[NightFlight]

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I'm surprise they have modern one, Im going to check this out. I don't think mine will have modern one but I'm sure I can at least find something interesting.

 
Hmm. Time to make a trip to the library.

 

[Aaron94]

No clue how i managed to triple post the same post. Sorry guys

 

[Aaron94]

Sorry....

 

[Aaron94]

I wish my library had CDs, they have some but they are either older music that Ive never even heard of, or so used that they wont even work. There is a few shops in my town that specialize in CDs and vinyl, but I havnt gotten the chance to visit them at all and look around.

 

[pallentx]

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For bands I really love, I still buy physical CDs (usually from an online retailer). More often than not, I purchase mp3s from amazon. I used to use iTunes, but I really prefer that amazon gives you the file as an mp3 directly, stores them all online for you to play on other computers, and is generally a little cheaper. I also get library CDs since my wife is a librarian. A lot of the music I listen to is a little obscure or from Europe (different types of heavy metal) and so the CDs are hard to get here in the US. For this reason, I end up buying mp3s. I'm old fashioned though and still have giant binders of 700+ cds in my house that I carry around every time I more.

This is pretty much where I am now. Amazon is great for music - mp3 and cds. I lost a whole CD case on a plane a few years back and only have low bitrate rips on my computer of many albums. (it was the early 2000s when HDD space was still relatively expensive and I didn't own nice equipment.)  Amazon has been great for finding replacements of old CDs that have long been out of print - usually shipping costs more than the CD unless its a rare gem. A lot of CDs you buy from Amazon also come with high bit MP3s in you web player for free. For my favorite artists, I still like to collect the CDs with all the artwork, and buy direct from the artist if possible. I also like knowing I can re-rip them anytime I want to any format I want. Most of my music is ripped to high bitrate variable wma. I've done AB tests with this and lossless and cannot tell the difference. Since I also copy a lot of my collection to my tablet, I'm still a bit space conscious.
 
Recently, I've been buying MP3s from Amazon since they offer a decent bitrate. These are more impulse buys though and not stuff I generally want a quality archive of.

 

[zigy626]

Personally I would never use iTunes or Amazon to buy music. I download everything Hi-res 24/96 from Linn records and buy CD's from Amazon. All my CD's are then ripped into bit perfect WAV uncompressed format. This change has come about in the last 6 months after I bought my first Audiolab M-DAC. The first thing I did was to download a Hi-Res 24/96 album from Linn and frankly it left me with my jaw hanging. It was so good that I now even look at buying CD's as a compromise. I also use spotify premium service 320kbps for music exploration and have discovered so much good stuff through that. It is an absolute shame that Apple provides only 256kbps when they I am sure know its sounds like crap. 

 

[jasonb]

Apples itunes is AAC not MP3. AAC is a better codec than MP3. So a 256 kbps AAC file will sound at least as good as the same song in a 320 kbps MP3. I also used to think that since its 256 that it must not be good quality, but I was proven wrong. Also VBR plays a big role as well. 
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Personally I would never use iTunes or Amazon to buy music. I download everything Hi-res 24/96 from Linn records and buy CD's from Amazon. All my CD's are then ripped into bit perfect WAV uncompressed format. This change has come about in the last 6 months after I bought my first Audiolab M-DAC. The first thing I did was to download a Hi-Res 24/96 album from Linn and frankly it left me with my jaw hanging. It was so good that I now even look at buying CD's as a compromise. I also use spotify premium service 320kbps for music exploration and have discovered so much good stuff through that. It is an absolute shame that Apple provides only 256kbps when they I am sure know its sounds like crap. 

 

[zigy626]

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Apples itunes is AAC not MP3. AAC is a better codec than MP3. So a 256 kbps AAC file will sound at least as good as the same song in a 320 kbps MP3. I also used to think that since its 256 that it must not be good quality, but I was proven wrong. Also VBR plays a big role as well. 

Thanks for your input.  But would a 256kbps AAC sound better than a 1400kbps Wav or a Flac file? Why are we paying Apple for compressed music? I think people who care about Audio would never download anything from iTunes. If i really want to listen to something compressed I have so many other options Spotify, Pandora, Mog, Rdio etc. I pay a small fee per month for all you can eat music and can even download stuff for offline listening as long as my subscription is still valid (case in point Spotify).

 

[jasonb]

Of course it's not the same as a wav file.
 
I also use MOG quite often.
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Thanks for your input.  But would a 256kbps AAC sound better than a 1400kbps Wav or a Flac file? Why are we paying Apple for compressed music? I think people who care about Audio would never download anything from iTunes. If i really want to listen to something compressed I have so many other options Spotify, Pandora, Mog, Rdio etc. I pay a small fee per month for all you can eat music and can even download stuff for offline listening as long as my subscription is still valid (case in point Spotify).

