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Why the hate on CDs?

Ahlevah

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Yeah, I get it: Spotify, Amazon Music, iTunes, etc., etc., etc. :roll: Sure, you can stream music for free or minimal cost or torrent audio files for free, but I like OWNING something, and by something I mean something I can touch and see, in addition to hear. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but there's something about paying someone for a temporary right--a license--to listen to music that sticks in my craw, unless I'm attending a live concert and paying for THAT experience. And just try selling your MP3 collection. I have the storage space, so when I can buy a CD from Amazon and it comes with a "free" MP3 version, why not? It's gotten to the point where you can buy the CD version for little more or even less than the digital version. Same with DVDs and Blu-rays. People will buy a digital movie on Vudu or some other platform when they can go to Walmart and buy the Blue-ray, DVD, digital download version for a few dollars more. Sometimes you can pay LESS for the actual disc. It's crazy. I have taken old DVDs and stepped them up to HD using the VuduToGo app for five bucks a pop, so I'm not completely numb to an all-digital format. I've built up a substantial Vudu library doing this. Nonetheless, old habits die hard.

Anyway, vinyl is fun, but it's more difficult to keep the albums protected from damage. I LOVE CDs. Always have, and probably will to my last breath.
 
I like having DVDs and CDs too - I was brought up in the period when artists created albums with a very specific song-to-song story as the album progressed. "Shuffle" pleases the majority but very often it is something I truly dislike.

Been a while since I looked at music streaming and formats but I also don't know if online streams can capture all the same audio quality that a pure .WAV or vinyl can sometimes do - mp3 is a compression format and when you compress using algorthims you are leaving out some of the dirt and "life" that went into creating the pure sound.
 
I like phonographs.
 
I like phonographs.

Now, there's a word you don't hear much these days. :lol: You mean like old Victrolas, or more modern turntables?
 
Now, there's a word you don't hear much these days. :lol: You mean like old Victrolas, or more modern turntables?

I'm just being a smart ass.
 
I'm just being a smart ass.

Okay. Well, there are people who actually like phonographs and are willing to spend thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars on the right one. :lol:
 
Okay. Well, there are people who actually like phonographs and are willing to spend thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars on the right one. :lol:

CDs too.


:lol:
 
I still buy some CDs, mainly inports, because I like to rip my own FLAC files. I own a lot of Blurays as well because finding a good digital version can be hard and there is no such thing as a collector's edition stream.
 
1) Cost. Not only are CD's and DVDS expensive, but in the case of music you are forced to buy an album for one or two songs. Yes you could get singles, but they even more expensive.

2) Physical size. Having CD's is ****ty if travelling...plus of course they fill up shelf space.



Sent from my Honor 8X
 
1) Cost. Not only are CD's and DVDS expensive, but in the case of music you are forced to buy an album for one or two songs. Yes you could get singles, but they even more expensive.

2) Physical size. Having CD's is ****ty if travelling...plus of course they fill up shelf space.

Can I ask if you're the type to spend lots of money on high quality speakers for listening to your online .MP3 collection?
 
Can I ask if you're the type to spend lots of money on high quality speakers for listening to your online .MP3 collection?
Nope, waste of money [emoji16]. Most people can't tell the difference between speakers/headphones after a minimum price and quality. Yea 10 euro headphones suck compared to 50+, but when they get to 2000 euros you are getting scammed imo. Same goes for speakers imo.

And I remember people talking about how bad CD's were for audio lovers and the only good thing was LPs aka turntables. Now people are pushing the same **** with CD's versus online streaming. It is getting old [emoji70].

At the end of the day however CD's are too expensive and always have been. The production and distribution cost use to be a few cents to maybe 10 cents a CD and yet you expect us to pay 10 euros plus for a new album.. Use to be even more expensive.

And when you add in the ability to just pay to listen to the songs you like on streaming services, the price comparison is a no brainer. I would literally have to spend hundreds if not thousands of Euro to get all the songs I like on CD and burdened with at least 60% useless crap, while with Spotify I can pay 9 euros a month (or listen to ads) for the same amount of liked songs minus the 60% useless crap.

Hell I would even say that paying for an album on ITunes or Amazon is also stupid, since you actually don't own the album...check their terms. They reserve the right to deny access to the sold material on the platform.

