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sodascouts
06-06-2011, 12:51 PM
This topic was brought up and it got me to thinking. Which music format do you most prefer?

sodascouts
06-06-2011, 12:56 PM
LPs have great artwork, but the music sounds all scratchy, they're ungainly to carry/store, and you can't play them in the car or take them anywhere. They're easily damaged as well.

The cassette tapes are more durable up to a point, but then they start to lose sound quality as they age and that tape gets run across those heads time and time again.

CDs are portable, have the artwork (although smaller), have high sound quality, and give you a physical object to hold onto. You can rip them to MP3 without too much effort if you want to do that. They're easily scratched and damaged, however.

MP3s are highly convenient but artwork is pathetic (yeah, you can download some, but what do you do with it? Load it onto an ipod where it's not displayed, or displayed very tiny). Plus, there's something to be said for hearing the song in the context of the album. However, I love that I can download one song from an album and not have to shell out $15+ unless I really do like it all. Also, nothing beats the portability and convenience of immediate downloads and mp3 players. I can listen to a vast array of music any time, anywhere, by just pulling my iPod out of my purse. On the other hand, said mp3 players don't really allow you to hear the sound in all its glory, nor do your average computer speakers. Finally, if you download from iTunes, you only get to put the song on five different machines before it becomes unplayable and you have to buy it again. UNCOOL. (nowadays, 5 machines is nothing... desktop, iphone, laptop, ipod... inevitably they will need to be replaced and then you're out of luck. I have recently subscribed to a music service so I don't have to use iTunes for just that reason.) Storing them on your computer can start taking up a lot of space unless you lower the quality so the file is smaller.

hmmm!

ETA: I think I'll go with CD, but still burn 'em all to MP3 for my iPod. lol

Annabel
06-06-2011, 01:27 PM
I must admit I still have some albums on vinyl that I just won't get rid of even though I don't play them anymore. (I do still have an old stereo with turntable in the atic. :ziplip:) I like the way I can see the words of the songs on LPs. They are a decent size unlike on CD's where I need a magnifying glass sometimes. :hilarious: Also like having the bigger art work there.
Still have a few cassettes too but likewise they never get played.

I tend to buy most of my stuff on CD but pretty much always add to it my I-tunes library and my I-pod. I have got the odd track I have bought just as a download, but they are very few in number.

I think I'll have to go CD. :)

WalshFan88
06-06-2011, 01:29 PM
CD although I'd LOVE to have a vinyl collection and a turntable to hook into my stereo (maybe for Christmas I could get a turntable! :D) But for me MP3/digital cannot come close to the quality of a CD or an LP through a big stereo. But then again I'm an audiophile and I'm sure for most people iTunes is fine. Not for me. I use the iPod in travel and that's it.

sodascouts
06-06-2011, 01:33 PM
I also find that I don't buy CDs anymore unless it's a proven artist that I already like a lot. If it's new music, I'll almost always just buy one or two songs... For instance, I own music by artists like Adele, Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, The Black-Eyed Peas, Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera, Coldplay, Daniel Powter, Daughtry, David Cook, Edwin McCain, Enrique Iglesias, The Fray, Jason Mraz, Lady GaGa, Ne-Yo, Nickelback, OneRepublic, Paolo Nutini, Plain White Ts, Rihanna, Shakira, Usher, 3 Doors Down, 30 Seconds to Mars, etc., but only a few songs each. The last time I bought a CD of a "new" artist was Keith Urban, and that was only because he was opening for the Eagles and was getting such high recs from my fellow Borderers! I just don't want to spend $15+ dollars unless I know I'm going to like the majority of it, and I don't know that with new artists. I will say that I have bought so many Beyonce, John Mayer, and Maroon 5 songs at this point that it about adds up to one album each.

It's all about the numbers. If I budget myself $35 to spend on music a month, I can either buy two albums from two artists with about 26 songs, some of which I may not like... or I can buy about 30 songs I know I like from a variety of artists. That's why the "You must buy the album to get this song" marketing crap pisses me off so much.

