CDs, Vinyl, or Cassettes

[Zensō]

For those who still buy physical media, do you predominantly purchase CDs, vinyl records, or cassette tapes?

 

[oceansize]

Predominantly vinyl, but I have bought CDs, cassettes, DVDs and Blu-Rays in the last year. No shellac or wax cylinders, though.

 

[Blumlein 88]

CDs, and Blurays with maybe a now and again DVD.

 

[Frank Dernie]

CDs.
I was an early adopter of file based music but have gone back to mainly physical media now I have retired.

I retain a turntable, 4 actually, to play the LPs I own but almost never buy any any more, and if I do it is secondhand.

I have a cassette player and reel to reel deck too but haven’t played a cassette in years, maybe decades.

 

[Marc v E]

I buy cds, but would download 100% if I could find a site that offers what I want at about 10 euro per album for lossless quality. And let me keep those downloads any way I want, to be able to play them in any player (not locked in apple music or some other software).

 

[Zensō]

Predominantly vinyl, but I have bought CDs, cassettes, DVDs and Blu-Rays in the last year. No shellac or wax cylinders, though.

I didn’t think of adding shellac or wax cylinders to the poll!

 

[Mr. Widget]

I feel bad about admitting that I haven't bought a new CD or vinyl record in years.

 

[DVDdoug]

CDs.

I grew up with vinyl and I used to copy my records to cassette for the car. I NEVER bought a pre-recorded cassette and I never owned an 8-track player. My parents had an 8-track (and cassette) but I don't remember any 8-track tapes... Maybe they had one or two. The big problem with 8-tracks was that occasionally there was a track-change (a gap and a mechanical click) in the middle of a song.

I haven't bought a record since I got my 1st CD player. The "snap", "crackle", and "pop" on records ALWAYS bothered me, even when that was the best thing available. Tape hiss bothered me even more. When I 1st heard a CD I was amazed by the dead-silent background! The frequency response ("frequency balance"?) was also mostly-better and more consistent. At that time, CD releases were still limited but if I wanted something I didn't buy it unless/until it was available on CD.

I was an early adopter of recordable CD. I ripped some CDs to make made some "mix CDs" for the car. My 1st CD burner cost me almost $1000 USD and the blank discs were about $12. (My financial situation was better than it is today. )

At my age I'm pretty happy with my music collection so I'm not buying much music anymore. CDs are still my preference but I rip them to MP3, again for the car or listening on my laptop. If the CD isn't available, I'll buy an MP3.

I like owning the music and I don't have a streaming subscription but of course I have a free Spotify account which I use to check-out "new" recordings. I don't use it for regular listening.

I haven't played a record in years.... But I still have a turntable and I sometimes digitized one when the music isn't available digitally. I recently gave away my last remaining records to someone at work (my age) who had recently acquired a turntable and was enjoying the "vintage sound". I was just keeping them around as a reminder that I hadn't replaced them with digital, or digitized them if digital versions weren't available. His interest kind-of pushed me into finishing up that project of replacing them.

 

[JeremyFife]

When I buy physical media it's predominantly on vinyl: for a number of reasons but not for sound quality. I do enjoy spinning plastic, but mostly I stream and buy digital.
Occasionally buy a CD when I can't find a good version online and don't to fork out for vinyl or if the vinyl versions are known to be poor - recently bought Amy Winehouse's 2009 special edition CD for that reason. Then I rip it.

 

[amadeuswus]

I buy multichannel SACDs when I can, and occasionally CDs of releases that I cannot stream (for example, those from the Hyperion label).

If you like classical music, an excellent source for both in the US is the Berkshire Record Outlet. They have several hundred SACDs at steeply discounted prices.

Berkshire Record Outlet – The Classical Choice for Collectors

www.broinc.com

 

[Open Mind Audio]

CDs.

My listening breaks down about like this:

Digital library (CD-quality, high-res & multi-channel):	35%
Streaming online services (Qobuz, Amazon, Spotify):	30%
Radio:	20%
High-res Discs (SACD, DVD-A, Blu-Ray Audio)	7.5%
CDs	5%
Vinyl	2%
8-track	0.5% (a novelty)
Cassette	0%

 

[oceansize]

I didn’t think of adding shellac or wax cylinders to the poll!

Covered under "Other" - along with minidisc

 

[Blumlein 88]

Covered under "Other" - along with minidisc

And DAT tapes......

 

[Open Mind Audio]

I didn’t think of adding shellac or wax cylinders to the poll!

Wax cylinders really preserve the authenticity of the sound — incredible nano-dynamics, a mid-range that brings early ethno-musicological recordings to life, none of the deadening effects of digital music or racist influences of vinyl (hey, if you know you know), and then there's the warmth, my god, the warmth. Of course, you need a sophisticated wax cylinder player to reap the sonic benefits, like my reconditioned Peachtree Audio Bikini Wax MoFo 8523a. I mean, the original version of the Bikini Wax MoFo is only so-so, but if you get the Dennis Murphy axel-grease modification and then apply organic beeswax harvested from a select group of villages in Switzerland I'd be happy to share on DM, then it really sings.

 

[oceansize]

And DAT tapes......

DATs were excellent at the time. I don't think I've ever seen a prerecorded one, but they did exist.

 

[LTig]

CDs and BDs.

 

[Zensō]

Wax cylinders really preserve the authenticity of the sound — incredible nano-dynamics, a mid-range that brings early ethno-musicological recordings to life, none of the deadening effects of digital music or racist influences of vinyl (hey, if you know you know), and then there's the warmth, my god, the warmth. Of course, you need a sophisticated wax cylinder player to reap the sonic benefits, like my reconditioned Peachtree Audio Bikini Wax MoFo 8523a. I mean, the original version of the Bikini Wax MoFo is only so-so, but if you get the Dennis O'Leary axel-grease modification and then apply organic beeswax harvested from a select group of villages in Switzerland I'd be happy to share on DM, then it really sings.

 

[Joe Smith]

Being very selective these days, but running about 50% CD, 40% vinyl, 10% tape. Probably only adding about 20-30 new hard items a year. Vinyl is mostly excellent used condition, very occasionally new pressings. The next new thing I know I will get is the new The National album in April, on CD. I like those guys.

 

[AudiOhm]

SACD, CD...

All the vinyl I had I gave away...

Ohms

 

[UltraNearFieldJock]

CD's used. 30-40 for a year. Normally for €1-2 for 1 mostly good condition CD. When important for my collection (classical electronic) max €10.