The Future of Recorded Music Media - Not So Fast CD

[geekwithfamily]

More than a year ago I made a promise to myself that I would stop buying CDs and only buy vinyl and downloads. Since no independent record shops exist in Chicago’s western suburbs (I hope to change that someday soon), this promise has been difficult to keep. The only vinyl source close to my day job is Virgin Megastore, their selection is hit and miss and their prices are normal retail if not a few dollars higher. Other Music owner, Josh Madell, envisions recorded music’s future without CDs, with only downloads and vinyl LPs left. From Wired’s Listening Post:

WN: Do you think CDs and MP3s can co-exist peacefully, sort of like the way vinyl and CDs live in harmony at your store?
Madell: Hard to say. CDs in some ways seem outdated next to MP3s. But as hard drives and players become more powerful and smaller, and internet connections improve, I could imagine CDs becoming of less interest. I think the time is not too far off where some releases come out on vinyl and MP3 only — no CD. But who knows.

Vinyl and downloads of the same album is the perfect blend of ultimate consumer sound quality (vinyl; not to mention album sleeve art, liner notes and resale value) and compromised convenience (digital downloads without the restriction of DRM).

Independent record labels have been apologizing for vinyl’s inherent playback inconvenience with bonus digital treats for some time now. Shellac’s 1000 Hurts LP comes packed with a full album CD (the CD is completely blank, after I first brought the album home I was paranoid that the CD contained some digital “kill tone”). Bright Eyes‘ vinyl LPs contain a secret code to download the album from Saddle Creek’s website. These labels understand that as soon as you demand that your customer buy (or “license” with DRMed downloads) the same content more than once, sour resentment builds.
If we, music consumers, get lucky more record labels will follow suit, including bonus digital albums with LP purchases. I envision a turntable and digital music server as the only sources in hi-fi set ups in more than a few years. CD players will fall out of favor in the home like 8-tracks and cassettes.
So, why are we still buying CDs? I blame factory installed car sound systems and the expense of integrated iPod add-ons. If I want to listen to music of my choice in my car I’m limited to its six CD changer (actually, only four because two slots are taken up with my daughter’s Kindermusic albums which we have to listen to whenever we are heading toward our house). Six CDs is no choice at all versus my iPod’s 2000+ songs. Yet, I’ve only connected the iPod to the car’s stereo once due to the connection hassle and poor sound quality (I have a 2G iPod that can only connect to the stereo through a cassette deck adapter and a Firewire charger, no dock for me). So, we’re stuck with CDs until someone comes up with an easy and economical way to get our home music collection beamed to our car stereos (maybe Sling Media will figure it out).
Tags: Audiophile Convergence musicAudiophile, Convergence, music

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[terry j]

Does not the question of quality enter at some point here??? At least with CD the music is not compressed.

Granted, to the vast majority of people sound quality is of little importance, but to those of us with a quality sound system etc it becomes paramount.

As it is, all too often the quality of recordings are atrocious, and I doubt suffering them in MP3 will help things.

Once again, it is an example of how the lowest common denominator rules, the dumbing down of society continues.

[ACGREEN]

iPod is the worst possible solution for music. CD's are much better then the iPod.

I admit that I am hard pressed to hear the difference in many sources unless they are played on the same system one after the other (when I do this, DVD and SACD ROCK!!!). BUT I can hear the difference of iPod recorded media immediately.

If you value audio quality, you will be disappointed in the iPod.

[Vader]

This says it best, I think......

http://www.audioholics.com/news/edit...o/?searchterm=

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I envision a turntable and digital music server as the only sources in hi-fi set ups in more than a few years. CD players will fall out of favor in the home like 8-tracks and cassettes.

Much as I dislike hassling with records, and all the residual noise they have, you may be right. Still, I expect there will always be a considerable die-hard remnant of CD audiophiles, just like you have with vinyl. At least until they all die out – literally...

As it is, all too often the quality of recordings are atrocious, and I doubt suffering them in MP3 will help things.

Boy, ain’t that the truth!

This says it best, I think......

Excellent article. Depressing, but excellent.

A quote from a comment at the end of that article:

My oldest daughter, Sarah, is a great case in point. Sarah would marry her iPod if it could cook. If it weren't for me she'd never hear anything that wasn't squashed & compressed and run through one sort of lossy codec wringer or another.

She can hear the qualitative differences, but in her mind convenience (and the fact she can store every tune in her collection in something small enough to fit in her purse) far outweighs intrinisc quality. Dr Earl Geddes pointed out in an AES Convention Paper, "Auditory Perception of Nonlinear Distortion" mp3s can have a measured THD upwards of 50% ! For someone like Sarah - who puts convenience & portability above all else - that is simply a non-issue.

So goes an entire generation. Unfortunately, since it’s the youngsters who comprise the bulk of the music-buying public, they are the ones who will be catered to. For those of us who care, I suppose our only hope is if they can figure out a way to compress the files without an audible penalty. If they can’t do that – we’re screwed.

Regards,
Wayne