Question re external hard drives

[mjzee]

Many of us have our digital music collections on external hard drives (EHDs).  There seem to be two styles of EHDs: larger boxes that are powered from an electric socket, and more portable ones that are powered via the same USB connection through which the data flows.  I puzzle over the uses and limitations of each.  Should my main collection be on the first type, with an automated backup on the second type, or does it not really matter?  There are really no differences as to capacity, and I don't think one type fails more than the other.  Is the first type somehow faster or more responsive?

Example of the first type: Western Digital My Book 

Example of the second type: Western Digital My Passport 

[Teasing the Korean]

I began backing up all my CDs about 10 years ago, and have more or less backed up everything.  I have the smaller, non-powered drives, and they work great.  I back up all my digital music on two and lately three drives.  These can fail, especially if they are accidentally removed improperly, which is why I keep a few.  

I back up everything using XLD, which tells you if the discs extracted correctly or not.  As I'm a Mac person, I use Apple lossless.

One thing about the smaller ones:  If you need a USB port for your computer, be sure you get a good one by a company like Anker.  The cheap ones will not be able to handle transferring a lot of information.  

Edited August 11, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[mjzee]

While I use EHDs for backup, I also use my main one to play music from my computer throughout the house.  I therefore wonder whether a powered unit will be more responsive in playing the music files.

To put my initial question a different way: if the smaller, lighter units are just as good as the larger, bulkier ones, why do they offer both?  What does the larger one do that the smaller one can't?

[Teasing the Korean]

2 minutes ago, mjzee said:

While I use EHDs for backup, I also use my main one to play music from my computer throughout the house.  I therefore wonder whether a powered unit will be more responsive in playing the music files.

To put my initial question a different way: if the smaller, lighter units are just as good as the larger, bulkier ones, why do they offer both?  What does the larger one do that the smaller one can't?

I don't play music directly from the drives.  I mostly play the CDs themselves, and use the files as backup.  I may import files into Apple Music if I want to burn a custom CD. So for my uses, I don't know what the powered units accomplish that mine do not.  I like the size and convenience of the small ones.  

[JSngry]

I'd think that if the block you use to get USB power to charge your phone gets the job done quick enough that it would be adequate for running the odd external session, right?

We've got a variety over the house, and I know which ones to avoid if I'm in a hurry.

But that might be one reason to lean towards a corded unit, a theoretically more consistent "shortest distance between two points" current.

Soon enough, I'm sure, there will be solar cells on these things, if we live long enough.

[mjzee]

56 minutes ago, rostasi said:

but, again, it’d be nice to know a little more about your plans. Such as: will you be using it with a desktop or a laptop and want it to be portable, etc.

Not really about plans; more like a permanent part of the new landscape.  I use my iMac as a music source, similar to a CD drive or turntable.  With a DAC and an Airport Express, I play my music through my stereo.  Because I rip everything using Apple Lossless, it's all CD quality.  It's more convenient to find an album on iTunes (now Music) than to shuffle through boxes looking for a CD or LP.  My system can also play music throughout my house, since I've wirelessly connected additional Airport Expresses and Apple TVs attached to powered speakers.  It really didn't cost that much to achieve.

Apple Lossless files aren't as big as CD (AIFF) files, but they are pretty big, so every so often I need to transfer my music to a larger EHD.  Also, EHDs fail every few years and require replacement.  Therefore the question: does a powered EHD have any inherent advantages over the smaller, more portable ones?