Your most utilized audio format?

[FrostGiant]

Unless an album is recorded analog, you are essentially getting a digital recording on vinyl. Hence there should technically be no difference between a cd and vinyl (except cds are 16 bit I believe and many recordings are now being done in 24 bit so there is a little cropping being done). There's really not much of a sound quality argument anymore since almost everything is recorded digitally.

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

I do still enjoy buying certain new releases on vinyl, for collecting purposes moreso than because I prefer the sound of it, I admit. However I am really into listening to older albums on vinyl, for one thing because I think certain albums just sound better to me that way, and secondly because, in many cases, the vinyl format is where I'd first heard those albums and listened to them that way for years, so it sounds "correct" to me, if that makes any sense. When I listen to "Seven Churches" for example, I can still clearly remember the way it sounded on vinyl and that's how it's forever associated in my mind. Many people disagree and feel that cds are superior no matter what the album is. I think cd format is far more logical to bother with and I certainly don't play my vinyl nearly as much as I used to. But I still prefer to hear my old KISS and Deep Purple albums on vinyl.

 

[FrostGiant]

I never owned vinyl. I was in the cassette era. Cassettes never sounded good and I never want to listen to music on them again.

 

[dan of bereavement]

Hmm, very interesting topic here. Downloading is cool for first time fans, and definitely cool for one or two songs as a teaser for an up coming album. Especially when you have a band like mine, where we have 15 minute+ long songs. More than one song is half an album. So it is hard to decide what to put up for free and so forth. We have an album that is finished and haven't even decided on the label, and everyone has the cd already. lol. It's very frustrating and good at the same time, because you want people to purchase cd's and on the other hand, you get to see what people think about the material. Aside from that I think it is wrong. On the money front, yeah money doesn't happen in metal, and especially in this genre, So people should think about that before they download.
I can admit though, that when someone comes over and randomly has a burn of a cd for free, I have taken them. The difference is, I ALWAYS buy the cd if I liked it. That sacred time with the art, lyrics and pics when first listing to a new album is what metal is all about. I don't think other genre's are like that, at least not to this extent!

 

[Novembers Paul]

I will support the bands in the underground I like. I will however, D/L bands I've never heard of to hear first. If I like it, I'll support it, if not, it never gets listened to again. I don't feel too guilty previewing CD's, and honestly, I won't lose sleep over not purchasing the new Metallica CD, and only keeping a downloaded version, but something underground, needs the support. Trust me, we know! haha

 

[OPETH_DT]

I'll download to listen to a band I've never heard of, or to check out a band I already like (the buy or don't buy thing to save $). If I've never heard (or heard of) a band and like them, then it is a bonus, because it might be impossible to get their cd at the time. It all depends. As far as the whole buying or not buying cds, I'll continue to build an already existing catalog of a band I like, or if I see a band live and like them, I'll buy the cd at the show (or a shirt, since the money goes directly to the band, which I am more in favor of). The upside to downloading is finding bootlegs once in a while, or finding out of print albums, which also kind of falls into the same "rarity" as a new, not readily available album that the consumer has to search for.

 

[OPETH_DT]

I don't even own a cd burner, I very rarely download anything. I'm old fashioned....but still not as bad as Nunez is!

If I ever hit the lottery, I'm buying that mofo a damn computer!

 

[Novembers Paul]

I GAVE Joe a computer. I gave him a mac even! All he needs is a keyboard and mouse, and he's all set.

 

[Verano]

I just buy CD's, rip the music to WMP to convert them to MP3 files, and upload them in my Ipod.

 

[zmetallica]

Mp3s are great cause of the jukebox feel and small file size. They are bad cause of the poor sound quality. I can't stand listening to an mp3 in the car knowing I can easily have a CD quality copy. Mp3s are great for the computer and headphone listening. horrible for stereo listening.

I buy CDs of bands I would want to listen to, not just something thats okay to have in the background (most of my music I've downloaded is in this catagory). This okay music is the stuff i CAN live without. Also I may not buy EVERY CD that is amazing, but I'll try and support the band as much as I can, because just as the bands have limited funds, so do I. As for underground acts, I feel hooking them up with radio stations, shows, and other bands justifies that I don't buy a CD, they usually agree with me. In some rare cases, I'll get the CD anyway cause they need the support that much and they are that good.

Vinyl in proper conditions is superior to most formats. CDs are limited to 44.1/16. I find they get more highends while vinyl gets more low. I prefer getting more of the high end sound. Others prefer low end. It is about preference. Vinyl is hard to take care of it is understandable that a person would want to back it up. I don't think downloading it should be an excuse for it. Take a RCA cable and hook the record player up to the comp and press record. A few ripping programs include an aux input. Make sure you have good player, needle, and cable and it should sound fine.

 

[Novembers Paul]

I can't stand listening to an mp3 in the car knowing I can easily have a CD quality copy. Mp3s are great for the computer and headphone listening. horrible for stereo listening.

I agree. I don't rip anything to mp3 anymore. I rip everything to AAC. It's basically mp4, and with a higher bit rate setting, like 192, it's pretty damn close to loss-less, at least noticeably better then mp3.

 

[Lionfrost]

I can't stand listening to an mp3 in the car knowing I can easily have a CD quality copy. Mp3s are great for the computer and headphone listening. horrible for stereo listening.

Fair enough. Although listening to music in the car doesn't quite qualify as "stereo listening" to me, no matter how loud I might play it. In fact if it comes to really *listening* to music, headphones will more than likely enter the picture here. That might chance once we move to our new home, where we don't need to take the neighbours into account that much. (I don't like listening to other people's music through the walls hence I don't put that very burden on them, either.) Metal *will* be played at high volume and travel free through the air.

 

[Lionfrost]

It's basically mp4, and with a higher bit rate setting, like 192, it's pretty damn close to loss-less, at least noticeably better then mp3.

I tend to rip my MP3s at 224.