It would be easier to install xmms and it's plugin. Besides, xmms is skinable, and the skin pack is on the repo too. KsCD, as I told JohnBoy, is buffalo butt ugly. Hideous would be a compliment to the looks of that beast. I only looked at it for a minute or two, and my eyes are begging me, to be sewn shut.
You now know you have the proper device links, so setting this up shouldn't be that hard. I've used xmms for years, and had it installed on both betas, but didn't have it installed yet on MiniMe, when old_guy's reply reminded me to install it. I'd never used it for CD playing before, as KDE3 tossed CDs at KsCD and it always worked. I used xmms for mp3s and such, until now. When I didn't see a button or menu entry for playing a CD, I made my own buttons for both optical drives. On my machine xmms loads a little slow, in CD playing mode, but once it's up it's great.
OP, I installed xmms and the plugins, but it wouldn't play the audio cd. Just sits there. So does KsCD and Audacious.
Amarok doesn't even open, it crashes.
SMPlayer will open, but the sound is choppy (on again and off again).
But there is some sunshine:VLC works just fine.....smooth as silk.....and includes a playlist which lists the tracks properly. And the interface ain't half bad. (I agree on the KsCD interface...ugly to the bone)
So as long as VLC works, I'll use it for cds. And when it borks, I'll probably be back with a l-o-n-g face!

Thank you again for your expertise and helpfulness.
I'll modify the post to 'fixed-somewhat'.
teddyred