 

[zigy626]

Where I am from (UK) good music store like HMV are going bust, they just can't keep up with Apple iTunes. But I think we have some hope with companies like B&W and Linn now offering Hi-Res downloads at 24/192 from their website. I am hopeful more people would download most of their music from these sites. Soon on the horizon is DSD which is even more exciting. All is not lost.  

 

[thecansmancan]

Personally I like CD's. I got ticked at itunes. And yeah, I'll be honest, i Can't tell the difference between 246 bit rate and ALAC. But my thing is, it just doesn't move the way i want it. As in It's not easy to manipulate. Hence, I've started buying all my music on CD's so I have hard back ups. Then, (actually right now) I'm havong an android mini computer shipped in so i can build the mother of all portable--or transportable depending on how you look at it--rigs. (Minix G4-->Modi-->O2, all as powered by internal batteries or 9000 mah battery pack) Thus, I will be completely independent from grid power during use.
 
Any way, yeah I'm with the CD crowd for the moment. In the future, I hope to expand to records as well. I've heard such great things about the lack of compression. Makes me giddy...now, if only records still went for the prices they did back when they first came out 

 
Oh and my two cents on amps/dacs:
 
I do agree with you to some extent that there is a bit too much hype around them. I know i have a name brand solid state and can't tell it apart (actually think its worse) than my no name pro amp. The price difference? $150.
 
I'm not big on the whole idea of amps and dacs really changing the sound of a setup. In all honesty i think it's headphones that make a difference. Now I CAN tell the difference between cans, and thus appreciate upgrading/owning multiple pairs. 
 
I look to make my final upgrade to the modi and O2 and call it a day in the source department. Now headphones...those are where it really counts. Got my hands on the HD800's a few days back...I'm looking forward to being out over a grand in the near future 

 

[zigy626]

Quote:

Personally I like CD's. I got ticked at itunes. And yeah, I'll be honest, i Can't tell the difference between 246 bit rate and ALAC. But my thing is, it just doesn't move the way i want it. As in It's not easy to manipulate. Hence, I've started buying all my music on CD's so I have hard back ups. Then, (actually right now) I'm havong an android mini computer shipped in so i can build the mother of all portable--or transportable depending on how you look at it--rigs. (Minix G4-->Modi-->O2, all as powered by internal batteries or 9000 mah battery pack) Thus, I will be completely independent from grid power during use.
 
Any way, yeah I'm with the CD crowd for the moment. In the future, I hope to expand to records as well. I've heard such great things about the lack of compression. Makes me giddy...now, if only records still went for the prices they did back when they first came out 

 
Oh and my two cents on amps/dacs:
 
I do agree with you to some extent that there is a bit too much hype around them. I know i have a name brand solid state and can't tell it apart (actually think its worse) than my no name pro amp. The price difference? $150.
 
I'm not big on the whole idea of amps and dacs really changing the sound of a setup. In all honesty i think it's headphones that make a difference. Now I CAN tell the difference between cans, and thus appreciate upgrading/owning multiple pairs. 
 
I look to make my final upgrade to the modi and O2 and call it a day in the source department. Now headphones...those are where it really counts. Got my hands on the HD800's a few days back...I'm looking forward to being out over a grand in the near future 

Sounds like a awesome rig you are making. Good Luck with it. Cant really go wrong with HD800's, amazing soundstage and sound. 

 

[dsound]

CD's for me.  I like the options that CD's give: listen on a CD-player or rip to lossless for DAP-listening.
 
I would buy records but my vinyl rig wouldn't do the music justice at the moment...
 

 

[thecansmancan]

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Sounds like a awesome rig you are making. Good Luck with it. Cant really go wrong with HD800's, amazing soundstage and sound. 

Many thanks. Lets just hope it all works. It seems I'm with that crowd working to push the envelope on USB audio out in portable devices, and as it is i may have to bend some software to get what i want out of it....ah well, tiz the beauty of Head Fi right:going to insane lengths to get just a touch better (or a lot better) sound....

 

[TheJazzyH]

My county's library system has a large collection of CDs, so I borrow, rip, and return. Tons of lossless music for free! The popular CDs get worn down quickly, though... can't do anything about the scratches, but I still get a decent rip with error correction after wiping off all the dust and smudges.
 
I do occasionally buy CDs though, when the library doesn't have what I want. Unfortunately, the prices my local music stores have tend to be less than favorable, so I find myself ordering online more often recently. 
 
As for digital downloads, I like iTunes and Amazon MP3 for having the biggest selections while offering decent bitrates for their files. I build up Amazon MP3 credit through various promotions, obtain free or discounted iTunes gift cards once in a while, and purchase rare or exclusive releases at either one. Bandcamp is great for lossless downloads, although only a few artists I like actually put up their music there.
 
Now that look back at this, I don't actually pay much for my music collection...