[Sparky191]

I buy CD's because I want to rip the music the way I want. I could care less about the actual box etc. I don't find theres much of interest in a CD cover anyway. I also buy them because I want to hear the other tracks by an artist. Tracks I probably will never hear on a radio or TV, and often end up being my favourite.

 

[carlosgp]

I am one of the "old" audiophiles that always thought that cds, jewel boxes, mini cover art, etc. are awful compared to the glory of traditional full LP covers. Once I did the jump to digital, I never cared again about covers. To me, this form of art died with LPs, and now covers are just a way to easily recognize the albums of my collection. The scanned covers in my iTunes database fulfil the same function.

 

[Sparky191]

I have to say I like looking up Artists and Albums on the web, finding out more about them and linking to related bands and artists. Thats something I can't get off CD's or Album covers.

 

[Aevum]

the thing about compact discs is that for the first time, the media was fully digital, the warmth that came from the analog inaccuracy which made sound seem more natural disappeared, atleast thats the speech any vinyl fan will tell you, as with headphones and speakers, as you go to higher quality sound equipment, the increse in detail makes sound less fun and more analitical,
which makes you ask, are you listening to the music or to your equipment ?

as for the physical vs vitual media, you have several factors,
1) alot of people like having the booklet, or the extra DVD, a CD signed by the artist has high emotional and/or economical value, plus, it gives you the feeling that you own something, a downloaded song is just a name on a list in your computer, nothing less, nothing more, theres a clear loss in value and satisfaction here,
2) the CD is in your house, in your hands, no one can come and say "you cant play that CD anymore" on the other hand, most online music download services dont give you music, they lend you music and a note that says "you´re allowed to listen to this song under x Conditions", which means that one day you wake up, and you find that your permisions to listen to it are gone, or that you can only listen to it on a specific device,
the CD is there, and you can wear it as a hat if you like, downloaded music isnt really there, its here today, gone tommorow,
3) then you have the album factor, i doubt theres a person one who hasnt bought an album becuase he likes 1-2 songs by the artist, poped in the album, and found he paid for 2 songs he likes, 6 he can stand and 4 he hates, ist like going to the grocery store and being forced to buy a pack with 4 apples, 6 bananas and 2 oranges when you really just wanted 1 or 2 oranges, the downloaded music breaks the hold on this tactic used by the record labels, making you buy 12 songs to get just 1-2 you want, lowering record label profits becuase they can no longer bundle bad music with good music and force you to buy it,

 

[003]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noseallinit /img/forum/go_quote.gif the only problem I have with CD's(DVD, DVD-A, SACD, Blu-Ray..) is that the industry has plagued us once again with the same basic vulnerability(scratches, etc..) that Vinyl has but not nearly as bad.

...don't tell me you are trying to suggest that CDs are more susceptible to scratches and damage than LPs..?

 

[robert1325]

I like LP 's , CD's do nothing to me ( physical)

But I think those digital downloads are a good thing, People download the tracks they like ( probably the best tracks) Artist will be forced to realease albums with only "quality "tracks

 

[Aevum]

get a optical or laser turntable, you can forget about scratches and distorted LP´s

 

[evilking]

The CD or at least the album package isn't going anywhere (IMO etc).

Albums sell in the UK between £10 and £16 (sometmes more for limited extra special editions). Most albums have songs that aren't as good as the rest of the CD, therefore if given the choice of individually choosing which tracks to spend your money on, you will spend a lot less (is it 79p a track now on itunes?) than £10-16. Albums force the consumer to spend a predetermined, relatively large amount of money on an artists latest release. Non-subscription digital downloads allows the consumer too much freedom in choosing their music.

I'm not saying digital downloads are a bad idea, the very fact that you can buy individual tracks from artists that you may not be familar with (to taste their sound), generates revenue where there was previously none.

 

[swistak]

full cd albums all the way for me

there's that pimp factor you can rely on when you invite a girl over to your place and she's like "wow, thats a lot of cds"

on the other hand i really wish there was itunes store over here in poland, now that the tracks are officially drm free it would be nice to get tracks right over to my macbook instead of having to find them on ebay and get them shipped over from the states to Poland (thats what i do, albums purchased this way are up to 50% cheaper than bought locally)

 

[Sparky191]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swistak /img/forum/go_quote.gif full cd albums all the way for me there's that pimp factor you can rely on when you invite a girl over to your place and she's like "wow, thats a lot of cds" ...

No offense but you need to get out more. Is that a Discman in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?

 

[Sparky191]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...don't tell me you are trying to suggest that CDs are more susceptible to scratches and damage than LPs..?

Why have they never designed a decent CD box over the years?

 

[noseallinit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 003 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...don't tell me you are trying to suggest that CDs are more susceptible to scratches and damage than LPs..?

not at all but they are just as susceptible to being scratched and such. rented and borrowed DVD's about drive me crazy that have been scratched and freeze up on me computer not allowing me to play them. the protective case that MD's come in was a blessing in my opinion.

 

[noseallinit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aevum /img/forum/go_quote.gif , 3) then you have the album factor, i doubt theres a person one who hasnt bought an album becuase he likes 1-2 songs by the artist, poped in the album, and found he paid for 2 songs he likes, 6 he can stand and 4 he hates, ist like going to the grocery store and being forced to buy a pack with 4 apples, 6 bananas and 2 oranges when you really just wanted 1 or 2 oranges, the downloaded music breaks the hold on this tactic used by the record labels, making you buy 12 songs to get just 1-2 you want, lowering record label profits becuase they can no longer bundle bad music with good music and force you to buy it,

sorry but there are a many of one hit wonders out there. I have bought albums for just one song. hoped that the rest of the album would produce some more good songs only to find out that the rest of the album bit bad. I still prefer to have the CD(at one time the LP) if I can afford to get it but having just a copy of the song will satisfy me.

 

[noseallinit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aevum /img/forum/go_quote.gif get a optical or laser turntable, you can forget about scratches and distorted LP´s

LP's are a thing of the past for me! I enjoyed them while I collected them and even miss some of me collection but I will never go back to them. I want mediums to progress, not step back!

I have had friends and such tell me that they like to hold a book, a newspaper, a magazine and that the internet or computer did not interest them. to me the internet is better than the Library in me neighborhood. even though I am in walking distance to me local Library and can get books, magazines, music and movies I think the internet is better source and on the environment as well. now one realizes all the energy, chemicals and pollutants it takes to produce a magazine and ship it all over the country. sure there is energy involved but it's elvolving for the best everyday.

 

[stevenkelby]

MD could have been the best format, as said. No scratches, large capacity etc. Sony screwed up on that one.

I haven't bought a CD for 5 years, I buy about 5 - 10 full albums every week, cheaply, legally, downloaded in flac or 320. I pay for flac if I think it will be a well recorded album or something I know I will want to pay attention to the most details on, or 320 kbps for stuff I know is badly recorded anyway, or that I will never really focus on anyway.

Not sure if we are aloud to discuss which site here though?

If I can get 99% of albums I want in lossless, the rest in 320kbps, all cheap and from my desk, why buy a cd? If I want art I'll buy a painting. Lyrics are on the web. I pay for music only.

I download the album, burn it to a cd if I want, back it up on my internal and external HD (which I unplug once backed up) and also back up to my portable HD which I take every time I leave the house in case it burns down (also has precious photos etc).