Buying CDs. Why?

[EdgeleyRob]

I find shelves full of CDs.

And drawers,and boxes...........

[Roehre]

And drawers,and boxes...........

...and piles (but only the approx 10 not-played ones, before being stored "properly")

[EdgeleyRob]

...and piles (but only the approx 10 not-played ones, before being stored "properly")

Oh Roehre,you're so organised.

[Quarky]

A fascinating thread, however, no one has mentioned the "have your cake and eat it option" of storing ones collection of CD's, as well as keeping them, on which point I agree completely with Gurnemanz, Pastoral et al. Although I would class myself as a technological dinosaur, I do have an iPod and to fill that I have to load the CD's onto my laptop (backed up on a storage device). Ok, at the moment for the purpose of the iPod it is only at 256kbps but I crave the day when I can fully connect to my hifi a hard disk storage device onto which I can store all my CD's and be able to search and play EASILY at full CD quality. Then I can release the space and put my CD's into storage against the day I may need to get them out and look at them or whatever.

Agreed, a fascinating thread. Great defence of CDs by pastoral guy. To which I would add playing music in my car is one of the few opportunities I get to listen to music without something else on my mind.

There are many technical solutions available to day and although I have not tried it, i would assume that in strong reception areas, it would be possible to get access to the internet in a car with a smartphone or tablet, and then a CD player would be redundant, if you can afford the phone charges.

Obviously,it's not only the technology, but also user preferences. I splashed out on a substantial CD collection a few years ago in order to get up to speed with late 19th and 20th century music, but these days I listen to them hardly at all, apart from a Schoenberg/ Gould CD. I prefer to listen to Radio 3 programmes on iPlayer for my particular musical interests.

Have your cake and eat it is an apt analogy. However once eaten, most of my CDs are just fit for the recycling bin!

[Don Petter]

...and piles (but only the approx 10 not-played ones, before being stored "properly")

My 'properly' options were filled years ago, I'm afraid. I have five piles by my elbow right now, which I can't be bothered to count, but at a quick check average 29" high from the floor, so certainly 100+ each.

[visualnickmos]

I find shelves full of cds have a certain beauty.

Exactly as a bookcase - it is enticing and invites "dipping into" - something a computer can NEVER replicate! And what's more, you can see everything in the collection all in one place and at the same time. Just move your eyes around in order to view. Totally mouse and hands free. Beat that, computer!

[Don Petter]

I crave the day when I can fully connect to my hifi a hard disk storage device onto which I can store all my CD's and be able to search and play EASILY at full CD quality. Then I can release the space and put my CD's into storage against the day I may need to get them out and look at them or whatever.

Mr Brennan is waiting to hear from you, rubbing his hands.

[Beef Oven!]

And drawers,and boxes...........

And spare rooms and garages


iCloud - bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Roehre]

Exactly as a bookcase - it is enticing and invites "dipping into" - something a computer can NEVER replicate! And what's more, you can see everything in the collection all in one place and at the same time. Just move your eyes around in order to view. Totally mouse and hands free. Beat that, computer!

And I love bookcases too. The difference however is, that there aren't (in my bookcases at least) many small pieces or bleeding trunks hidden away behind one book title [apart from lexica]. CDs however.....
I keep my database (composer-title-key-opus nr-opus nr addition-alternative number if not opus-year-version?-remarks-cd?-lp?-mc?-location) up-to-date, especially for those "trifles", or for composers not placed under their own names.

[kea]

The reason I don't like the idea of Qobuz/Spotify/Mog/etc subscriptions, and even will save the low-quality audio files from my cheap institutional NML subscription to my hard drive before listening to them, is simply that I don't like the idea of someone else being in control of the music. If they want to remove an album from the streaming service and make it unavailable for me to listen to, they can do that, no questions asked. If I buy the CD (or increasingly, nowadays, download a lossless DRM-free rip and liner notes) I do not need to worry about that happening. So long as I continue to be alive and to use my computer(s) & backup hard disks, the electrons will stay energised, allowing the data stored therein to survive. And I assume that if some technology completely supplants the personal computer in my lifetime (which is likely) there will be a way to transfer data to that technology with no loss of information.

Physical media has its own weaknesses—being physical, it's susceptible to physical damage, warping, cracks, etc—LPs are somewhat less vulnerable than CDs, and I have a sentimental attachment to them due to having grown up with them, so I somewhat prefer them, but CDs are fine too. Nowadays I do prefer to get everything simply as audio files (ideally FLAC or APE, but my sound equipment isn't high-quality enough to tell much of a difference between that and MP3s above 192kbps) due to a tendency to move house every six months or so and thus an unwillingness to have large amounts of personal possessions, but nonetheless I don't think streaming audio will ever replace actually having that audio in one's possession, in whatever format. I don't believe music enthusiasts will be exceptionally willing to relinquish control to companies that look upon music as an industry rather than an art.

[amateur51]

Spotify I use only for comparing performances and helping me choose which CD I'm going to buy.

I also use Spotify (and youtube) for discovering works, composers and performers.

What a wonderful world (from that perspective!)

[LaurieWatt]

Mr Brennan is waiting to hear from you, rubbing his hands.

'Fraid I have read far too much about his device to go near there although in principle you are absolutely spot on! I emphasised the word EASILY meaning it encompass, first of all, total ease of input, second, highest quality, third, total ease of search by whatever category one might choose plus a host of other desirables that I cannot think of while I write but I'll throw in lossless wireless connectivity through blue tooth or whatever.

[Phileas]

I emphasised the word EASILY meaning it encompass, first of all, total ease of input...

I'll admit that ease of input could be the one problem with currently available solutions because tagging ripped classical CD tracks is hard work, or was when I did mine, and I only had about 300 to do.

I think you can pay to have it done but that's rather expensive, and may not be completely satisfactory.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I also use Spotify (and youtube) for discovering works, composers and performers.

What a wonderful world (from that perspective!)

Indeed - and 'twas your good self who put me on to the Spotified universe - for which, eternal thanks!

I'm a little puzzled by the references to "physical damage" that CDs are supposed to be somewhat more vulnerable than LPs. I have CDs that I bought in 1985 which still play as well as the day I got them. Meanwhile, my four-year-old computer is already beginning to show discouraging signs of inbuilt obsolesence: I have far greater faith in the physical carrier than in a USB connection.

And, like books, they look so well on the shelves: the yellow stripes of DG, the reds of EMI, the blacks of KAIROS - like books (and it's interesting that there hasn't yet been a suggestion that KINDLE devices should replace a book collection) they are an attractive guide to who I think I am. I love looking through other people's book and CD collections when I'm first invited into their homes: it's a far quicker introduction to their personalities than anything else (the BNP posters excepted). What does Spotify tell anyone about me? I could use it to listen only to the Bay City Rollers for all anybody knows!

And what do I do with the wall space once all the books and discs have gone? I'd have to decorate!!!

[MrGongGong]

It's interesting that some of us are attached to the physicality of objects
I could buy sourdough bread from the shop but prefer to make my own

Handling an object creates an embodied experience which is how humans function IMV, and as with many things (cheese and beer again ) what works best is a hybrid of technologies

The idea that technologies replace one an other is a powerful myth , some things die out but others (Steam trains, Violins, Cassettes etc ) will run alongside each other perfectly happily.

If i'm making examples of music to play to people to demonstrate things then I will assemble files on my computer BUT files on a computer are just DATA , a physical object has a different life all together