Hi Craig,
I truly wish I could help you with more than opinion. I am very interested in your question, and hope you will keep us posted as to its resolution.
It seems to me that it is a more efficient use of space to go the mega-changer route. You could put the jewel-case inserts into plastic sheets in a set of binders or something so that you still have them for reference.
Some people (like both me and the missus) to not like the "look" of hundreds of jewel-case spines as a design element. I'll try to post a picture of what we did. Basically, we got inexpensive Ikea drawer units, bolted them together and painted them. It is a bit like an apothecary chest (lots of small drawers with knobs on the front).
Nice furniture is expensive!
I am also seriously considering the mega-changer route.
Got time to rip everything to a HTPC?
