 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
Jun 13, 2014 - 6:31 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
John Mullin
(Member)
|
You mean his laptop survived the fire?
The laptop DID survive the fire, but both of them were carried off by a twister later that same day. This just goes to show that be it LP, CD, download or 24 track session masters, disaster can strike and deprive you of your music.
You must live in a very small place!
I know this wasn't directed at me, but I share this poster's lack of desire to have a lot of CDs around as well. My wife and I have a reasonably sized place (about 1600sqft), but we also have a 2 year old and another baby on the way. As most parents can attest, every inch of our place is valuable real estate now. Nearly all of my CDs are sitting in boxes in my closet, and frankly, I'm running out of space in there too. The idea of having ALL my music on a drive that's roughly the size of a pack of cigarettes instead of spread out over several shelves is hard to not want. Also, I can back all that music up quickly and take it around if I want to. CDs just seem like a waste of space to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 13, 2014 - 6:32 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
SchiffyM
(Member)
|
This is all too complicated. I started with LP records back in the 1950s.
I've just accepted CDs! 
Ha!
Look, this conversation comes up about weekly here, and the people who wouldn't dream of giving up CDs can't begin to understand why others don't care about them, and vice versa.
The old hard-drive failure/lost computer/soda spilled in computer (okay, that's a new one) argument seems like a slam dunk to the CD crowd, but in fact hard drive based music is a lot easier to back up than CDs.
That said, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this matter. While I still buy CDs by default, I have no affection whatsoever for the physical aspects of them. Go ahead, cite artwork, cite liner notes, cite whatever you want… the arguments don't move me. I like the music. How that music gets to my ears is unimportant to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 13, 2014 - 7:25 PM
|
|
|
|
By: |
nerfTractor
(Member)
|
This is all too complicated. I started with LP records back in the 1950s.
I've just accepted CDs!
Ha!
Look, this conversation comes up about weekly here, and the people who wouldn't dream of giving up CDs can't begin to understand why others don't care about them, and vice versa.
The old hard-drive failure/lost computer/soda spilled in computer (okay, that's a new one) argument seems like a slam dunk to the CD crowd, but in fact hard drive based music is a lot easier to back up than CDs.
That said, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this matter. While I still buy CDs by default, I have no affection whatsoever for the physical aspects of them. Go ahead, cite artwork, cite liner notes, cite whatever you want… the arguments don't move me. I like the music. How that music gets to my ears is unimportant to me.
SchiffyM is the calm voice of reason as usual, and I mostly agree. I digitize my CD's (losslessly) and retain the physical as backup because 1) I want the option to revert to physical media in the case of a catastrophe, 2) I may need to re-rip individual CD's or tracks, 3) the artwork and notes are a big part of the fun and 4) fair use restrictions. But the convenience of having my 4,000-CD collection at my finger tips instantly searchable and playable is incomparable.
So that's the background. Now, to answer the OP's question. I would absolutely transition to download only if three things occurred. First and foremost, CD quality (or better) sound files are a requirement for entry. Lossy downloads just don't cut it on a powerful high fidelity home system. Second, I look forward to a standard means of downloading all that precious artwork, liner notes, lyrics, and songwriter and performance credits. I do think someday before long the industry will solve this problem, as iTunes has taken some baby steps toward doing with iTunes LP. But it should be standard to be able to access the physical packaging materials in electronic form, and easily associate those assets with the music files themselves. It just makes sense, and I feel pretty confident that it will happen some day. The third necessity is recoverability, which is to say that, in case of a hard drive crash or equivalent on my local system, I can re-access my original download and simply restore the missing music and artwork. Admittedly, if you buy from many different sources, this could be a pain and so until further notice, there is just no substitute for good backups, both on- and off-premise. I have a network-attached RAID array that I back up to locally and my entire library (yes, 1.7TB) is backed up to the cloud via CrashPlan. It's about $40 a year and while a full backup or restore takes several weeks, it's worth it to have this last resort.
So that's it. If the industry were to standardize on high definition quality sound files, enable artwork, notes and credits to be associated and accessed electronically as well, and provide some recourse for disaster recovery, then I'd happily kiss goodbye to all the boxes and boxes of CD's that I currently have in storage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think I would only buy music as download releases ONLY if they offered lossless stellar quality files. I hate MP3s. When you compare MP3 to CD tracks in A/B fashion, there IS a difference in terms of sound quality. Try yourself at home with great audio gear or even using a good pair of headphones!
Yes, digital files are convenient, easy to store, no need for shipping fees, no need for shelf space, BUT... there's no jewel case, no "real" liner notes, no "real" booklet, no nothing... AAAND you still get inferior sounding files.
I love CDs. I will buy them 'till the day they die. I just hope that when we do go digital-dowload-only, we get to go in great style. There are way better options to do it nowadays than using those dreadful forever-lost-audio-information mp3 sh*t.
I hope you guys agree with me.
Cheers!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: |
Jun 14, 2014 - 1:51 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Mr. Popular
(Member)
|
No.
When the specialty labels stop making CDs, I stop buying soundtracks.
Ditto. I already have enough CDs to keep me entertained for the rest of my days, but as long as they keep producing ones that I'm interested in, I'll keep buying.
Downloads? Never have, never will.
Now it makes more sense why you freaked out so much when I explained how I cut up my booklets. I'm just glad I got over the physical obsession. Saves me so much space.
What amazes me about these topics is this: The specialty labels very rarely GET digital so why worry about it.
If anything specialty labels may cut back on the amount of releases at some point, but for those who watch their bottom line, they can survive even if the CD becomes a niche collector format much like vinyl.
For new films, some labels still get digital but only from certain studios. Universal, Sony and Warner keep the majority of the big films or they license to the majors who will pay more for the rights to release them.
I have CDs and I have digital files in lossless saved on my hard drive and backed up in a secure cloud service. If the labels or studios offered me options to buy a release in lossless or hi-def, I am on it in a heartbeat.
But my professional opinion is this: If the labels control costs and watch what they release, they can survive and thrive. The CD will go on as long as people still want them. I don't buy into the idea physical is going away for good simply due to watching this vinyl resurgence.
Just the other day I saw an announcement via Billboard that Cassette Store Day is coming! CASSETTE STORE DAY?!?!?! Before we poo-poo that idea keep in mind many cassette titles got released on the last Record Store Day and sold out. Seems to me physical formats are like cockroaches...they will survive no matter what!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Right now I prefer the specialty release on CD.
But if the labels could only offer downloads of their releases - hell, yes, of course I would still want to get those scores!
I probably would check out even more releases right now if there were a choice between ordering the CD or a (cheaper) download. I actually do that with pop music: I only buy CDs from my absolute favorite artists, and I choose downloads from artists that are hit and miss with me or completely new to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
