Ending the Cd's Run....

lonewolfny42 · « **on:** 27 Dec 2008, 07:04 am »

For.......and ....Against.....

Any thoughts ?

funkmonkey · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Dec 2008, 07:39 am »

I've got to vote strongly against this one. They should continue to produce CD's until there is a tangible replacement... i.e. a flash drive, or something else that you can touch. I count on my CD's for redundant back-ups to all the music files on my computer and still use them daily in my vehicle. Distributing music solely on a download basis would be a sure way to lose a lot of money for the music industry. Frankly I have absolutely no interest in downloading any music files until I have the option of choosing my favorite lossless file format! Let's face it, it is still rare to find downloadable music in FLAC, or WAV files, or even ALAC. Most "high quality" downloads are choked off at 256kbps. Those are great for the iPod, but if they want to replace CD's the quality has to be there as well.

ZLS · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Dec 2008, 11:41 am »

The real issue is that of control of the music. Think of it this way; if every CD in the world vanished overnight what would the record companies charge for access to the music? I do know one thing; the price would be dependent on how many times you would be able to play the song back. I also know that quality would suffer, because even now it is a challenge to obtain lossless downloads.

This is a vote for tangible CD's, Vinyl, and for the absolute purists, reel to reel tape.

ecramer · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Dec 2008, 02:23 pm »

I want my Cd's and i want them now and next year.

Personally i have only heard one or two computer sources that sounded good that rest were simply soulless and dead.
and till i can download flac , which will create another problem and that will be bandwidth constraints which they are all ready running up against with the idea of move distribution over the web. the web does have constraints that most of us don't see but do exist. they are running out of bandwidth. There is the distinct possibility that with the loss of Cd's you would not only be paying for a less than bit perfect copy with a limited number of times you could play it back plus being charged a premium by you web provider for extra bandwidth. a double wammy. Music lovers should fight this with a pashion or sell you system and buy a ipod because thats were you headed with the loss of cd's.

John151 · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Dec 2008, 03:44 pm »

I hate those stupid plastic jewel cases, and the horrible packaging that I can never remove off of a new CD. However, I agree with the above posts that I don't see a good replacement yet. I purchased a CD last night, and the wife gave me grief and asked me why I don't just download it.

I am wondering if BlueRay will take over CDs, with even higher audio resolution than CDs. That is what I would like to see. Oh, and w/o plastic jewel cases. However, I doubt this will ever happen.

tojman · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Dec 2008, 04:08 pm »

The cover art and credits is half the enjoyment of having a hard copy for me! I remember the days of the double album, back when you had to de-seed your weed.

markC · « **Reply #6 on:** 28 Dec 2008, 04:31 pm »

Yea, remember that well... Like the working zipper on Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers and the panties on Alice Coopers Schools Out. The album covers also doubled as great deseeding devices.

dspringham · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 Dec 2008, 05:19 pm »

When iTunes starts offering Lossless downloads I will have no reason to purchase CD's again.

The CD's that I'm purchasing now are opened, ripped into iTunes (AIFF) and then end up in storage never to be played or handled again. I'm exclusively digital front end (iMac with Wavelength Cosecant USB DAC) and couldn't be happier with the sound quality, convenience and flexibility.

I find that even with the limited resolution more and more of my music additions are coming from iTunes downloads. I limit my selections to the iTunes Plus (256K) titles and I find that on albums that were well recorded, produced and engineered to begin with can actually sound quite good on my system (RWA Sig 30.2 with Harbeth SHL5's).

In the big box retailers that seem to be dominating the retail environment now, the selection of CD titles is (regarding my music preferences - mainly jazz, acoustic) is pitiful at best. It almost dictates that for a decent selection one is forced to order online.

I'm thrilled with the vastness of selection available on iTunes and even with the limitations of 256k downloads I find that the variety of titles makes any audible compromises more than tolerable. Plus, the availabilty of purchasing only the desirable tracks as opposed to the whole CD (and it's many "filler" tracks) makes the whole process even more appealing. I realize that there are other sources of high-rez downloads but once again the I find the selection limiting.

I'm not saying that iTunes is the be all - end all" but for me, it's provided a much more convenient source of music with greater variety than I could find wading through the limited selections at local retailers. I will still purchase CD titles of any "must have" albums that I find to be exceptional but the need is becoming less and less.

Since it's introduction, the selection of Itunes+ titles, has been growing quickly. I can only hope the same thing can take place with lossless downloads at which time I will happily say goodby to the CD.

Dave

Philistine · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 Dec 2008, 08:29 pm »

Well I just went to buy a couple of CD's recommended on The Music Circle, the only vendor for these was CD Baby. Total price (with lowest cost delivery) was $43 - it ain't going to happen at this price, I can download both for $19. I'm prepared to pay a premium for a hard copy, but this differential is going to kill off CD's very quickly.

nathanm · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 09:29 pm »

Plural usage:
I bought some CDs from the store.

Possessive usage:
The CD's jewel case was cracked.

I don't really buy much music at all these days, but whilst Christmas shopping I did something which I probably haven't done in a decade: buy a CD at a brick and mortar store. Okay, so it was just Best Buy, but it was still a huge nostalgia trip to actually browse through a rack of music. I made sure to get a super-tactile, format-specific one too, Tool's 10,000 Days with the neato stereogram viewer. Take that, iTunes.

It's a losing battle, though. These are just the baby steps humanity is taking to its final destiny of brains in jars.

JLM · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 10:28 pm »

I hope CDs stick around for the non-computer savy. I realize that market is getting smaller by the day.

