Physical media vrs steaming

[Vini darko]

Razor makes good points. I've been relying more and more on streaming lately with subscriptions to Amazon, YouTube and soundcloud. I keep thinking about getting back into tape recording to save my favourite albums/mixes from the copyright/censorship plague. I used to have a lot of fun back in day making tapes from the radio and CD's. What are your thoughts?

 

[sergeauckland]

I stream my own physical media. I've not been impressed with the only streamer I know, Spotify, as it doesn't have a lot of what I want to listen to, mostly classical with some Jazz. It also has an irritating fault that it often skips to the next track in a playlist after some 6-7 minutes regardless how long the track is, which is really irritating on classical pieces where a movement might be 10-15 minutes (or more) long, and it doesn't do much for 70s Prog which had 1 track covering a whole side of an LP.

It doesn't do it every time, and it only ever does it on longer tracks, so no idea where the fault lies, but that, and the lack of a lot of what I like to listen to, makes Spotify only of use to have an occasional listen if somebody recommends something (like on here) that I don't know.

It does mean that I keep buying CDs and LPs, although since having Spotify, at least It's helped me to avoid buying those CDs I don't actually care for, so I've gone from buying 5-6 CDs a month to 1 or 2. In that respect it's had a value, but possibly not in the way the company intended.

S.

 

[Oklei]

I use streaming (Tidal) only for exploring new albums/bands. If I like an album I always buy the CD (or flac). I don't want to come back a few years later only to see that the artist isn't in the streamer's catalog anymore.

 

[Vini darko]

Hi. Interesting I've never used Spotify so can't comment on that issue. Sounds like your using it as a filter to sort wheat from chaff is a good move.

 

[Sukie]

I'm quite happy with streaming and use Qobuz. I could say that I miss CDs but then I'd be ignoring the fact that I've now become so lazy that I can't be bothered to get off my arse and change one disc for another.

However I do miss the thrill of going out and buying a new release, or going out and looking through the bargain bins for a hidden gems.

On the subject of taping from the radio. That really takes me back. I recorded the Top 40, well some of the Top 40, week by week. I had a little tape player but it sounded great to me. Not sure that I want to restart it though, I'm quite happy with how things are. I can access loads of new material and I like to think that I'm saving the environment now that I don't buy CDs (I know that I'm not, but a man's gotta dream!)

 

[Vini darko]

I use streaming (Tidal) only for exploring new albums/bands. If I like an album I always buy the CD (or flac). I don't want to come back a few years later only to see that the artist isn't in the streamer's catalog anymore.

That's a good plan when albums are available. Unfortunately alot of stuff I enjoy on youtube and soundcloud isn't available anywhere else. I do rip my favourites to my phone but keep thinking having physical copies would be nice.

 

[Sukie]

I use streaming (Tidal) only for exploring new albums/bands. If I like an album I always buy the CD (or flac). I don't want to come back a few years later only to see that the artist isn't in the streamer's catalog anymore.

That's a fair point. Also, artists get a lot more money if you buy CD or flac. For many of them that's a life line.

 

[Oklei]

That's a good plan when albums are available. Unfortunately alot of stuff I enjoy on youtube and soundcloud isn't available anywhere else. I do rip my favourites to my phone but keep thinking having physical copies would be nice.

Thinking of how many sd cards suddenly died in my phones you should definitely think about a solution to archive all of your stuff. I remember not doing that with music from unknown bands on MySpace (yes, I am old) and later regretted that (https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47610936) . If you still have a cd/DVD burner you could just put them on disc and store them in a drawer just in case you kill your phone accidentally and don't find the stuff on the internet anymore.

 

[maverickronin]

To me physical media is usually just a waste of space. Streaming services are all fairly limited as well.

Straight downloads are the best.

 

[Vini darko]

Thinking of how many sd cards suddenly died in my phones you should definitely think about a solution to archive all of your stuff. I remember not doing that with music from unknown bands on MySpace (yes, I am old) and later regretted that (https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47610936) . If you still have a cd/DVD burner you could just put them on disc and store them in a drawer just in case you kill your phone accidentally and don't find the stuff on the internet anymore.

Yeah that's an additional worry.

