CD's vs MP3 players...

[DarkOne]

I continue to buy CDs and will continue to do so as long as the format is available. However, 95% of what I listen to are MP3s.

Zod

Same here, and same here. However, I still annoy myself when I find a CD months after purchase, still wrapped, whilst I listen to try before you buy downloaded MP3s*.

Steve in Philly

 

[Jibrille]

Well, the information I've received is all well and good. I looked over my CD collection yesterday and theres no way I will try to convert to MP3. We're talking 9000+ cd's, many of which get pulled out and played as the urge strikes me. It would be nice to have them all accessible on an IPOD or Zune, but I'll hang on to the old school until I can't hold on any longer. Thanks guys for all of your comments. I at least know that mp3 players are becoming the norm instead of the oddity.

I only rip new CDs as I get them. Older stuff gets ripped as I feel the need to listen to them. That way it doesn't seem like such a task.
Small MP3 players are extremely handy to have for when you're out and about, especially if you work out at a gym or jog around the neighborhood. You can get a few hours worth of songs depending on the size and easily change them the next time you're in the mood for something different.
Of course, rather than go with an MP3 player, there's also plenty of cellphones out there that work as mp3 players. Most accept miniSD cards to put up to a few gigs on them.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

Every thing I listen to music wise is mp3 based. I never use cd's any longer. When I buy them they sit unopened quite often.

I'm a try before you buy guy as well. I rarely buy blind. I am however very good about buying things I like .. just not sure which is the best thing for me yet.

I've really cut back on my CD purchases this year, and have opted to buy from Itunes, and Lala. I have a problem with that as well though ... just like unopened cd's were piling up I find that I download the album, but never actually use the file I just purchased.

I think the CD is going to go away in the coming years .. just not sure exactly what will replace it. I think Apple might be on to something with this Apple LP thing, but that remains to be seen. Basically they are now selling some select albums with mp3's, lyric notes, artwork, etc ... embedded in the file. Eventually I would think that will become the standard for all digital releases. At that point the cd might go the way of the do-do bird.

Britt

 

[mëtålspëd]

I purchased my first digital download ever two days ago... its just not the same.

 

[Wherewolf]

I ALWAYS have hard copies of every cd I own. I-pods suck IMO, at least with mp3 players you dont have to "sync" it everytime you wanna add something AND with an mp3 player you don't have to keep it in your hard drive to add or remove a folder. Most mp3 players let you add wav, and wma files if you want. They are all around better. I think this should have no impact on the cd. In my book it's a given to have the cd as a back up always! mp3 players are cheap enough to buy and convenient to travel with. The cd should never be an option to stop buying.

 

[General Zod]

I purchased my first digital download ever two days ago... its just not the same.

Do you feel dirty?

Zod

 

[dcowboys311]

I ALWAYS have hard copies of every cd I own. I-pods suck IMO, at least with mp3 players you dont have to "sync" it everytime you wanna add something AND with an mp3 player you don't have to keep it in your hard drive to add or remove a folder. Most mp3 players let you add wav, and wma files if you want. They are all around better. I think this should have no impact on the cd. In my book it's a given to have the cd as a back up always! mp3 players are cheap enough to buy and convenient to travel with. The cd should never be an option to stop buying.

an Ipod isn't an mp3 player???


and for those problems you mentioned (aside from the wma and wav), all you have to do is click ONE button.

 

[Cheiron]

I purchased my first digital download ever two days ago... its just not the same.

I did my second recently. First one was Kill 'Em All. That computer's harddrive crashed. I never burned it. Will have to repurchase again.

Second was Voyager's new album. Burned it, have a problem with 2 of the files that were burned. Going to just buy CDs from now on. Even though they end up getting scratched up, at least I can backup those CDs.

 

[mëtålspëd]

I did my second recently. First one was Kill 'Em All. That computer's harddrive crashed. I never burned it. Will have to repurchase again.

Second was Voyager's new album. Burned it, have a problem with 2 of the files that were burned. Going to just buy CDs from now on. Even though they end up getting scratched up, at least I can backup those CDs.

Mine was a bonus track off a L/E Type O disc... sure as hell not buying a whole cd for the single track.

 

[hoodaman]

you can't get an mp3 autographed

 

[Wyvern]

I will NEVER do that. I know a lot of people whose homes and cars were broken into, and the binders make it very easy for thieves to walk away with hundreds of cd's quickly.

I already have been burglarized and thankfully they didn´t stole any of the CDs (not valuable here), but they did stole my customized HP computer (besides some other electronics and some jewelry) so....

 

[Creeps]

It probably won't be too long when the CD format dies out and we're strictly digital for music. I love my collection, don't get me wrong, but let's check out a couple things.

Recording industry has been hurting. Going digital = less cost to put albums out. There's no manufacturing inserts, jewel cases & other odds & ends. Liner notes are already created on a computer and can be easily included in a digital download with pictures, screen savers, whatever. Most of which come on a CD when you buy it.

Less cost to manufacture & distribute (mailing thousands of albums isn't cheap) might mean more money in the artist's pocket which means more artists will support it.

Compare digital & CD purchase. Recently I purchased the new Ace Frehley album from Itunes. I have all of his albums on disc or vinyl. WHy did I buy it at Itunes? 2 major reasons:

1. Itunes exclusive bonus track
2. $9.99 at Itunes, $12-14.99 at retail stores

I saved money & got an extra song. No brainer for me.

Most of us drive around, walk, workout or whatever listening to mp3 players. So you're basically paying for an item that will sit on a shelf once you rip it until the cows come home. Sure, a huge wall of media is great to look at, I like mine, but we've seen a lot of formats die out and I'm not surprised if this one does soon.

For collectors I'm sure CDs and LPs will still be available, but the prices will undoubtedly rise for them.

