[Edwood]

I'd imagine living in small spaces with a lot of neighbors adjoining your walls, above and below you, you wouldn't have the option to listen to speakers, let alone a large high end speaker system without others hearing it.
 
So limited space and crowded neighbors.  Not a surprise at all why headphones are so popular in Japan.
 
I don't live in Japan, but I do live in a small condo in Southern California.  So with many neighbors nearby and noise restrictions imposed by HOA rules, it's actually headphone listening heaven here.  Sucks if you prefer speakers, but I prefer headphones. 
 
-Ed

 

[xinque]

The market for second-hand CDs (well, pretty much second-hand anything) in Japan somewhat offsets the pain of buying items brand new.  It's more widespread and common practice over there than it is in the US, then again Japan has also been slow to adopt digital distribution.  Not sure if it's still the case now, but I recall hearing from a Japanese friend couple years back how the CD rental business was more popular than actual sales.
 
Anyway, give Yesasia a shot if you're looking at imported CDs from the area.
 
Quote:

oh that's much better , I guess it's just the import tax lol , anyone know any source that sells the japanese CD in a more reasonable price? I really dig their female vocals, or pop songs as i can't understand them what so ever, cz I find many pop singers have great voice but their songs are just non-sense , it kinda bugs me lol 

 

 

[JamesMcProgger]

sweet lord, I'll loathe that store like a Londoner

 

[koolkat]

Car stereo?
 
Quote:

I'd imagine living in small spaces with a lot of neighbors adjoining your walls, above and below you, you wouldn't have the option to listen to speakers, let alone a large high end speaker system without others hearing it.
 
So limited space and crowded neighbors.  Not a surprise at all why headphones are so popular in Japan.
 
I don't live in Japan, but I do live in a small condo in Southern California.  So with many neighbors nearby and noise restrictions imposed by HOA rules, it's actually headphone listening heaven here.  Sucks if you prefer speakers, but I prefer headphones. 
 
-Ed

 

 

[kiteki]

Check out e-earphone
 
That's a famous one

 

[Redcarmoose]

Only some of the cities are crowded. Japan has some of the most open county side. This is the same type of redneck post as comparing Chinese to Japanese. It just comes from being uneducated. 

 

[kiteki]

 
Japan has open countryside because 99% of the population live in cities?
 
 
There is nothing wrong with comparing Chinese and Japanese but this thread has nothing to do with it.

 

[HesterDW]

 

 

[nanaholic]

Japan had digital distribution for a long time actually - except it's confined to their mobile phones.  It's a wet dream for the content people because their mobile phones are so locked down with DRM that it makes tones of money for them.  Also because PCs aren't popular there weren't incentives for a PC based DD business, it's changed now thanks partly to Apple's iTMS, which prompted heavy competition from Sony to offer a similar service.  
 
CD sales in Japan are aimed at the hardcore fans who wants to make a collection.  Rental is definitely the bigger business, Tsutaya is currently the biggest rental/retail chain for CDs and DVDs and stores are everywhere.  Also the reason MDs were so popular in Japan is also because of rentals - imagine being able to rent CDs and dump them onto high quality palm sized MD players 15 years ago with little loss of quality compared to the lowly cassette tape,  before CD burners, ripping and giant HDDs were common.  That was THE thing for Japanese youth whom were into music.  MD never caught on outside of Japan  because it lacked this angle.  
 
Quote:

The market for second-hand CDs (well, pretty much second-hand anything) in Japan somewhat offsets the pain of buying items brand new.  It's more widespread and common practice over there than it is in the US, then again Japan has also been slow to adopt digital distribution.  Not sure if it's still the case now, but I recall hearing from a Japanese friend couple years back how the CD rental business was more popular than actual sales.

 

 

[HesterDW]

That's a challenge kiteki!
 

 
 

 

[BrucYSN]

Quote:

The market for second-hand CDs (well, pretty much second-hand anything) in Japan somewhat offsets the pain of buying items brand new.  It's more widespread and common practice over there than it is in the US, then again Japan has also been slow to adopt digital distribution.  Not sure if it's still the case now, but I recall hearing from a Japanese friend couple years back how the CD rental business was more popular than actual sales.
 
Anyway, give Yesasia a shot if you're looking at imported CDs from the area.
 
I mean here at U.S a particular website maybe? i find both Ebay and Amazon sell em pretty expensive.

 

 

 

[BrucYSN]

Quote:

Japan had digital distribution for a long time actually - except it's confined to their mobile phones.  It's a wet dream for the content people because their mobile phones are so locked down with DRM that it makes tones of money for them.  Also because PCs aren't popular there weren't incentives for a PC based DD business, it's changed now thanks partly to Apple's iTMS, which prompted heavy competition from Sony to offer a similar service.  
 
CD sales in Japan are aimed at the hardcore fans who wants to make a collection.  Rental is definitely the bigger business, Tsutaya is currently the biggest rental/retail chain for CDs and DVDs and stores are everywhere.  Also the reason MDs were so popular in Japan is also because of rentals - imagine being able to rent CDs and dump them onto high quality palm sized MD players 15 years ago with little loss of quality compared to the lowly cassette tape,  before CD burners, ripping and giant HDDs were common.  That was THE thing for Japanese youth whom were into music.  MD never caught on outside of Japan  because it lacked this angle.  
 

 

Rent CD? that sounds like a lot ripping going on, on a side note , the way people japan rely on their cell phone it's scary, it's their credit card, member ship card everything~
 

 

[roker]

Quote:

Rent CD? that sounds like a lot ripping going on, on a side note , the way people japan rely on their cell phone it's scary, it's their credit card, member ship card everything~
 

yeah, that's going to start happening here too.  
 
I can't imagine a day without my phone.
 

 

[koolkat]

 
Quote:

That's a challenge kiteki!
 

 
 

 
 
It's not that surprising. Some Japanese don't even lock their houses at night,
or at least that's how it is on tv.
 
Quote:

Rent CD? that sounds like a lot ripping going on, on a side note , the way people japan rely on their cell phone it's scary, it's their credit card, member ship card everything~
 

 

 

[tk3]

The ripping of rented CDs isn't frowned upon there, it's actually more of the opposite.
Some rental shops even carry stuff to help with that, like blank CD/DVDs.
The rental business is very big there as well, I've seen tons of huge stores that do nothing but rent out CDs, DVDs and even manga.
Most large stores selling that kind of stuff also have their own rental section.
 
I also like how people there actually buy games instead of downloading them, and then sell them back to the store when they're done with them.
The second hand game business is also pretty big, and since the Japanese generally take good care of their stuff, buying something second hand
is usually in very good condition, no reason not to if it doesn't have an online code or something like that.
 
Quote:

Rent CD? that sounds like a lot ripping going on, on a side note , the way people japan rely on their cell phone it's scary, it's their credit card, member ship card everything~