CD's vs MP3 players...

[TwizstedJesus]

Ok, how many people have gone the way of MP3 players and have gotten away from CD's? I continue to buy CD's everywhere I go, and I've been noticing alot of places are reducing the price of the CD's to get rid of them and then not re-ordering. I've been thinking about the MP3 player idea but I just can't get my head around the concept, especially now that I'm getting CD's at $5-$6.

 

[mëtålspëd]

MP3s are not tangible... you lose a hard drive, you lose your collection. I can always rerip from my cds

 

[dcowboys311]

I only buy vinyl haha

 

[TychoCelchu]

It's a mix of both for me. I have a somewhat extensive set of mental criteria in my head that determines, case-by-case, when I prefer to use iTunes or go to the store for a purchase. I also have noted a slight drop in CD prices, which helps their case a lot.

The other side of this coin: like a lot of people, I've been happy to see the vinyl resurgence gaining strength with more bands releasing new albums on vinyl and more stores carrying them. However with this has come a huge increase in price, ostensibly for things like 180 gram vinyl for greater durability/replay capacity. Unfortunately as much as I love records, paying $30 for a record I could get on CD for $10 just doesn't tip the can for me.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

Thats my big fear. I've already had a PC hard drive fail on me and I lost 5000 CD's, 90 % of which were legal downloads or ripped versions of my CD's. I'd kill if it happened and I had no backup

 

[Jibrille]

I buy CDs but usually listen to the music as mp3s. I do a lot of my listening in the car or at work so I don't like transporting CDs around but I prefer having the tangible objects over something digital.

 

[Guardian of the Blind]

I think I will always buy CDs until they are not made anymore. Now, I never listen to them though. As soon as I get them in the mail, I rip them and put it on a shelf with the others. Then I sync them to my Zune. I also have an external Hard Drive that backs up my music just in case something happens to my computer. If I didn't have that and my pc crapped out, I would be pissed if I had to re-rip all of my CDs.

 

[end]

I can certainly see the value in CDs (higher fidelity, re-rippable, collectable, tangible), but mp3 players have their own qualities as well. Of course, the foremost of those is that you can have your entire music collection with you wherever you go. I have my iPod connected to my car stereo so with a couple button pushes I can listen to literally any song I have. The second obvious one is of course that you can use it to listen to songs for which you don't have a physical medium because you downloaded them (hopefully legally).

All in all, there's no harm in utilizing both technologies for their respective positive qualities, and I think that's what most people do.

 

[lignicolos]

I think I will always buy CDs until they are not made anymore. Now, I never listen to them though. As soon as I get them in the mail, I rip them and put it on a shelf with the others. Then I sync them to my Zune. I also have an external Hard Drive that backs up my music just in case something happens to my computer. If I didn't have that and my pc crapped out, I would be pissed if I had to re-rip all of my CDs.

This is exactly what I do too. Zune as well.

 

[mëtålspëd]

I buy CDs but usually listen to the music as mp3s. I do a lot of my listening in the car or at work so I don't like transporting CDs around but I prefer having the tangible objects over something digital.

I only touch my cd collection when I have to rerip... otherwise its 100% mp3 use. It is about backup only for me.

 

[TwizstedJesus]

Is Zune difficult to use? And I'm assuming the 120 would be the choice for huge music collections,correct?

 

[mëtålspëd]

I have a Zune 80... and its easy. Simple interface, and easy software. The only downside is the batterly life isnt as good as the ipod.

 

[Angrafan]

I listen to CDs almost exclusively.... I only use the Mp3 player when I am traveling or jogging...

I never listen to music in my computer when I am home, only streams on MySpace.


And I can't see myself paying for a download...

 

[Jibrille]

Is Zune difficult to use? And I'm assuming the 120 would be the choice for huge music collections,correct?

I've never had a Zune but I've heard a lot of good things about them.

The only thing is that if you aren't already into mp3 players, I wouldn't jump into getting the largest one possible to fit your entire music collection. Get a smaller one now and wait for flash to become cheaper and larger. Disk based harddrives aren't ideal for portable use because they're more likely to fail getting bounced around a lot. The iPod classic and Zune 120 are disk based while the Zune 8, 16 and iPod Touch & Nano are flash based.

 

[mëtålspëd]

I have well over 80gb worth of music... but I dont need it all with me. In fact, I have a separate mp3 player for working out ([ame]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00126V8WU/ref=ox_ya_oh_product[/ame]). It holds plenty for a few hours at a time, and is flash based.. and tiny.

 

[Wyvern]

MP3s are not tangible... you lose a hard drive, you lose your collection. I can always rerip from my cds

I drink to that

I have CDs (some vinyls) and I record my own C-90 tapes, the CDs must never leave the house (rule #1!).

I only have MP3s in my computer if the album is OOP or to check a CD before purchase, plus some samples of bands for future reference. I'm NOT into iPods or iTunes

 

[Wishmaster]

I like to buy CDs to have the tangible item, and also because I like to have the artwork and booklets. I used to only listen to the CDs in the car (MP3s at home & work), but now that I've gotten an iPhone, I use that in the car instead. Also, I would typically burn a copy of the CD to play in the car, rather than take the original.

--Mike

 

[eppst1]

I only buy CD's - I have yet to order or download MP3's from the net.

I use my MP3 player for traveling, working out, or cutting glass.

Having said that, I have recently added an AUX jack to my car stereo and find myself using my MP3 player in the car more than CD's now.

But I see myself buying CD's until they are no longer available. I'm not going to listen to music on my computer - that's why I have a nice big stereo in the house.

 

[VenomGA]

I purchase cd's but upload them to iTunes so I can put the albums on my iPods

 

[mëtålspëd]

I use my MP3 player for traveling, working out, or cutting glass

The screen doesn't scratch when cutting with it?