ETA: I should note that for me, "new" artist is anyone who came on the scene in the last decade, lol.

TimothyBFan
06-06-2011, 02:36 PM
LOVE my vinyl!!!!!! Nothing beats the artwork in an album and the sound is freakin' awesome with the right speakers and equipment.

And anyone who has seen our garage and the wall of music that holds 900+ albums could figure that out. We also have several stereo systems and a pair of out of this world speakers that have gotten us into a bit of trouble with the law. Oops!! :hilarious: But I also have a friend who has a turntable that I can download my albums from into my Itunes and then onto my Ipod.

OK--let's face it.... I love them all and purchase them all. It just depends on what it is and the format I want it in. Lately, for my favorite artist, it's been a purchase of cd AND vinyl and if there was a pre-release couple of tracks you could purchase, I've done that. LROOE and Move Like This by The Cars are 2 examples of all of the above.

Brooke
06-06-2011, 03:09 PM
Well, now I guess I'm learning something new today! Austin, you say that the audio quality on the ipod is not as good as a cd? Darn! I thought I had discovered the solution to scratched cds! And I thought that cds weren't supposed to scratch! :rolleyes:

Back when cds first came out I just knew I'd never buy them. I loved my vinyls too much! Then we bought a car with a cd player! Well, I had to have a few to play in there! (A few led to quite a few, the complete works of some nameless artists!) I did like that you get the liner notes and artwork with a cd. Finally, last summer when one of our stereos left us our kids talked us in to buying an ipod and a light came on in our head! You could take this anywhere and have all your music at your fingertips! Unbelievable! :brickwall: I've downloaded lots from itunes and also added all of our cds to my itunes library, but I'm still learning.

But now, Austin, you have deflated me if the listening quality is not as good! We have a pretty awesome stereo too! :sad: How will I tell my husband? :shock:

And I don't even know how to vote in the poll now! :lol:

sodascouts
06-06-2011, 03:37 PM
It depends on the quality of your digital rip. If you rip from the CD into a lossless format (I use Exact Audio Copy (http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/), which is free), your quality will be just as good as the source material. However, lossless files are big and take up a lot of space on the computer, nevermind the iPod!

The problem is that if you're listening to it through earbuds or on a computer's default speakers, it usually doesn't sound as good. That doesn't seem to be the case with you, though, Brooke.

Most iTunes song downloads comes at a quality of 256 kbps, which is pretty good (I believe they are planning to raise that in the future once they start selling players with better audio output capabilities). Many people rip their MP3s from their CDs at 128 kbps so the file is smaller and you can fit more songs onto your computer or iPod, but sound quality does start to deteriorate.

Brooke
06-06-2011, 03:50 PM
So, how do I know if I'm ripping my mp3s from cds at the right kpbs? I just put the cd in the Mac and let 'er rip! (sorry! lol)

Methinks I'd better just enjoy what I've got and try to pretend I didn't read this! It's all way above my head and even farther above hubbys! When we play the ipod through our stereo, which is Pioneer with nice Bose speakers, it sounds great to us! Better just let it be! :fear: I do understand that lesser quality speakers or headphones make a difference.

sodascouts
06-06-2011, 03:58 PM
You can look in the settings of whatever program your Mac is using to rip the CDs to find out... but if you're happy with the way it sounds, why worry?

WalshFan88
06-06-2011, 04:37 PM
The speakers and amp in a stereo make a big difference. Nothing comes close to a stereo. Even the best computer speakers are miles away. Digital doesn't sound that great IMO. Especially downloads. JMO. Get the stereo out with vinyl or CD and you'll get it. Analog FTW! I could go on a huge rant on the iTunes store and the music and music industry of today but I won't. :hilarious:

Freypower
06-06-2011, 11:05 PM
CDs are my favourite; I play them in the car. But I cannot live without my iPod & its 7810 tracks.