So far there is not a simple/inexpensive computer based alternative that provides CD quality. The $1600 Olive is the closest. The Slim Devices must be modded, needs a computer, is hardly portable, and gets more expensive. Both should be backed up (extra money, complication, and effort). And a high speed internet connection is required if CDs are to be avoided, if a lossless copy can be found for downloading.

MP3 is great as an alternative to cassettes, but not an alternate to CDs.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 11:03 pm »

Go for it, Nathan! Keep the $%#!!! apostrophe barbarians from the gate!!!

I still buy CDs at a specialty neighborhood (OK, it is 100 miles away) store that has a phenomenal selection of new and used film scores, classical, jazz, and folk.
They are great folks and really know their music. Webster Records in St Louis is the place, and they do a heckuva mail order business.

Philistine · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 11:07 pm »

Quote from: nathanm on 30 Dec 2008, 09:29 pm

Plural usage:
I bought some CDs from the store.

Possessive usage:
The CD's jewel case was cracked.

I don't really buy much music at all these days, but whilst Christmas shopping I did something which I probably haven't done in a decade: buy a CD at a brick and mortar store. Okay, so it was just Best Buy, but it was still a huge nostalgia trip to actually browse through a rack of music. I made sure to get a super-tactile, format-specific one too, Tool's 10,000 Days with the neato stereogram viewer. Take that, iTunes.

It's a losing battle, though. These are just the baby steps humanity is taking to its final destiny of brains in jars.

Hey Nathan - ~~your~~ you're ~~right~~ correct.
Just showz Ive bin ear to long and youz guyys ave korrupted meez anyways wit da languige

Eyed best git wit da program

randytsuch · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Dec 2008, 11:40 pm »

My two kids just deal in itunes songs. I actually pay them in songs, for rewards for grades and such.

For the next generation, I think CD's are already dead, they have their iPOD and iTUNES, and they're happy.

I can see the CD going the way of the LP, in limited distribution for us crazy audiophiles

Randy

dragonwhip · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Mar 2009, 08:00 pm »

I still buy records. What better format is there?

Rashiki · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Mar 2009, 08:58 pm »

Quote from: dspringham on 28 Dec 2008, 05:19 pm

When iTunes starts offering Lossless downloads I will have no reason to purchase CD's again.

I agree. Almost.

When iTunes or Amazon start offering lossless DRM-free downloads I will have no reason to purchase CDs anymore.

I've been tempted by Amazon. Their download price is often far less than the CD and there's no DRM to worry about but I'm willing to pay a couple of extra bucks for the CD and rip it myself so I can have a lossless DRM-free version.

-Rob

BradJudy · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Mar 2009, 09:08 pm »

Quote from: Rashiki on 20 Mar 2009, 08:58 pm

I've been tempted by Amazon. Their download price is often far less than the CD and there's no DRM to worry about but I'm willing to pay a couple of extra bucks for the CD and rip it myself so I can have a lossless DRM-free version.

Amazon sale albums are the only downloads I buy. $2-3 for a non-DRM mp3 copy is a good price to me. I still don't buy them if its something that I know has great SQ and I'll want a CD/lossless. It has motivated me to pick up a couple albums that I was on the fence about - some I turned out to love and others were meh.

The other issue with downloads is the right of resale. With a CD, there is no question that I can buy it, decide I don't like it, and sell it on eBay or at a used music store. With downloads, I have lost that right. I'm surprised that this point gets little discussion.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Mar 2009, 09:21 pm »

Excellent point Brad, I never thought about that.

Bob

doorman · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Mar 2009, 09:59 pm »

More and more musicians are offering CD's direct from their websites. CD's will continue to be a viable if shrinking product for the foreseeable future. Plus, the above noted objections to the alternatives are a real consideration.
Yes, I know vinyl "died" long ago, many of us are still buying that too! If you ever go to swap meets where used vinyl and CD's are sold/traded, it's apparent that the reports of their demise are premature.
(AFAIC, liner notes and art-work are also an important part of the package)
Don

jazzcourier · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 Mar 2009, 10:59 pm »

There are a number of issues at work here.What did we learn from the death of the lp? The vinyl record was killed by the major record labels because they found a cheaper way to make a product that was almost flawless and charge more money for it.Right now i can get in my car and ten minutes away is a place where i can get a thousand cd's for less than a 1,000 bucks.They will look as good as anything a major label would put out.Now imagine if i owned a manufacturing facility and bought all the resources in bulk-the end cost for that product would be,what at least 50% lower.So i am a major big deal label and i signed the hot new band...call em' "Bum piss" And the cd release "songs i wrote while i watched Munsters reruns" is coming out and will retail for -low 12.99 to high 16.99 .......I paid these guys next to nothing and even though they recorded this on a Sony walkman in the unabomber shack i charged them back all the inflated costs of manufacturing,printing,media ads,my secretary's breast job,my two cars and a whole lot of everything else i could bury in the fine print.
Meanwhile i hire some drugged out record collector who lives with his mother to program for release all the archive stuff from decades ago that we paid for before he was born.We are selling these historical musical treasures on a "budget" line which we retail at 11.98 and the public loves us for making it available again.We press a few thousand of each and release them on the ...hand over fist label,cause that is our profit margin.Hey and forget about any royalties on that stuff.Just a bunch of dead guys anyway. Welcome to the music business!!!
Point being................These cd's just flat out COST TOO MUCH!!!! I remember a few years ago they were talking about reducing the price-if anything they increased the price.Support small indie labels with honest music please! And remember in the next revolution we go after the major labels,storm the fortress and pillage the stocks.The future of the cd lies in the next thing these guys can sell us.I mean how dumb are we...we bought the lp,then the cassette,then the cd,and now we buy the download for our little portable carrying around thing.We really are just a bunch of morons.