is there any point in buying music CD's? I mean will they be phased out in the near future? or are they still king in terms of sound quality?
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will the CD die out or will it always be king for sound quality
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Posted 7 months ago #
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They would already be dead if the music industry wasn't so eager to rip off the consumer for downloads. Buying a CD from play or amazon is still the cheapest legal way to get music, and its no big deal to rip it into whatever format you want.
Posted 7 months ago # -
As technology advances, internet connections get quicker and memory gets cheaper, higher quality digital formats will become more common which will make CD's sound like tapes.
In the long run they're toast.Posted 7 months ago # -
kings of sound quality? ahahaha, HAHAHAHAHA! it seems to me with each subsequent music technology,, there's more clipping of quality, from vinyl to cd, and cd to MP3. of course, someone will be along to tell me that that's all rubbish. but i stand by it!
Posted 7 months ago # -
agree with mrK
if you had the right gear to put it on vinyl was king.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Who knows? They said vinyl would die out, but it hasn't.
Cassettes are the only thing that no longer have new music released on them, but even then I did get a new ltd edition release on cassette a few months back..
I've got music on cassettes, vinyl, CD, mp3 and Minidisc and I'm keeping them all!Posted 7 months ago # -
Like a £500 stylus?
Posted 7 months ago # -
CD is wasted with current mastering practises. Check out something decently mastered from the 80s or 90s and compare it to a modern 'remastered' release.
Comparing it unfavourably to vinyl as a format is ludicrous (vinyl being roughly equivalent to a CD with 50% of the available bit-depth). However, vinyl can't be mastered as badly as CDs (the needle wouldn't stay in the groove properly) hence why they sometimes sound a lot better than their CD counterparts.
Posted 7 months ago # -
to be fair dd yes
Posted 7 months ago # -
People actually own CDs?
..Why?
Posted 7 months ago # -
I like them and they have my music on.
+ I cannot play MP3s on my hi-fi.Posted 7 months ago # -
People actually own CDs?
..Why?
because I can be reasonably certain of having a means of playing them in 20 years time (just like my vinyl).
There's too many 'dead' formats (storage as well as encryption) for me to be confident in a download.
Posted 7 months ago # -
fourbanger - Member
As technology advances, internet connections get quicker and memory gets cheaper, higher quality digital formats will become more common which will make CD's sound like tapes.Not sure I agree with this - tapes had inherent properties that made them practical & convenient, but they were never that high quality in general terms (Nakamichi Dragon, aside)....
CD is equally practical but is higher quality in most cases, even on modest equipment. Would most people be bothered by higher quality CD? I doubt they would be, so in the majority of cases they fit the requirements pretty well.Perhaps I am a luddite, but I much prefer to buy a CD and then stick it on my computer, rather than buy a download. It doesn't really seem any cheaper to get a download, so I'll stick with a physical item for the moment.
I worry about having all this 'virtual' music and then one day having a computer based disaster. I know that you should back stuff up etc. and that CDs supposedly aren't infallible either, but I have yet to have a CD stop working and some of mine must be getting on for20 years old now.What I do find surprising is that MP3 on CD isn't really available. So I can't go to a terminal in HMV, select the entire back catalogue of an artist, choose high, medium or low quality and walk out with a CD or two with all that music on that is produced for me there & then.
Posted 7 months ago # -
RM some of us even own LPS and a record deck
CD will be obsolete ,I dont own any
Posted 7 months ago # -
Higher quality CD (SACD) has been available for about 10 years but hasn't taken off at all other then in certain specialist genres. As mentioned above the mastering process and desire for ever increasing loudness rather negates even CD quality in most "pop" releases.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Who knows?
Answer: Junkyard!
Posted 7 months ago # -
As mentioned above the mastering process and desire for ever increasing loudness rather negates even CD quality in most "pop" releases.
Yeah. I have noticed that quite a few albums I have bought just don't sound any good. I am guessing it doesn't matter how 'high quality' the CD is, if you are starting off with something that sounds cak, you have nowhere to go with it.
Posted 7 months ago # -
AlI formats have there place. I'd challenge most people to tell the difference between CD and an mp3 encoded using LAME. But CD vs vinyl with the right turntable running through a decent system, no competition... vinyl will win everytime, especially in a club scenario, the only thing that will top that is reel to reel. I can't see DJ Harvey or David Mancuso ever using mp3 or CD's.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Yeah. I have noticed that quite a few albums I have bought just don't sound any good. I am guessing it doesn't matter how 'high quality' the CD is, if you are starting off with something that sounds cak, you have nowhere to go with it.
I noticed on the BBC this morning that "steps" top the album chart, when music is so crap, what does the format matter.
