Is MOG (and Spotify) changing the way we listen to music?

geowak · « **on:** 17 Jul 2012, 11:53 pm »

Just thinking....

Are HQ streaming sites, such as MOG and Spotify changing the way we listen to digital music? Much like the Sony CDP-101 did for the compact disc revolution and the Apple IPOD/ITUNES had for portable (and) home music systems?

I cannot believe how much HQ sound I am getting from MOG streaming into my ext DAC and through my stereo. And I can bring up many, many, many choices on my IPHONE and Squeezbox.

Your thoughts...

Devil Doc · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Jul 2012, 11:58 pm »

No, but I thought it would. I find myself buying more new music rather than less.

Doc

wushuliu · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 12:17 am »

Quote from: geowak on 17 Jul 2012, 11:53 pm

Just thinking....

Are HQ streaming sites, such as MOG and Spotify changing the way we listen to digital music? Much like the Sony CDP-101 did for the compact disc revolution and the Apple IPOD/ITUNES had for portable (and) home music systems?

I cannot believe how much HQ sound I am getting from MOG streaming into my ext DAC and through my stereo. And I can bring up many, many, many choices on my IPHONE and Squeezbox.

Your thoughts...

I have discovered so many great albums and artists with MOG. The ones I really like I purchase as CDs. But the downside is mediocrity-first streamers like Spotify do not prioritize sound quality and are not very transparent about compression quality (at least it wasn't when I gave it a try). I would gladly pay a small premium if it guaranteed highest quality possible.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 02:04 am »

Quote from: geowak on 17 Jul 2012, 11:53 pm

Just thinking....

Are HQ streaming sites, such as MOG and Spotify changing the way we listen to digital music? Much like the Sony CDP-101 did for the compact disc revolution and the Apple IPOD/ITUNES had for portable (and) home music systems?

I cannot believe how much HQ sound I am getting from MOG streaming into my ext DAC and through my stereo. And I can bring up many, many, many choices on my IPHONE and Squeezbox.

Your thoughts...

Can I ask how you are getting good sound quality through any of these steaming companies?

I had some non audiophile buddies over a few weeks ago and we were A/Bing the differences between tracks through spotify on the SPDIF of my PS Audio Perfect Wave Dac, and then through the media bridge from my lossless library....

The difference was night and day in favor of the lossless library via bridge. My one friend was shocked at how bad spotify sounded compared to the bridge because it sounded similar through his car stereo.

In my opinion, if this is the way music distribution is headed hifi is as good as dead because it sounded pretty poorly on my system. Without access to even satisfactory quality, what would be the point??

Horribly thin, poor soundstaging, zero texture and body...horrible.

YMMV.

Devil Doc · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 02:17 am »

Mog, although not great, is considerably better than Spotify.

Doc.

geowak · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 02:53 am »

I see the point on Spotify.

Now in retrospect, I see how terrible the early commercial CD players sounded, like the Sony CDP-101 and the Technics players. They got much, much better and record albums almost became a thing of the past because of SQ. But vinyl endured and is coming back!

Same with IPOD and compressed music files, as it seems HQ sound took a big back seat to convenience and portability. So it seems to me that Sound Quality is only one factor and maybe not the most important one (in how we listen to music)??!

OK now everyone can pummel me into the ground...

Dr.Cmnsky · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 03:05 am »

Since Spotify requires Facebook - I'll never use it.

WC · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 04:01 am »

I use MOG to listen to new music and it sounds pretty good to me through my system when I connect it. I usually listen to it at work on my iPhone with headphones. I listen to it a lot at work, but very little at home. I have bought a ton of new music this year since I started listening to MOG.

tabrink · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 04:06 am »

Snobbery aside MOG through my Audio by van Alstine DAC is pretty freakin' sweet to check out obscure music without buying!
I caught the earlier post about car audio quality...LMAO

Oh my... did I just loose my elite AC audiophile status cuz I volunteered I like music not on vinyl.
And my system is littler than your great big one.
Well my little guy gets me off every time too.

Just in case you have not noticed I take all this stuff as a lark!

LA mitchell · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 04:47 am »

I'm so THANKFUL for both SPOTIFY/MOG services....

a few years back I was buying CD's (about 5 a month) and feeling OBLIGATED to listen to the entire album (even when some of the songs weren't to my liking, I was trying to get my money's worth).

Now, when I pass places like AMEOBA MUSIC, I see the advertisements for albums I wanna listen to, I go home and pull 'em up on MOG..... love it love it love it!

