Cambon Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 why? Probably because, like me, he is not deaf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M 2.0 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 @ Pongo. I simply don't see the appeal of digital. It might suit the iPod generation but I don't possess such an item and see no reason to own one in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loaf Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 A bit of trivia about HMV - the famous picture of the dog, captivated by sound of the phonograph was originally called "His Late Master's Voice". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 As a comparison, if you compare HMV Dublin with Tower Records Dublin, Tower have been doing the electronics bit for ages where HMV are just catching on. Tower's range is also huge by comparison. Heh, Tower. A great example of how a global record company has gone down the pan because of the pressures HMV are now facing. Buying physical things over teh internet is ok if you know what you are getting. And yes, you can save some money. Lots of people go to shops to look then buy from the internet in order to save a few pounds. Well, when these shops disappear it will be your fault. And then guess who's prices will rise? I don't agree with the ethics of trying out in a shop and buying online. And there's still definately a place for shops for physical items, especially if the shop adds value in terms of knowledge and after sales. Don't buy the price rise thing at all. The internet gives you more choice, not less. The price won't rise because there'll always be someone who will be able to undercut. For digital, online is just better. My kindle, try the first chapter of any book, if I like it, one click buy for a very good price. Awesome. CD vs download debate. You know about lossless? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 why? Probably because, like me, he is not deaf! I don't know what you are listening to. A CD is already digital and you cannot tell the difference between well encoded audio file and a well encoded audio file presented in a CD format. And not forgetting that many CDs are not well encoded. If you are listening to pop music then the distinction is an affectation since modern pop is designed to sound right on iPods etc. FWIW eg http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/: here you can buy music in either 320 kbps MP3 or FLAC lossless format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somewhatdamaged Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I still buy CDs, but only to rip them to FLAC, as i don't think any other format is worth paying a download fee for (MP3 or AAC). You're quite simply not getting a perfect copy of the music. I would never buy an album off Itunes, many who do simply don't realise it's not good quality enough to justify the price Apple are charging. Exact Audio Copy is the ripper of choice for my PC Some albums for sale on Amazon are 69p a track, and they are only 256kbps MP3s. It's quite frankly a rip off. EDIT - Pongo, thanks for the link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 If you have a decent encoder you are not going to tell the difference between a CD and 256kbps IMO Unless you have doggy ears Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arronc Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I think you can often hear the difference between CD and and an compressed file, due to the fact CD's already have dither applied to them, and so you are always transcoding, and you always produce artefacts. Its a real shame SACD didnt catch on, but there are still some awesome sounding CDs out there. I still buy CDs of things I think I will still be listening to in a couple of months time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cambon Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I don't know what you are listening to. A CD is already digital and you cannot tell the difference between well encoded audio file and a well encoded audio file presented in a CD format. And not forgetting that many CDs are not well encoded. If you are listening to pop music then the distinction is an affectation since modern pop is designed to sound right on iPods etc. FWIW eg http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/: here you can buy music in either 320 kbps MP3 or FLAC lossless format. MP3 is crap, even at 320K. I actually find 192 better than 320. I have no idea why, it simply sounds better. FLAC is great, but not all digital player can decode.it, let alon resolve it properly. The Linn DS players are pretty good at it though - if you can afforn them. Yes, a CD is digital, and it is possible to get a virtually identical copy, and to get pretty close with some lossy codecs, but CD is already a lossy format that does not come close to studio master quality. With each successive generation of audio format, the listening public is being dumbed down further and further. I just cannot believe people accept it so easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cambon Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 If you have a decent encoder you are not going to tell the difference between a CD and 256kbps IMO Unless you have doggy ears I have a 4 foot set of electrostatic hybrids at home that would prove you wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 MP3 is crap, even at 320K. I actually find 192 better than 320. I have no idea why, it simply sounds better. That can only be a problem either with the encoding or the decoding. Encoding software is much improved since 5 years ago and it really depends on the settings. With each successive generation of audio format, the listening public is being dumbed down further and further. I just cannot believe people accept it so easily. When is the golden era you are looking back too ? Anyhow it's much more complicated than you make out. Recording technology, for example, is much improved since the 70s. And much of the the actually playback equipment we use is higher spec these days. Eg amps. And I don't know what you are listening to. Sure - buy old jazz or classical recordings on FLAC. But 60s pop music, for example, was recorded to sound right on AM transistor radios. And people discovered the Beatles on mono 45s. That's how it is supposed to sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Uh-oh. Audiophile nonsense thread. These muppets will be telling us all to buy gold hdmi cables any second now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IOMRS97 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 A bit of trivia about HMV - the famous picture of the dog, captivated by sound of the phonograph was originally called "His Late Master's Voice". And for a bonus point, can you name the dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terse Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 A bit of trivia about HMV - the famous picture of the dog, captivated by sound of the phonograph was originally called "His Late Master's Voice". And for a bonus point, can you name the dog? Nipper (He still posts on here from time to time) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 @ Pongo. I simply don't see the appeal of digital. It might suit the iPod generation but I don't possess such an item and see no reason to own one in the near future. I can understand the thing of having something tangible when you get music, but then I would only buy a CD of something that I liked a good deal. Otherwise it is just wasted space considering there is no sentimentality to the CD. But I would probably buy a record if I wanted something to collect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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