Sent from my Honor 8X
 
Nope, waste of money [emoji16]. Most people can't tell the difference between speakers/headphones after a minimum price and quality. Yea 10 euro headphones suck compared to 50+, but when they get to 2000 euros you are getting scammed imo. Same goes for speakers imo.

And I remember people talking about how bad CD's were for audio lovers and the only good thing was LPs aka turntables. Now people are pushing the same **** with CD's versus online streaming. It is getting old [emoji70].

At the end of the day however CD's are too expensive and always have been. The production and distribution cost use to be a few cents to maybe 10 cents a CD and yet you expect us to pay 10 euros plus for a new album.. Use to be even more expensive.

And when you add in the ability to just pay to listen to the songs you like on streaming services, the price comparison is a no brainer. I would literally have to spend hundreds if not thousands of Euro to get all the songs I like on CD and burdened with at least 60% useless crap, while with Spotify I can pay 9 euros a month (or listen to ads) for the same amount of liked songs minus the 60% useless crap.

Hell I would even say that paying for an album on ITunes or Amazon is also stupid, since you actually don't own the album...check their terms. They reserve the right to deny access to the sold material on the platform.

Sent from my Honor 8X

Agree on minimum quality but nobody should ever spend €2000 on audio equipment unless stocking up a recording studio.
My problem with relying on online streaming is that the internet can always break or you suddenly need a Windows 10 update or it's downloading the next MacOS security update and so you get choppy playback - that never happens with a CD / DVD and I own it.

There is however an audio difference for me between a .wav file and an .mp3 - I can hear it, my eyes may be getting old but my hearing is still pretty good. I wouldn't pay for any audio streaming service whatsoever.
 
Agree on minimum quality but nobody should ever spend €2000 on audio equipment unless stocking up a recording studio.
My problem with relying on online streaming is that the internet can always break or you suddenly need a Windows 10 update or it's downloading the next MacOS security update and so you get choppy playback - that never happens with a CD / DVD and I own it.

There is however an audio difference for me between a .wav file and an .mp3 - I can hear it, my eyes may be getting old but my hearing is still pretty good. I wouldn't pay for any audio streaming service whatsoever.

I've spent far more than €2000 for the audio equipment in my living room, and a bit more than €2000 for sound in the bedroom. More than 3k cds and 10k vinyl, plus 78's. When people started dumping vinyl for cds, I scooped up collections for a pittance, kept what pleased me, and sold off or gave away the balance. The building I live in is prewar construction, built for luxury and space, the living room 60x40, 12ft ceilings, and a working fireplace. It is filled with music and musical instruments including a restored stand up baby grand that did service in a speakeasy and a bordello, as well as artworks, family photos. Overstuffed comfortable furniture and custom built storage oak cabinets for all audio equipment and media storage I designed and built myself along one wall, more storage in the hallways.

So far, I haven't found any compressed format that offers the tonal qualities available on well engineered vinyl or cd's. The obvious advantage of digital compressed formats is convenience, not quality of sound. Ripping cd's and vinyl to algorithms makes for easy mobility. I've loaded iPod Touches with endless product for my personal use, which kept me sane during long hospital stays, and accompany me on my daily walks. I almost think it is sad that streaming has become the dominant media today, while more profitable for labels because they don't need to be concerned with storage, transportation and returns, the sound quality just isn't there. Keeping in mind all recorded media is an illusory attempt to reproduce live sound, which despite the use of electronics during live shows, really cannot be met sonically. Plus it is always only part of the dynamics of live music.

Today, obviously there isn't enough time in a day to enjoy all this, but the grandkids are gaining education as they explore my music collection, sometimes with my guidance, and at times on their own. We are a very musical family, and each of us plays at least one instrument, so the value of the music is inestimable for each, and what is old to me is new to them. Their tastes vary, as they should, but they listen and enjoy, and learn well beyond the top 40 or even 100. That to me alone makes the expenditures worthwhile. Art builds on art, and hopefully some of the grandkids will produce new art based on what they've absorbed from my music collection, pleasing others with performances, or at least their own families and as they progress through life. A gift which keeps on giving.
 
I prefer youtubes. I can hear the song I want to hear when I want to hear it with multiple artists to choose from. CD's are like 8 tracks in this day and age.
 
I still use CDs in the car because while I could probably hook my phone in and do it, I haven't gotten around to it. My favorite was using my iPod synced with the car, but i don't think this car has that feature. At home, it's generally vinyl or even 8 track if I'm feeling especially retro.
 
