In defense of the CD

[Yodelgoat]

I still use CD's on specific occasions, and I will keep my disks until I die and my kids sell them off. I also listen to mp3's on the go and thats how I do most of my listening. when I'm at home - and in my recording studio, I have great speakers (near field, midsize and mains) and I use CD's there, because they really do sound better than mp3's and I can hear the difference.

With only a few exceptions, For every MP3 I have its corresponding CD. I dont do piracy and I also want to have physical media.

[JJ88]

I'm surprised that this hasn't already happened. The generation that buys this stuff is probably going to lose its purchasing power soon.

There's the reason why the CD hasn't died- nothing physical has replaced it really. Unless you count this vinyl revival (and I don't), or those USB sticks. Not sure the latter took off anyway.

[rcarlberg]

With only a few exceptions, For every MP3 I have its corresponding CD. I dont do piracy and I also want to have physical media.

Another advantage to doing it this way is you can always rip to a higher-quality file format when they come along.

[Nijinsky Hind]

I burn CD-Rs for the car for this reason.

This would be a good solution for my sloppy self... Thanks.

If anyone is interested, go to ebay, enter RECORDS in the search, click on advanced menu, click SOLD items, then click HIGHEST VALUE FIRST.... You wont believe your eyes!

[StevegSr]

Well, at least CDs are not floppy discs.

[Nijinsky Hind]

Well, at least CDs are not floppy discs.

Amen... I doubt you could fit just a bass riff on the ol floppy!

[PotatoSolution]

Often, a CD is the same price or only 1 or 2 bucks more than the digital download. In that case, I'll go for the CD. Seems like more value for me.

On occasion, the CD is actually cheaper than the download, which makes it a no-brainer.

[rcarlberg]

If anyone is interested, go to ebay, enter RECORDS in the search, click on advanced menu, click SOLD items, then click HIGHEST VALUE FIRST.... You wont believe your eyes!

$15k for a set of Elvis original SUN 45s? Yeah, I can believe it.

There's some other stuff in the $3000-$4000 range where it seemed like the buyers just really, really wanted those items.

[Facelift]

Not true. I find it much easier to simply listen to a CD than have to RIP the CD and get it onto an MP3 player. I often want to listen to an album in bed, but the last thing I want to do is have to rip it and get it onto my iPod or phone right then.



much of my on-the-go listening has been while commuting or travelling, and as I said, in bed (not really on-the-go) and I wear noise canceling headphones, so to me sound quality is important. That said, I'm not a huge audiophile, and I can deal with the sound quality that MP3s provide.

i highly doubt that anybody could tell the difference in sound between a CD played on a discman and an MP3 file ripped to 320, played through the same set of headphones - but if they believed that they could, then they'd of course have option of using lossless files. The subset of people who would prefer a discman to an Mp3 player is incredibly small, and that's probably a big reason why they're all but gone as a consumer product.

[Jay.Dee]

What I don't understand, then, is why there are so few portable CD players being made - not really a single decent one available new. I'm surprised there isn't some small company making audiophile portable CD players, or that the Asian companies aren't making at least one decent portable CD player. I CANNOT find one with the Resume feature, yet they all seem to have AM/FM radios built in, which I'd gladly trade for Resume. Also, I'd love one with a display and possibly buttons that light up - for use in bed.

I think there is a niche for a hi-end discman, at least judging by the prices for used quality discmen on eBay. And no wonder, because sound quality wise the old top models wipe the floor with all smartphones and mp3 players I ever held in my hands. However, we will have to wait for the inevitable CD revival when it becomes cool again to show up with a discman on the street.

I hope that future upmarket models will have full support for all disc formats (BluRay/SACD/DVD-A) too.

[Nijinsky Hind]

$15k for a set of Elvis original SUN 45s? Yeah, I can believe it.

There's some other stuff in the $3000-$4000 range where it seemed like the buyers just really, really wanted those items.

Especially the classical stuff... I went to goodwill a year ago or so and picked up a mint box set (2lps) of Rabin doing Beethoven's (edit: paganinis ) caprices in stereo iirc. Put it on ebay for 20 bucks figuring i'd likely triple my 5.00 investment.

