CDs in a Streaming World

[Iving]

Hope I'm On Topic enough 🙂

 

1. I don't stream. The main reasons are because: (i) I dislike commercial environments associated with my personal listening (aside from the obvious financial implications of acquiring media inc. CDs and the equipment necessary to reproduce music); (ii) I dislike a distracting visual environment associated with listening - I use fb2k in black and white mode - simple - nothing but info germane and how I want to organise my flac Library and play back the music - I don't want (especially wrong for a given rip) Album Art and I don't like database typo mistakes or other errors - my Library is tagged my way - it's not just control freakery - the way I do it I can exploit and thus enjoy my music resource far more effectively - I can "study" the evolution of music more efficiently; and, (iii) I don't need to pay for music because I have enough already and there's little draw for me personally in "new" music - my interests are mostly pre-1980 with few exceptions.

 

2. CDs are an important resource for me. I rip using EAC [Exact Audio Copy] and always have done. Incidentally my system is Dante/RedNet. *All* my digital music is ripped/redbook and I upsample x 4 in fb2k before ASIO/DVSC.

 

3. I do value CDs as an archive. I get pleasure out of owning them. I go thru a lot of new Jewel Cases etc. Whereas my non-classical archive is A-Z by Artist my classical archive is sorted in other ways - not by Label as it happens but by Composer, Conductor etc - logical enough to my thinking.

 

4. Here comes the interesting point which I know may invite contradiction - I see CDs as an asset. I'm not dogmatic about it - and I know the world and his wife are streaming - but what if the streamers start charging too much for what we want - or mess up the masters - or just want to monopolise commercially etc - well I have my own resource at home and they can't touch it.

 

5. Some CDs or CD sets are valuable/collectable. I know as a fact because I am an online trader.

 

6. A two-edged sword (see my new Topic here: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/58521-one-mans-jewels-another-mans-junk-or-load/) but I see CDs as a possible resource for my family. I know my nieces are interested in records. Maybe some of the next generation (or two) will want CDs. Maybe I turn out to be wrong about that, and in the end most CDs become deserving only of shredding.

 

7. In relation to the previous few bullets, I recall our mutual friend Bob was on the same page about this - rb2013 here and elsewhere but for present purposes Tubelover2 on USA Audio Mart - I remember he posted about CDs retaining their usefulness/worth - I could maybe find the thread area if interest.

 

Thanks for the Topic Paul.

[Iving]

P.S. You know that saying about history repeating itself. Well CDs came out (1980s/90s) and new releases were issued in small quantities on vinyl - now worth a fortune. We have a resurgence of vinyl (even if digits on vinyl is plain stupid and a nasty con on the young) as we speak. What I really wanted to say was about 78s - it was the same thing in a way. Have you seen that wonderful, wonderful documentary about Joe Bussard. He used to tout for 78s in the Deep South and elsewhere that folks were just dumping - all that amazing rare Blues stuff - some of it priceless as no master tapes - oh please watch if you haven't seen it - "Desperate Man Blues".