 

[Vini darko]

Well I'm now watching a bunch of manky hxpro cassette decks on ebay. And have been checking the current state of prices on metal cassettes. Down the rabbit hole of analog I go

 

[Oklei]

Well I'm now watching a bunch of manky hxpro cassette decks on ebay. And have been checking the current state of prices on metal cassettes. Down the rabbit hole of analog I go

I bought an old Denon deck on ebay last year. You will have to change the rubber belts. Make sure you get a deck with replacement belts on the market. Have fun

 

[Vini darko]

I bought an old Denon deck on ebay last year. You will have to change the rubber belts. Make sure you get a deck with replacement belts on the market. Have fun

Good advice thanks. How's the Denon?

 

[North_Sky]

I like second-hand record store...physical vinyl. I get the best kick out of all other stuff.
And getting home to clean them good and spinning them is a labor of love when music is one of your serious entertainment hobbies. Brand new too ...

Streaming, downloading hires music is much easier, cleaner, faster, much much more practical and it sounds awesome...that bass. Life is more relaxing without the complications of physical emotional romanticism...back in the old alleys of our youth...50s, 60s and 70s. ...Woodstock, the Beatles and CSN&Y.

I like it all because we lived through it all. There is no definitive absolute when it comes to the love of music...it's direct from the heart, bit-for-bit.

 

[Oklei]

Good advice thanks. How's the Denon?

I bought a Denon DRM-740 (https://www.cassettedeck.org/denon/drm-740). It's a solid device with an easily accessible belt drive and every feature an audiophile in 1993 could dream of. Soundwise, compared to my RME ADI-2 DAC, well you cannot compare that. It's one of the few moments you're even in this forum allowed to say: My wife noticed in the kitchen that I changed something when I switched to cassette.
But it was a fun task to get it running and I even recorded a mix tape. Good old times 75dB SNR ≈ 12bits and 0.04% wow and flutter.

 

[Vini darko]

Yay I'm now the owner of a manky pioneer ct 443 tape player. For the princely sum of £19

 

[Jimbob54]

I use streaming (Tidal) only for exploring new albums/bands. If I like an album I always buy the CD (or flac). I don't want to come back a few years later only to see that the artist isn't in the streamer's catalog anymore.

I go the other way. Add music I like the "look" of from reviews etc to my streaming library, buy those rare releases I really like the look of/ know the artist but cant get streaming. I would never buy a CD of an album thats readily available on lossless streaming. UNLESS I am at a gig, then I'll buy because I hope a decent amount of the money goes to the artist.

Should a well liked album of mine disappear from my streaming service, I'll buy a digital FLAC copy if I ever notice.

 

[Vini darko]

I like second-hand record store...physical vinyl. I get the best kick out of all other stuff.
And getting home to clean them good and spinning them is a labor of love when music is one of your serious entertainment hobbies. Brand new too ...

Streaming, downloading hires music is much easier, cleaner, faster, much much more practical and it sounds awesome...that bass. Life is more relaxing without the complications of physical emotional romanticism...back in the old alleys of our youth...50s, 60s and 70s. ...Woodstock, the Beatles and CSN&Y.

I like it all because we lived through it all. There is no definitive absolute when it comes to the love of music...it's direct from the heart, bit-for-bit.

Well said. I'm not a vinyl guy but do see the appeal. I've always liked the way the music is actually visible on the disc.

 

[MattHooper]

We've been through lotsa talk on this, but, again...

For me downloading and especially streaming don't give me the same kick as physical media. I almost never download music these days (and always downloaded music legally when I did, e.g. iTunes etc). Mostly I stream my ripped CD collection and stream from Tidal. I just found, as suggested in the video, that music streaming made music more akin to web surfing. They way I'd whip around checking tons of things out, saving as "favorites" those I like, and moving on. I rarely actually returned to the tracks saved in my favorites - there was always more music to surf. The speed and ease of surfing the music, and "tap" and it's saved, meant that the knowledge about the artist, name, album etc just whizzed by. I could barely tell you about or recall the names of the tracks/artists/albums in my streaming "collection."

Whereas when I buy a physical album (vinyl) it's a very deliberate selection process, and the physicality of the object, the deciding where to store it, etc, all work as mnemonic helpers. I know the artists and albums in my physical collection in a way that completely escapes me in the digital realm.

Plus, it's more fun for me. I recived two more physical albums yesterday that made me absolutely giddy. Never felt that way streaming music or pressing "favorite" on my iphone.

 

[Vini darko]

It's one of the few moments you're even in this forum allowed to say: My wife noticed in the kitchen that I changed something when I switched to cassette.
Hahahahaha yeah world's of difference.