Sound quality on MOG is just fine with me - I love being able to explore all this new music!!
and for a mere $5 a months??? Soooooooooooo worth it to me.

LAmitchell

JEaton · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 05:57 am »

Kind of an odd thread, since Pandora probably has an audience at least ten times that of MOG and Spotify combined, yet hasn't been mentioned yet.

But if you're asking whether or not streaming music services in general are changing the way we listen to music, it depends on who you mean by "we".

If you mean everyone - the general public - then I'd say very definitely "yes". I know many people now who listen to almost nothing but Pandora. If you mean us old farts over the age of 50, then I think the services are being used mostly as a means of discovering new music. And if you're talking about audiophiles, then the lossy 320 kbps (at best) encoding of these streams means that they're really only attractive for casual listening. Which isn't a bad thing - certainly the bulk of my music listening is of background music thoughout my day.

Devil Doc · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Jul 2012, 09:34 am »

Not odd at all. I have subscriptions to both Pandora and MOG. I won't be renewing my Pandora subscription. It's very limited, with just about 0 options. ie. You can't listen to entire albums or listen to just one artist. And, of all the things, I once searched for "Americana" and got five Canadian artists in a row. With none of the music fitting the description as I understand it. Oh,and Pandora's sound quality is inferior.

Doc

wushuliu · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jul 2012, 12:52 am »

Quote from: Devil Doc on 18 Jul 2012, 09:34 am

Not odd at all. I have subscriptions to both Pandora and MOG. I won't be renewing my Pandora subscription. It's very limited, with just about 0 options. ie. You can't listen to entire albums or listen to just one artist. And, of all the things, I once searched for "Americana" and got five Canadian artists in a row. With none of the music fitting the description as I understand it. Oh,and Pandora's sound quality is inferior.

Doc

I agree with Doc (

) Pandora is TERRRRIBLE.

J-Pak · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 08:27 pm »

I use Spotify quite a bit to check out new and old music to decide if I want to buy something or not. In the few months I've used it I haven't noticed much of a change in my buying habits though. Almost all my physical purchases are vinyl, used and new.

prvngrnd · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 10:05 pm »

What I like best about MOG is the radio algorithm. It is much better than any other music service I have encountered. It does an excellent job of quelling my favorites with similar moods to make great mixes for cooking dinner, entertaining, playing with my infant son, and other assorted background listening. In doing so my ears perk up when I like what I hear but don't recognize the artist. It has been great for discovering new artists and even digging deeper into the catalogs of familiar ones.

For most of us on this site, the 320kbps limitation will not change the way we listen to music - what I love on MOG I buy on vinyl and if I must a CD (which I then rip to flac and throw in a box).

MOG, Spotify, Pandora, etc. don't do anything digital music hasn't already done with respect to making it easier to check out the two tracks you like on an album then skip to the next artist.

However, IMHO, if you aren't an audiophile, $10 a month for MOG is the only music you would ever need to purchase again.

WC · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 10:12 pm »

Quote from: prvngrnd on 30 Jul 2012, 10:05 pm

However, IMHO, if you aren't an audiophile, $10 a month for MOG is the only music you would ever need to purchase again.

Except for the holes in their catalog. Beatles, King Crimson, and Led Zepplin to name a few.

Devil Doc · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Jul 2012, 10:47 pm »

Quote from: WC on 30 Jul 2012, 10:12 pm

Except for the holes in their catalog. Beatles, King Crimson, and Led Zepplin to name a few.

True, but they have Etta Baker, Ola Belle Reed and Jessie Mae Hemphill.

Oh, and it's only $4.99 a Mo.

Doc

pumpkinman · « **Reply #17 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 12:09 am »

I have been using MOG for a few months now. It allows me to try so many albums and I can buy those albums that I like. Does it change they way I listen to music "no" only the way I find new music.

pumpkinman · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 12:11 am »

Quote from: WC on 30 Jul 2012, 10:12 pm

Except for the holes in their catalog. Beatles, King Crimson, and Led Zepplin to name a few.

60's psychedelic music is almost nonexistent

geowak · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 Jul 2012, 12:38 am »

I did the UNTHINKABLE. I bought an Iphone dock by Pure audio. I plan to use the MOG app on my phone and cable a Schiit Audio DAC through to my secondary audio system at home to see if I can hear a huge difference compared to my CD player and DAC.

So far I really like MOG and what it has to offer. The website runs more stable than the app on my Iphone, but maybe they will continue to have bug fixes for this...