TimothyBFan
06-07-2011, 09:17 AM
The speakers and amp in a stereo make a big difference. Nothing comes close to a stereo.

EXACTLY!!! That's why I love my vinyl!! Nothing sounds better on a stereo where you have it coming out of speakers throwing different sounds out of each speaker channel at you!!! :thumbsup:

luvthelighthouse
06-07-2011, 10:30 AM
I'm going with a CD. I like the portability of them. I also like having something tangible to hold and feel. I'm not really a fan of iTunes and downloading... but I'll do it for a few songs.

For me, I enjoy listening to a CD all the way through, because sometimes I find a hidden gem by an artist I might not have heard if I downloaded their "popular" song off iTunes.

I enjoy the artwork on vinyl, but they aren't for me. However, get me into a record store and I handle them like they were priceless works of art... but they are too much work for me. Can't just pop them in wherever you are. (car, computer, stereo)

Ive always been a dreamer
06-07-2011, 06:44 PM
Yep - I had to go with CDs as well. As I've mentioned before, I never really even play my original CDs - I burn myself copies and then I don't have to be so meticulous about caring for them, especially in my car where they have been known to take a beating. I have them loaded in my iTunes library, so if one gets messed up, I just burn myself another copy.

Prettymaid
06-08-2011, 07:19 AM
MP3 has become my format of choice, basically because when we bought our iPod several years ago we went all out and got a Bose wireless docking station to go with it. It's so convenient to carry out to the deck or into the kitchen while I'm cooking or into the bathroom while I'm showering and it's got great sound. Since I only live three minutes from work I do not bother with CD's in the car. Heck, I don't even turn the radio on during my short commute because I usually have an awesome song going through my head from listening to my iPod whle getting ready for work!

whitcap
06-09-2011, 01:52 AM
I like having CDs but my favorite way to listen to music is on my ipod. All of my CDs are ripped to my ipod.

Victim of Love
06-09-2011, 09:41 PM
I enjoy having my favorite music on CD but seldom play them. I load up my iPod then burn a CD as a backup.

EaglesKiwi
06-10-2011, 05:38 AM
I like a mixture. CDs are portable and flexible, and they play in my car (MP3s don't...). I try to copy the ones I listen to a lot, so they don't get beaten up quite so much.

For us Vinyl is all about the experience. We have the turntable set up in the Man Cave, and there's no "skip" button, so we listen to it right the way through one side... then get up, turn it over and get another beer for DH.:p

I listen to MP3s at work whenever I am bored (often), and also when I walk the dog. But the sound is definitely not as good, and I just don't find earphones of any description comfortable.

I think I'm going to vote for CDs with surround sound speakers & a good amp... which by the way is how I discovered the Eagles in the first place :rofl::inlove:

TimothyBFan
06-10-2011, 10:11 AM
OK, here's a new one for me I just heard about an hour ago..... I just upgraded to a Droid Tuesday and with it being my 1st smart phone, I'm slowly learning this stuff. Was on the phone with a friend this morning and he was giving me some pointers because I'm having trouble with the music app. He knows I love my Sirius radio also, he then asked if I knew I could get that app and listen to it on my Droid. :shock: Another whole new way for me to enjoy my music. How exciting!!! :hilarious:

sodascouts
06-10-2011, 12:20 PM
Ah yes! I downloaded the "iheartradio" app just for the Eagles station!

Henley Honey
06-10-2011, 02:39 PM
I'm all about the ipod now -- but have only been using it for about a year. Before that I'd use my regular CD player and (no laughing, please) a discman. :blush: (Have I mentioned that I'm electronically challenged? )

I do still have alot of LP's though -- Linda Ronstadt, Poco, Jackson Browne, and of course -- the Eagles. They mostly collect dust but I'll hold on to them anyway.