 

[dagny_t]

I really prefer mp3 players. I was sort of slow to jump on that bandwagon, but an mp3 player is so much more convenient than a cd player. I have a hard drive to back up my collection, so I don't worry much about losing it.

 

[General Zod]

Recording industry has been hurting. Going digital = less cost to put albums out.

It's a double-edged sword. Not producing a physical product will drive their costs down. The more critical question is, will it drive their profits up? Now, many people download the MP3s for to decide whether they want to buy the CD. But how many people will download the MP3 for free, to determine if they want to pay for a second copy of the MP3 they already have on their hard drive? Second, not even offering a physical product makes the whole industry feel somewhat disposable. It's likely future generations of music buyers will be even less to view music as a product that needs to be paid for.

Zod

 

[Creeps]

It should increase their profits. You would literally need 1 person to upload the record label's new / past releases to any digital site like Itunes. Granted, if they wanted to put up their entire back catalog you may need more than 1 person, but you won't need hundreds to do so. So there's down-sizing to save costs. No more postage to ship out countless crates of merchandise to retail outlets. Without postage, no need to purchase shipping supplies, no need to hire people to ship said merchandise.

Bands are now pretty much doing their own promotion and most of that is online through myspace & facebook. I'm sure there are some sponsors here & there, but any band can create a site for FREE. So unless your KISS, Madonna or U2, you're not really seeing any commercials on TV for a new album or tour. Gone are the days of walking into an actual honest to goodness record store and seeing posters and stand ups of artists. Music retailers are called Itunes, Target & Walmart now. There's more costs to save.

Most legal downloading sites offer the option of listening to sound clips before you purchase the download. That "should" negate the need to download illegally to preview the album. Not to mention band's web sites, myspace, facebook and whatever other means that anyone can go to besides Limewire or a torrent. If people were serious about supporting their favorite artists they would use the legal means to preview the album and/or tracks.

Technology has always been about better & faster. In this day & age everyone is online via PC or phone. TV is even dabbling in digital means for "on demand" movies and shows. Hulu & Netflix are prime examples.

The main reason people download pirated material is because there's little to no consequences for doing so. Of the millions of songs and movies that get downloaded each day how many people do you actually hear about getting caught or prosecuted? Exactly. When you do, it's all over the news, it's the buzz topic of conversation for maybe a week and then it fades away.

You got parents who pirate and their kids learn by example who will grow up thinking everything is free on the PC.

 

[TychoCelchu]

Second, not even offering a physical product makes the whole industry feel somewhat disposable. It's likely future generations of music buyers will be even less to view music as a product that needs to be paid for.

Zod

Maybe this will come into more common acceptance if people view music for sale not as a product but as a service, and don't feel negatively about this. When I buy a service I don't get a tangible product, but for services I want I do feel it's money worth spending.

One reason I have no problem BUYING music from iTunes despite getting no physical product is because I always viewed myself as buying the MUSIC, not the physical package, even when the physical package was the only thing. Shows for example are more of a service than a product. If you want a physical product you have to pay separately for the Tshirt, poster, etc. The ticket money is for the service (the concert). ProgPower to me is a service. The physical products involved, I pay for separately (Tshirts, CDs from the vendor room, etc). CDs are viewed as a product because of circumstantial necessity (the package). Remove that and the music is still there; now it's more of a service than a good.

I look forward to iTunes and similar services offering more dynamic digital ancillaries with their music files. Such as animated booklets for example. (I don't mean music videos). Lyrics or text commentaries from the band that appear on your media player window when you play the file. Doesn't need to be (and shouldn't be) garish or obnoxious, but more interactive booklets are just one small possibility for beefing up online offerings.

Dispensing of the physical medium, and lowering the price proportionally, is no problem for me. But I understand that for many people, it is an issue, so it's cool that both are (at least for now) available.

 

[MetalRose]

I know what you mean and you are right on both counts but:

a) to me is not trouble is a hobby. Being obsessive-compulsive I love to take a weekend and my CDs, blank tapes, calculator, pencil and paper and make a program of what to record on each side on the cassette (Maxell C-90 normal, chrome oxide are not longer available ) that fits actually 47:20 mins.
Right now I have like 90% of my PPX haul waiting to be recorded .

b) I'm not crazy for sound, as long as I can distinguish the music it works for me . If you listen to some of my tapes in my walkman you'll probably have a heart attack

I did the same thing up until I got an iPod. It's really kind of fun going back to find MetalRose Metal Mix 1995 and popping it in and hearing something like Pearl Jam and Korn and thinking that they were not only good, but "metal".

All the nostalgia.

-MetalRose

 

[exact3]

I still like the physical product but I can see that the cd will become extinct at some point. On one hand, mp3s are a lot easier to distribute and I really do like the anticipation of coming home from work and finding metal mail...

Alex

 

[Wyvern]

I did the same thing up until I got an iPod. It's really kind of fun going back to find MetalRose Metal Mix 1995 and popping it in and hearing something like Pearl Jam and Korn and thinking that they were not only good, but "metal".

All the nostalgia.

-MetalRose

I understand your point, my friends have tried in vain to turn me into an iPod. I told them that I may (may) do it when CDs become extinct and then who knows what technology will be ruling, so no hurry to give my money to Apple yet

And for everyone to understand the madness to my method, let the pics speak:

 

[Wherewolf]

an Ipod isn't an mp3 player???


and for those problems you mentioned (aside from the wma and wav), all you have to do is click ONE button.

...my point is an MP3 player is wayyy less maintenance! Apple encoding is a freaking nightmare and the "sync issue" is annoying..that's all I meant..Nextar and Element make great mp3 players...i-tunes in my opinion is just all around TERRIBLE! Just my personal opinion, not trying to start a war.