Is the Hi-Fi industry inherently not adapted to the 21st century (serious discussion)?

[Jim Matthews]

/DVD/Blu-ray. Even here, I have a place on a river in the woods that streaming/downloading is not an option.

You also have access to a robust live music scene, some of the World's greatest cuisine and the most charming speakers of English.

The only downside to the James River inlet is low tide in high Summer.

 

[Angsty]

How I miss going to a music store, standing in front of racks of CDs, split out by genre, and alphabetized by artist. End caps of new releases, the smell of plastic gel cases permeating the air of the store. Reading the CD inserts. Overhearing the staff talking about their favorite picks with customers; even if it wasn't my favorite genre, you were sharing your joy of music with others.

I still purchase physical CDs, and then rip them with a USB reader and EAC. I don't have room for walls of CDs, so I store the CDs in a binder, save the inserts, and toss the gel cases, with the hope that I may one day have the room to re-constitute the CDs back to their retail display form.

I just went to a local record store this afternoon and picked up a couple of LPs. While I was there, a group of six guys came in who all appeared to be under 20. They purchased a few LPs and were still lingering after I left. While I was there, two other couples came in.

The record store experience still exists, but it’s just a bit harder to find these days.

Non-sequitur note: Hopefully with this post, I’ll be promoted to “Addicted to fun and learning”, up from “senior member”!

 

[EJ3]

so, you live on a stream but don't stream?

Yes, my two places in CONUS: one is on a deep water creek (I could stream there if I were so inclined), the other is on a fresh water river that people boat & fish on but streaming there is not a possibility unless I had my own personal satellite link.

 

[EJ3]

How I miss going to a music store, standing in front of racks of CDs, split out by genre, and alphabetized by artist. End caps of new releases, the smell of plastic gel cases permeating the air of the store. Reading the CD inserts. Overhearing the staff talking about their favorite picks with customers; even if it wasn't my favorite genre, you were sharing your joy of music with others.
The music store that I go to in West Ashley, Charleston, SC (Monster Music) has all of that, in all forms of media )LP, CASSETTE, 10", 45, CD, Blu-Ray & likely some others. Sometimes they have live performances by local bands. They are not the only place that sells LP's & other associated stuff around Charleston. They are a big participant in Record Day every year. We have a very vibrant Record Store community here.

 

[EJ3]

Covid and shortages are only a tip of the iceberg. The real issue is the impact that human activity and consumerism has had on the planet.

Worrying about stock depletion of non-essential goods such as hi-fi gear is a ludicrous first-world problem...

Interesting take & the opposite of the reactions I had to my 'first world addiction' to music: I brought my Hi-Fi gear & music with me were ever I went (Archipelago's in the Indian ocean, Islands in the Western Pacific [on both sides of the equator] {yes, I figured out ways to power it, my grandfather had made windmills in the alps of Austria, Germany & Italy, both before & after WWII}) so that farmer Families could have light to work, cook & play record players & musical instruments, celebrating life. Multitudes of people that I had never met were incredibly happy that I brought my Hi-Fi gear and music. We enjoyed it cooking the fish we had caught, eating the boar we had killed for the village, those of them that had acquired a musical instrument were very happy to learn songs, etc. I would say that is proof that music/art is part of the soul; of man.

 

[EJ3]

You also have access to a robust live music scene, some of the World's greatest cuisine and the most charming speakers of English.

The only downside to the James River inlet is low tide in high Summer.

Where is the James River? I live on Simpson Creek & my place in the woods is on the Edisto River.

 

[Jim Matthews]

Where is the James River? I live on Simpson Creek & my place in the woods is on the Edisto River.

Should read James *Island creek*.

That stretch is to your East.

 

[David Harper]

How I miss going to a music store, standing in front of racks of CDs, split out by genre, and alphabetized by artist. End caps of new releases, the smell of plastic gel cases permeating the air of the store. Reading the CD inserts. Overhearing the staff talking about their favorite picks with customers; even if it wasn't my favorite genre, you were sharing your joy of music with others.

I still purchase physical CDs, and then rip them with a USB reader and EAC. I don't have room for walls of CDs, so I store the CDs in a binder, save the inserts, and toss the gel cases, with the hope that I may one day have the room to re-constitute the CDs back to their retail display form.

I also miss Blockbuster. It was somewhere to go on saturday night. Browse movies. See people. IMO tech is increasingly isolating us.

 

[EJ3]

Should read James *Island creek*.

That stretch is to your East.

Now I understand your comments. My mother is Austrian & I was concieved in downtown Charleston but born in Salzburg. Live music (and recorded music in all formats) has always been a big part of my life.
Yes, the James River is quite a drive east from here.
From the time I was 4 (1961) to when I was 8 (1965) I lived on Ellis Creek (which some, for some obscure reason, call James Island Creek [no sign that I know of ever indicated that but I could be wrong, just ask my wife] {here is the confusion}). When I was 8 we moved to the family property my parents had purchased a few years prior on Simpson Creek. And for the next 3/4 of a year or so, that is again home.