TimothyBFan
06-10-2011, 02:44 PM
Ah yes! I downloaded the "iheartradio" app just for the Eagles station!

Holy crap!!! See, didn't think of that one either. Off to download another app. :laugh:

Brooke
06-10-2011, 03:29 PM
I voted for the cd for the sound, but the ipod is just so dang easy that's usually what I listen to.

sodascouts
06-10-2011, 03:49 PM
I do still have alot of LP's though -- Linda Ronstadt, Poco, Jackson Browne, and of course -- the Eagles. They mostly collect dust but I'll hold on to them anyway.

The LPs definitely make better collectibles. Even when I didn't have a turntable, I was buying albums as keepsakes.

Brooke
06-10-2011, 04:34 PM
We have a stockpile of old vinyls, too. No way to play them, but we just can't let go of them! I keep thinking I'll buy a turntable, but never do! :roll:

Brooke
09-25-2014, 11:22 AM
Just read through this old thread because I'm wanting Bob Seger's new album. I was wondering once again if I should do the digital download or get the cd.

Do you all still feel the same way? Are cds still giving the best sound quality or has digital downloads improved?

Freypower
09-25-2014, 06:11 PM
It depends what you want to do with it. The only time I play CDs now is when I'm in the car. If it isn't important enough for that then I only get it on iTunes. I have found on a couple of occasions though that I bought something on iTunes when I didn't have a hard copy (CD) and liked it so much I bought the CD later on. I even have a specific example - Abacab by Genesis.

WalshFan88
09-25-2014, 06:45 PM
Not a fan of digital downloads.

IMO if you want them on an iPod, rip the CDs into iTunes. It STILL sounds better than MP3s or iTunes downloads.

Vinyl is the best though. But for portability CD's ripped into iTunes work great. And CD's are great for the car.

There is also something to be said for having physical media you can hold in your hand.

sodascouts
09-25-2014, 06:52 PM
I agree with Austin. You can always rip CDs to MP3s if you want. Also, Amazon has a new service where they will automatically give you an MP3 download free if you buy the CD.

WalshFan88
09-25-2014, 06:56 PM
I agree with Austin. You can always rip CDs to MP3s if you want. Also, Amazon has a new service where they will automatically give you an MP3 download free if you buy the CD.

I just found that out awhile back....I went into their cloud drive thing and all of these CD's I've bought from them were all accessible on there. Pretty cool.

Now I do like Spotify though, but that's a different animal (streaming as opposed to owning), simply for convenience of listening to songs I don't have or on the go.

The Disco Strangler
09-25-2014, 10:14 PM
ETA: I think I'll go with CD, but still burn 'em all to MP3 for my iPod. lol

Argh, I voted for MP3 for my iPod but realised that's what I do--burn my CDs to MP3 LOL.

Brooke
09-26-2014, 11:50 AM
Ok! Thanks everyone! I think I'll go with the cd for sure!

I kinda like to hold it in my hands too!

DJ
09-28-2014, 03:47 PM
I've always loved vinyl for the album covers but now that there are Cd's and Digital for sound quality, I prefer them. Still miss going and getting excited about buying an album though for all the pictures and background info on the band.

Lisa
09-28-2014, 06:00 PM
Cassette tapes.

Jonny Come Lately
02-07-2016, 06:19 PM
Thought I'd revive this topic because I've been thinking about this recently. I voted for CDs, as most of the music I buy is in this format, although in practice I mostly tend to listen to music in MP3 format on my computer or iPod. However, I prefer to upload the music I want from the CDs I buy rather than downloading.

I did not grow up with vinyl and therefore have no particular nostalgia for vinyl records, and in any case I feel buying a vinyl record would be pointless - I have no access to a turntable and would also be wasting money that could be spent on 2-3 CD albums that I can actually use without having to buy new hardware. I do remember cassette tapes, indeed I remember listening to The End of the Innocence in that format, but once cassette players were phased out the tapes my family had became obsolete.