Music for me has always come before sound quality (within reason). I am quite happy with a 256 mp3 on my ipod hooked up to my hifi, no need for overpriced audiophile gubbins, spending more money would not improve the quality of the song writing.
So for a format I am looking for convenience and value, at the moment downloads are not good value, so the CD will stay as my main means of buying music for now.
Posted 7 months ago # -
There's a very good YouTube vid on the loudness war.
The difference in Metallica's "Master of Puppets" (1986) vs. "Death Magnetic" (2008) is very noticeable!!
Posted 7 months ago # -
There are plenty of formats that offer better sound quality than CD. HDCD, SACD and some lossless digital formats. If you buy a concert Blu Ray the sound quality is much better than CD too.
But CD's are cheap and convenient as well as offering decent quality in a pretty durable format so they will be with us for a while yet I suspect.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I noticed on the BBC this morning that "steps" top the album chart, when music is so crap, what does the format matter.
I'm glad I'm not the only person disturbed by this news. 2 sold out nights at the O2 arena... there really are a F** of a lot of morons in this country aren't there.
Posted 7 months ago # -
because I can be reasonably certain of having a means of playing them in 20 years time (just like my vinyl).
whether the disc will last that long is another matter. Apparently the lifespan of a CD is vastly reduced as soon as they print the top layer.
Posted 7 months ago # -
At C_G Towers they won't!
One of life's pleasures is being sprawled out on the sofa, glass in hand, perusing CD case notes in the other, enjoying the sounds emitting from my cheapo B & W speakers.
Luddite, yes I am, and not ashamed to admit it either.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Comparing it unfavourably to vinyl as a format is ludicrous (vinyl being roughly equivalent to a CD with 50% of the available bit-depth).
Regardless of lab measurements, I know that vinyl sounds far better to me than CD. Always.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I've discovered that £200 gets you an OK needle for a record deck definately not as good as £500 though.
Posted 7 months ago # -
xiphon - Member
There's a very good YouTube vid on the loudness war.
The difference in Metallica's "Master of Puppets" (1986) vs. "Death Magnetic" (2008) is very noticeable!!
I've got an unmastered copy of death magnetic , it sounds amazing compared to the real release.
Posted 7 months ago # -
The day (which will never happen!) when you can buy a platform free drm licenced download would I would have thought spell the end of CDs for most folks. If I could buy from itunes and know that in 2 or 3 decades time I could use the file on whatever device is prevalent at the time without having the faff of stripping out drm by doing a "virtual rip" and whatever I'd be happy to the leave the plastic behind for good.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I noticed on the BBC this morning that "steps" top the album chart, when music is so crap, what does the format matter.
But you have to realise this is entertainment and not really music. OK it does not float our boat, but for some its fun.
Posted 7 months ago # -
The figure that gets quoted in my industry (Information Management) is about 10 years life span for a CD before the data starts degrading, unless stored at the correct temperature.
I still buy CDs, you can convert them for other uses, and you get the packaging. What would life be like without cover art ??
Posted 7 months ago # -
Regardless of lab measurements, I know that vinyl sounds far better to me than CD. Always.
I can't tell the difference, but too many years in front of 30W of AC30 valve goodness will do that to your ears
Posted 7 months ago # -
OK I will bite on this!!
There is nothing wrong with current mastering HOWEVER there is a problem with cheap software making anyone think they can master their material also with recording studios struggling for business they are trying their hand at mastering which is a completely different skill.
And re the Death magnetic thing it is not badly mastered BUT badly mixed!
I believe that when it turned up at the mastering studio it was so loud the engineer rang up the producer and apparently asked WTF am I supposed to do with this. If you want to here a good version of Death Magnetic then apparently the Guitar Hero version was remixed from original multitracks.
Sorry to ramble but am mainlining Lavazza before entering the studio!
Oh and CD is a great format for buying music at a gig!Posted 7 months ago # -
I've no idea how many CD's I've got, but TBH I never use them, I spent a rainy weekend ages ago putting all of them on my itunes, and I pretty much (in fact always) listen to music thru the speakers connected to my laptop. I either download or youtube.
Joy Formidable CD was the last I bought (at a merch stand at the gig).
Posted 7 months ago # -
I can't tell the difference, but too many years in front of 30W of AC30 valve goodness will do that to your ears
They're useful for heating your front room, I'll give you that.
Posted 7 months ago # -
The figure that gets quoted in my industry (Information Management) is about 10 years life span for a CD before the data starts degrading, unless stored at the correct temperature.
I've been told 5 years max for self burned stuff (on branded media), rather than pressed.
I'm happy to get 5 hours out of most of them.
Posted 7 months ago #
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