1700.00 was the winning bid. (1700 stereo. 240 for a mono) holy cats!

Went out and bought a used pickup.

And I know im off topic and will stop but i got this on ebay today in the mail... Only 9.00. It is the mintest used album I have ever bought... image.jpg

[Dave (in MA)]

On occasion, the CD is actually cheaper than the download, which makes it a no-brainer.

True, although trying to understand why makes my brain hurt.

[PeterG]

I have a friend, who about five years ago digitized all his CDs onto his 60gb ipod, then got rid of all the CDs, he now regrets it. But on the plus side, with the money he got from the sale of the CDs, he bought a shed load of old hard rock and heavy metal vinyl.

[Nijinsky Hind]

I have a friend, who about five years ago digitized all his CDs onto his 60gb ipod, then got rid of all the CDs, he now regrets it. But on the plus side, with the money he got from the sale of the CDs, he bought a shed load of old hard rock and heavy metal vinyl.

I say he did good!

[PeterG]

My local secondhand record shop has started a new thing recently, they now have a rack in their shop, past the till by the door, full of CDs they don't want in the shop, with a sign saying, "free - help yourself" Do you think people take stuff? Do they buggery. It's always full of CDs. So it is true to say, they can't even give them away.

[PeterG]

I say he did good!

Me too. But what he seems to regret is some of the one-off, limited and digipack metal albums he got rid of.

[Gruno]

My local secondhand record shop has started a new thing recently, they now have a rack in their shop, past the till by the door, full of CDs they don't want in the shop, with a sign saying, "free - help yourself" Do you think people take stuff? Do they buggery. It's always full of CDs. So it is true to say, they can't even give them away.

There's nothing in your story to state that the CDs contain quality music that people would want.

[Nijinsky Hind]

I have 17 and 14 year old Daughters, they and their friends don't EVER buy CDs. They rely solely on you tube or equivalents. I get the feeling they have no desire at all to actually own any recorded music. A lot of us are like librarians... Shelves full.

[Steve F.]

"Initial pressing?" Dude, CDs aren't "pressed." .

Actually, they ARE pressed. Not the same as vinyl is pressed, but they are pressed.

[nosebone]

Why would you want a discman ?

Just choose to rip your CD's lossless and pack them in a a nice MP3 player.

Now you have many CDs in one place.

It's 2016. just a reminder.

http://www.mcelhearn.com/the-abcs-of...s-music-files/

[SteveSly]

I still buy CD’s. I do own an I-Pod but mainly rip stuff from my CD collection onto it.

[rcarlberg]

I have 17 and 14 year old Daughters, they and their friends don't EVER buy CDs. They rely solely on you tube or equivalents.

Yes, and it would be well to reflect on what this means for the future.

No physical media sales in the future? That doesn't spell the end of music per se, but it may spell the end of The Music Industry. Artists will make their money not by selling their music, but by product tie-ins and endorsements.

Musicians who wish to succeed will have to become celebrities like professional athletes and actors, with their own lines of clothing and consumables. Their fame will come from movie soundtracks, TV soundtracks, phone ringtones, and having their clothing worn by fashionable people.

What's that? It's already happened? Oh crap you're right.

[2steves]

There's a lot of music out there---essential music I buy the CD---that would be my fav bands---all other music I download---I like the idea of vinyl but not the reality.

[Nijinsky Hind]

Yes, and it would be well to reflect on what this means for the future.

No physical media sales in the future? That doesn't spell the end of music per se, but it may spell the end of The Music Industry. Artists will make their money not by selling their music, but by product tie-ins and endorsements.

Musicians who wish to succeed will have to become celebrities like professional athletes and actors, with their own lines of clothing and consumables. Their fame will come from movie soundtracks, TV soundtracks, phone ringtones, and having their clothing worn by fashionable people.

What's that? It's already happened? Oh crap you're right.

Yep yep yep and yep!

[rcarlberg]

Went out and bought a used pickup.

And I'm guessing you mean a truck.... not a cartridge.