CDs vs. mp3s: Which do you buy?

J

johnfrank1970

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Jan 10, 2002
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If you have a choice between a physical CD or mp3s, which do you purchase?

If an album is only available in one of those two formats, do you buy it regardless of format, or do you stick with only one format in your collection?

I am an old school CD dinosaur. In the past two years, it has become more common for an album I like to be available only in digital format. This annoys me, and I wait to purchase it hoping the band will release it on disc. This happens, but rarely.

So there are some albums I like but do not own. I would like to support the band, but I feel cheated as a consumer if I only have mp3s. It seems like the band has not invested as much in their music as I would like, so why should I invest in them. I tell myself I will support them when I have extra cash, but there is always another physical CD I can purchase instead.

Anyone else running into this problem? If you are an mp3-only person now, when did you convert? For the musicians out there, how do you feel about a band releasing an album only in digital form?
 
I buy albums in CD format, and will for as long as that option is available to me. I have several albums in MP3 format that I've received for reviewing purposes, but even then I don't feel like I "own" them until I pick up a physical copy.
 
Generally, the only time I'll be a CD is if it's a demo from a band on tour or something like that. 99% of the time I only pick up vinyl. Given the option between CDs v mp3s, I'd probably go with the mp3s.
 
johnfrank1970 said:
So most of the albums you like are available on vinyl?
Click to expand...

Yep.

I will also fully admit to downloading a whole lot of music. Before the floodgates open, I buy a whole lot of music too and spend even more on concerts. There's no moral dilemma to me when a band refuses to repress their albums and the only way of gaining physical possession is shelling out $50-$200 for one record.
 
I have never actually bought digital music and my CD collection is up to 5754 according to my database. I prefer to buy audio books in digital format, and I'm quickly shifting to eBooks for reading, but so far I've refused to buy my music that way.
 
iTunes for me. It's cheap and I don't feel guilty listening to the music, lol.

actually lots of cds are coming with .pdf's of the booklets and artwork.

edit: I do love cd's though. I hope to really start my collection someday.
 
I always buy CDs, unless I want the music RIGHT FUCKING NOW. And even then, I'll usually buy a physical CD too.
 
I still mostly buy CD, partially because some of the places where I work it is the only thing I can bring in, partially because no one is offering lossless downloads for sale.

I buy MP3s usually when they are cheap and are groups that are secondary in my collection. It would be interesting to see what percentage of my collection is MP3s, but it is probably low.
 
Oh geez heres the proverbial "Can of worms"!

Its straight cd as long as I can get them, but I have slowly opened my "no download" policy up. I'll never feel 100% like I own it if I don't have the cd in hand, but this is where the world has led us, so I have to play by the new rules of music.
 
TwizstedJesus said:
Oh geez heres the proverbial "Can of worms"!

Its straight cd as long as I can get them, but I have slowly opened my "no download" policy up. I'll never feel 100% like I own it if I don't have the cd in hand, but this is where the world has led us, so I have to play by the new rules of music.
Click to expand...

I am sure there will be a tipping point at which I will start purchasing more mp3s. I will continue to spend money on music, as my primary purpose is to support the bands I like. My secondary purpose is to collect CDs. That goal will eventually stop being served. I would not feel right never giving any artists money.
 
It's about 50/50 right now for me. I have adopted a "no piracy" policy a few years back. Even when I want a friend to hear something I won't burn the disc for them. I simply tell them about it and let them do whatever. I love this music too much to not support the bands, plain and simple. I'm a business owner and want to get paid for what I do, so the same rules apply to my favorite bands.

With that said, I friggin' love vinyl! I'm seriously thinking about buying a "new school" LP player and simply buying vinyl. Those of you that like artwork...then this is the way to go! I know with the new LP players you can rip the music to MP3's etc....so, with those capabilities you can support the bands, plus have a cool collectable, and have the music in any format. I noticed the new Steel Panther LP comes with a download with it...that's a smart move in my opinion.

Does anyone have any recommendations for one of these types of LP players?

~Brian~
 
I mostly just buy CDs. I've bought a few releases as MP3's, mostly because there was a *significant* price break (ie. $5 or more difference between CD and MP3).

If it's just $1 to $3 difference, I'm buying the disc. I prefer the physical media, plus it's a built-in backup after I rip the CDs for iPhone/iPod/computer listening, and the actual CD goes up in one of my CD changers upstairs.
 
It depends. I've started moving towards MP3s or FLAC, but will buy the occasional CD. If I'm at ProgPower and I see a good CD in the vendor room, I'll get the CD. But I'm fast running out of room for CD storage in my small house. And where do I do the most listening? In my car listening to my iPod. So all I primarily use CDs for are the source of the MP3s. The only thing I miss are the CD booklets.

I have been known to buy MP3s and later buy the CD.

But I still own a turntable and buy the occasional vinyl album! :lol:
 
cds for me. I would never buy mp3...at least not for prices i've seen. I'd only buy FLAC. No way i'm spending money on a highly compressed mp3 or aac file.
 
I love music...and I STRESS Music...that's why I buy CDs. mp3s do not have the fidelity of a wav file. There is normally a 1/10 of the data in an mp3 compared to a wav file. They just sound bad, and the more they are amplified the worse they sound. If your primary listening point is a pair of cheap headphones then I see why mp3s may appeal to you, but if you have a quality audio system, even a stock car audio system will show noticeable differences... just my three cents.
 
Azrael LenGraden said:
I love music...and I STRESS Music...that's why I buy CDs. mp3s do not have the fidelity of a wav file. There is normally a 1/10 of the data in an mp3 compared to a wav file. They just sound bad, and the more they are amplified the worse they sound. If your primary listening point is a pair of cheap headphones then I see why mp3s may appeal to you, but if you have a quality audio system, even a stock car audio system will show noticeable differences... just my three cents.
Click to expand...

I am no audiophile. I think mp3s sound just fine for my purposes. Yet I still buy CDs. It is a sickness.
 
vinyl and spotify for me as of late. I pretty much stopped buying CDs as of last year simply because I prefer the vinyl format. If it's not available on vinyl OR Spotify, chances are I probably don't want to own it in the first place, but there are exceptions in in those super rare cases I will buy the record on CD if it's something I feel like I need.
 
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