I keep a database of all the albums in my collection and have a record of which albums I have on CD and which I only own on digital format. My collection currently consists of about 100 albums including live albums as well as studio records (this is why I only did a top 50 rather than top 100 in the favourite album chart thread). The split is surprisingly straightforward, with more or less exactly two-thirds of my albums being on CD with the remaining third in MP3 format. There was a major change in my attitude around the summer of 2014, prior to then I usually downloaded albums on iTunes but around that time I started to favour getting CDs and uploading from them. In fact, over the last 12 months I've only downloaded two albums - Coda by Led Zeppelin and Brothers & Sisters by The Allman Brothers, every single other album I've bought has been on CD and my only other downloads have been isolated individual tracks.

There have been six albums that I have initially downloaded and then replaced on CD. Four of these are actually Eagles albums - I first got Eagles, Desperado, On The Border and The Long Run in MP3 format before replacing them with the Studio Albums box set at Christmas 2014. The other two are Love Over Gold by Dire Straits and Fleetwood Mac's self-titled/White Album.

Outlawman13
02-07-2016, 11:25 PM
My favvie is always going to be the vinyls!! I actually like the scratchy sounds too! LOL!! But c.d.s come second best to me

Witchy Woman
02-07-2016, 11:43 PM
Definitely CD. I just rip them to iTunes for my iPhone. I prefer to have a hard copy just in case.

SoaringRockyMountainWay
02-08-2016, 07:56 AM
Vinyl all the way. Something about vinyl sounds so cool. :rockon:

UndertheWire
02-08-2016, 08:02 AM
I opted for mp3 because I'm hopelessly disorganised and my CDs are spreadh over the car, kitchen, bedroom and who knows where. I'm even being converted to the idea of storing music on a cloud so I can pick it up on whatever device is handy (so long as there's wifi). I know I could buy the CD and load up as mp3, but sometimes that means plugging in an external DVD drive etc and I rarely get around to it.

I inherited my parents' "music centre" - turntable, cassette deck and radio in one with separate speakers and I keep meaning to set that up and pull the vinyl and cassettes out of storage. The more complicated option is to set up my old hi-fi system which has separate turntable, amplifier, tuner, cassette deck (but unfortunately no speakers anymore). It all seems too much trouble and a waste of space.

AlreadyGone95
02-10-2016, 05:10 PM
I voted for cds. I buy cds, vinyl, and cassettes quite frequently, and use Spotify almost daily(digital format).
I love the digital format for its mobility aspect. Plus, it's great for doing what I'm doing right now, which is doing several different things on the computer while listening to my loved tracks playlist on Spotify. I can notice some loss of sound quality, and I don't like not having a physical, tangible copy. That's why I try to buy albums on at least one physical format, alongside the digital format.

I love vinyl for the gatefolds and beautiful artwork, but they're bulky, difficult to maintain, and a decent turntable costs at least $150. They do have the best sound quality, though.

I've never played 8 tracks since finding a player for them isn't easy or finding them for that matter!

Cassettes are small, portable, and can last a long time. Most are very cheap nowadays, and you can find a boombox for less than $40 easily. The cons are the small or nonexistent art work/liner notes, and having to rewind or fast forward them.

I think that some of the older folks prefer vinyl because that's what they grew up with. When I bought AC/DC's Back in Black album on vinyl, my mom sort of lit up because it brought back memories of her being my age and spinning the record when It came out. I'm kind of like that with cds. They're the format that I first got hooked on at the age of 12 when I became a huge music fan, and I own more them than the other formats. ( 530 cds, 395 records/45 singles, and 73 cassettes at last count).
Cds are fairly portable, easy to maintain, there are several different devices that you can play them in, there's little sound loss, and the art work/liner notes are a good size. I really don't find any cons expect that like every other physical format, you can't stuff them in your pocket to carry around like an Ipod or have Spotify or something similar on your phone.