nightfly.”

Fittingly, reviewers for Digital Audio--yes, there is already a magazine devoted to compact discs--rate albums for both performance and sound quality. Dan Fogelberg’s “Souvenirs” is rated 7.8 (on a scale of 10) for performance, but only 4.8 for sound quality, while Fogelberg’s “Windows and Walls” is rated exactly the opposite: 4.8 for performance and 7.8 for sound quality.

The basic CD collection:

David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” (RCA)--This unfocused yet commanding 1972 concept album combines everything from a trace of science fiction to an apocalyptic social vision in an examination of such diverse matters as ambition, fame, loneliness and alienation--matters which, to varying degrees, have characterized Bowie’s music and persona over the years.

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Chronicle” (Fantasy)--Rivaled only by the Band for the title of greatest American rock group, Creedence was led by John Fogerty, who is equally skilled at celebrating emotions (the rejoicing of “Hey Tonight”), conveying childhood memories (the comfort of “Green River”) or examining sociopolitical feelings (the disillusionment of “Who’ll Stop the Rain”). This is a generous greatest-hits package.

Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited” (Columbia)--Dylan’s most important contribution to rock was bringing intelligence and art to the energy and desire introduced by such ‘50s pioneers as Elvis Presley and Little Richard. Whether on love songs or social observations, Dylan used words and images in thoughtful, exciting and inspiring ways that made a generation in this country feel like the torch had really been passed to it--and that it was really possible to change things. This album showcases the glow of Dylan’s work most forcefully.

The Eagles’ “Hotel California” (Asylum)--Though greatly underrated by many critics who saw the Los Angeles-based quintet as synonymous with the indulgent, self-absorbed Southern California life style that was examined in many of the Eagles’ songs, the best of the group’s work stands as the most penetrating look at the ‘70s Me Generation. The music reflected the tension that seemed to grow out of Eagles leaders Don Henley and Glenn Frey’s early fascination with and eventual rebellion against the California glamour outlined in the title track.

Marvin Gaye’s “Greatest Hits” (Motown)--In many ways, Gaye--whose hits ranged from the silky romanticism of “How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You” and seductive lure of “Let’s Get It On” to the dark social despair of “What’s Going On”--was modern pop’s most radical and influential link with the vital American blues tradition. In his post-’71 work, especially, he showed a generation of young Americans that they could make contemporary music as deeply personal and profoundly human as that of the legendary Delta bluesmen who chronicled their woes decades ago.

Elvis Presley’s “Elvis Presley” (RCA)--None of the scandals or absurdities that have surfaced over the years to turn Presley’s personal life and career into a sideshow should obscure the fact that Elvis was the most influential figure ever in rock. Until RCA gets around to issuing “Sun Sessions,” the collection of singles that Presley made before his “Heartbreak Hotel” success in 1956, this stands as the best example of the rawness and experimentation of the early Presley. Look to “Golden Records” for most of the early hits, but this 1956 collection far better captures the cultural revolution that he represented.

The Rolling Stones’ “Hot Rocks, Vol. 2” (London)--The first volume of this “best of” package serves up “Satisfaction” and other mid-’60s hits, but these late-’60s selections--from “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Honky Tonk Women” to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Wild Horses”--showcase the real, artful legacy of this superb band. Even more gripping than that of the Doors, the best music here is a powerful survey of personal desperation and desire.

Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” (Columbia)--It took “Born in the U.S.A.” to bring Springsteen hit singles and stadium drawing power, but this 1975 album was such an extraordinary reaffirmation of the power and passion of rock that the critical enthusiasm for Springsteen landed him on those famous Time and Newsweek covers. Even with all the recent hits, Springsteen still turned on the recent tour to two songs from the album to close key portions of the show. Those numbers--the title track and “Thunder Road”--summarize the promise of rock and youth as well as anything put on record.

The Who’s “Who’s Next” (MCA)--Though an argument can be made for “Tommy,” I opted for this 1971 album because it defines more clearly and compactly the message and spirit of the mature Who. It was also my one concession to sound quality. Listening to the opening synthesizer notes on “Baba O’Riley” is as close to the excitement of actually sitting in a concert hall as I’ve ever experienced at home.

Stevie Wonder’s “Original Musiquarium I” (Motown)--Similar to the Stones’ greatest-hits LP above, this collection skips past the early hits in favor of what might be called the “second phase” of Wonder’s carer. Though some 1980 tunes are included, the focus is on material from his exquisite “Talking Book” through “Songs in the Key of Life” period in the ‘70s--songs whose masterful blend of musical sophistication and social ambition helped make Wonder arguably the most respected record-maker of recent years.

In expanding the basic CD library to 20, here are some possibilities that spotlight different decades and tastes in pop. Greatest-hits packages from the ‘50s are available by Bill Haley (MCA), Buddy Holly (MCA) and Jerry Lee Lewis (Rhino). These recommended albums from the mid-’60s to mid-’70s have been released in CD: Al Green’s “Greatest Hits” (Motown), Elton John’s “Greatest Hits” (MCA), Janis Joplin’s “Pearl” (Columbia), Joni Mitchell’s “Court and Spark” (Warner Bros.), Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ “Greatest Hits” (Motown), Simon & Garfunkel’s “Greatest Hits.”

In a more contemporary vein, these recommended albums from the late ‘70s and the ‘80s can also be found in the CD format: Elvis Costello’s “Armed Forces” (Columbia), Emmylou Harris’ “Profile, Vol. 1” (Warner Bros.), Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” (Columbia), Waylon Jennings’ “Greatest Hits” (RCA), Rickie Lee Jones’ “Pirates” (Warner Bros.), Tom Petty’s “Damn the Torpedoes” (MCA), the Pretenders’ “Learning to Crawl,” Prince’s “1999” (Warner Bros.), R.E.M.’s “Reckoning” (I.R.S.), Talking Heads’ “Remain in Light” (Sire), U2’s “War” (Island).