Sound qualitywise nothing beats Vinyl. But it is not portable or convenient..

Anyway my 2018 vehicle doesn't even have a CD player in it. It has Bluetooth, 2 USB slots, XM, etc., etc.. So in the car it's Pandora and Bluetooth and X m exclusively for me now. At home the same, though I do have a record player and pop on a Vinyl record once in a while.
 
I'm all for CDs. Load the into iTunes using a lossless [whatever the word is], use good speakers. Definitely worth it.

**** streaming.
 
Can I ask if you're the type to spend lots of money on high quality speakers for listening to your online .MP3 collection?

It all depends on what is transparent for the user. I have had a lot of difficulty telling the difference between a 224 kbps ripped AAC file and the CD. I admit, it's been depressing when going after those 24 bit tracks on Tidal, because I have yet to distinguish between the copies of well-mixed and mastered albums. These days I rip at 256 kbps AAC and stream with Tidal. It has been a very long time since I last attempted an ABX test, so maybe I'll give it a shot at some point in the future. Back in the day, storage was hard to come by and ripping a relatively large library was an onerous process. Now it's pretty dang cheap, albeit if that hasn't trickled down all that well for micro SD cards. So to some large extent, the file size concerns are not the same as they once were, making it all the more sensible to rip at 320 kbps or lossless (FLAC, ALAC, etc.). But woulda, coulda, shoulda and is it worth doing all over again yet...

Current set-ups.

PC-->SPDIF-->Parasound Halo Integrated-->Martin Logan 35Xt.
PC-->USB-->HeadRoom Desktop Amplifier-->Sennheiser HD-600, AKG-702, Oppo PM-3.
Sony NWZ-A17-->Proprietary Adapter-USB-->Oppo HA-2 Headphone Amplifier--->same headphones as listed above
LG V20 (ESS Sabre 32bit Hi-Fi QuadDAC+Headphone Amplifier)-->same headphones as listed above
 
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I still buy some CDs, mainly inports, because I like to rip my own FLAC files. I own a lot of Blurays as well because finding a good digital version can be hard and there is no such thing as a collector's edition stream.

I own a lot of Blu-ray releases myself (and a decent number of UHD Blu-ray releases).

The audio Blu-ray thing seems to have become an incredibly niche format. But, it's been doing okay with home video releases with operas and live orchestral performances.

It seems like the most optimal format in a disc-less audio era is 24bit streaming, matched with 24-bit online stores or 24-bit (all the way down to 320 kbps MP3) releases straight from the artist's website.
 
~ is it worth doing all over again yet...

Current set-ups.

PC-- ~

I suddenly had the thought when reading this bit: if you're old enough to remember turntables and when the only delay before your musical sound track starting was the walk from record shelf to player and then now the occassional skipping of your stream because of choppy wifi / windows update.

At least the walk was usually filled with anticipation - the choppy stream / windows update is filled with swear words.
 
I suddenly had the thought when reading this bit: if you're old enough to remember turntables and when the only delay before your musical sound track starting was the walk from record shelf to player and then now the occassional skipping of your stream because of choppy wifi / windows update.

At least the walk was usually filled with anticipation - the choppy stream / windows update is filled with swear words.

Or additional troubleshooting.

And I am young. The earliest musical memory was digging through my father's mixed cassette tape collection, back when he was largely recording from FM stations back in the 1970s, along with the occasional early-mid-'80s rock and stand-up comedy releases.

I don't have the connection to earlier hardware, or certainly the professional background in music recording that some of the members here do.
 
Or additional troubleshooting ~

Yup. Personally I'm starting to look at dedicated hifi for playing CDs again. Can't make the most of the sound with neighbours either side but we will be moving sometime in the next 5 years and hopefully won't have neighbours and then I can invest in a purpose built system.
I laugh when I read reviews which promote iPhone capability. I just want to play the best sound I can afford and as clearly as I can afford.
 
At the end of the day however CD's are too expensive and always have been. The production and distribution cost use to be a few cents to maybe 10 cents a CD and yet you expect us to pay 10 euros plus for a new album.. Use to be even more expensive.

Some people just buy serviceable CDs on a website like Discogs for a couple of bucks a pop, rip them to a lossless format, and then turn around and flip them back. The monetary outlay is minimal going that route.
 
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