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Why are CDs the current hot topic?

H2oman7.62mm said:
This thread has inspired me to begin thinning out the vinyls and CDs I no longer enjoy listening to... steaming is nothing I am interested in , but I do plan to hook up an external FM antenna so I can enjoy some free audio.
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I too am in the process of 'thinning the herd' (yet again), and am finding that some I thought I'd toss, I've decided to keep. It could be the recent addition of a tube preamp, that adds a richness and fullness that was not there before. Or, it could be that now in retirement, life has slowed to the point where I'm able to relax, really listen and enjoy what I had not been able to before.

That got me to thinking of the 50+ classical CD's (I still have 400+) that I gave to a fellow music lover a few years ago. I'm thinking that I'd now enjoy at least some of them; if only on rare occasions. Oh well, she was happy to get them and will probably listen to, and appreciate them far more than I would have.

Now, I'm off the the thrift store to (hopefully) add even more to the collection. :rflmao:
 
Gigantic said:
A significant amount of streaming content from Apple Music is hi-res, 24 bit, 96kHz or 192kHz files, taken either from the analog masters, in the case of classics like Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, or in the example of new releases from the original digital masters. It is noticeably better in a revealing system than 16 bit, 44kHz Redbook CD audio.
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If the master's analogue it won't have the bandwidth covered by 44.1 sampling let alone 96. The difference in sound quality is in the mastering not the sampling frequency or bit depth (analogue tape is about 14 bits dynamic range at best) - but I suspect we will have to disagree on this one.
 
My Stevie Ray Vaughan "Soul to Soul" CD showed up today. And I am very happy with my purchase. All of $8.53 for a CD that is in pristine condition, plays without issue and sounds great. What's not to love...
 
Mart Mccall said:
If the master's analogue it won't have the bandwidth covered by 44.1 sampling let alone 96. The difference in sound quality is in the mastering not the sampling frequency or bit depth (analogue tape is about 14 bits dynamic range at best) - but I suspect we will have to disagree on this one.
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While everything you said is spot on. Newer AD converters “should” do a better job. Using higher sample rates will allow for reconstruction at the DA stage with filters further from the audible content. These would be minor improvements and no where as important as the master as you mention.
 
Gigantic said:
why-not-both-why-not.gif

We used to do late morning bong hits and espresso shots in grad school.
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Wake and bake...and rewake!
 
Gigantic said:
This thread has inspired me to listen to my CDs, I have about 250, mainly from 1995-2003. Here's my take: they offer the inconvenience of vinyls with less of the tactile qualities that make vinyls appealing and offer the SQ of average rate streaming. I guess it's ok, but if I'm going to be getting off of my sofa every 30-70 minutes, I'd rather play vinyls and in many cases, streaming sounds a little better and generally, not worse and I can change what I'm listing to from my seat. I had planned on selling most of my CDs for credit at my neighborhood record store and I'm still torn on keeping them or trading them for more vinyls. :dunno:
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I go through my CDs from each artist, and pick my favorite songs. I can also listen to albums I don't have (on the internet) if I like the artist, and order them. Then I rip my favorite songs onto blank CDs, and keep those (the trick is putting the songs in the right sequence). I sell the originals.

One of my most drastic reductions was when I went through my Eric Clapton CDs, including his 4 CD anthology collection called 'Crossroads'. I must have had over 120 songs total, and ended up keeping less than 20. I didn't realize that I wasn't a big Clapton fan until I listened to everything I had on him. His voice is actually so-so, and his guitar playing was rarely that exceptional. I think he was high during most of his recordings. It was interesting.

He was once asked what it feels like to be the greatest guitar player, and answered "I don't know. Go ask Prince." No kidding.
 
Gigantic said:
This thread has inspired me to listen to my CDs, I have about 250, mainly from 1995-2003. Here's my take: they offer the inconvenience of vinyls with less of the tactile qualities that make vinyls appealing and offer the SQ of average rate streaming. I guess it's ok, but if I'm going to be getting off of my sofa every 30-70 minutes, I'd rather play vinyls and in many cases, streaming sounds a little better and generally, not worse and I can change what I'm listing to from my seat. I had planned on selling most of my CDs for credit at my neighborhood record store and I'm still torn on keeping them or trading them for more vinyls. :dunno:
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I can't blame you for simply not having an much of an attachment to CDs as they certainly don't have the tactile vibe of vinyl, nor the convenience of streaming. It isn't like I've done my own tests, but I find it hard to believe that streaming really sounds any better than CDs, if even as good. Most of it as I understand is sourced from CDs so it isn't likely to sound better than that, and then there's the fact that it's less direct in getting to you, so more possibility for issues there. It may be because I simply don't have the most sensitive hearing (I know that a lot of my very high end hearing is gone), but to my ears, CDs sound even better than LPs and in my system, even if the right LP can sound very good indeed. CDs sound better than ever since I upgraded my DAC, and I would say that I now have a similar investment in my turtable setup and my DAC/CD player, so it seems like a fair comparison.
 
KarinS said:
One of my most drastic reductions was when I went through my Eric Clapton CDs, including his 4 CD anthology collection called 'Crossroads'. I must have had over 120 songs total, and ended up keeping less than 20. I didn't realize that I wasn't a big Clapton fan until I listened to everything I had on him. His voice is actually so-so, and his guitar playing was rarely that exceptional. I think he was high during most of his recordings. It was interesting.

He was once asked what it feels like to be the greatest guitar player, and answered "I don't know. Go ask Prince." No kidding.
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I used to be more into Clapton's stuff, when I was younger and getting into everything classic rock. Though I'd certainly say that there are some nice moments sprinkled through his catalog, mostly what I like of his is the stuff where he was more of a collaborator, rather than the featured guy, like in Cream and Blind Faith. I kind of came to the same conclusion about his music some years ago and traded in a few albums I had by him. I'm not really all that much of a blues listener, but when I'm in the mood for stuff with that vibe, I go for other stuff...
 
RunOutGroove said:
I can't blame you for simply not having an much of an attachment to CDs as they certainly don't have the tactile vibe of vinyl, nor the convenience of streaming. It isn't like I've done my own tests, but I find it hard to believe that streaming really sounds any better than CDs, if even as good. Most of it as I understand is sourced from CDs so it isn't likely to sound better than that, and then there's the fact that it's less direct in getting to you, so more possibility for issues there. It may be because I simply don't have the most sensitive hearing (I know that a lot of my very high end hearing is gone), but to my ears, CDs sound even better than LPs and in my system, even if the right LP can sound very good indeed. CDs sound better than ever since I upgraded my DAC, and I would say that I now have a similar investment in my turtable setup and my DAC/CD player, so it seems like a fair comparison.
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I hear a difference between (digital) recordings and mastered files from friends vs when they are printed to audio CD. And I think you (or anyone who intently listens to music) can.
But. It's often not a huge difference. And more importantly, if- and to which level it's perceptible really depends on the particular recording and the system it's played on.
And how it sounds already depends on which DAW they use and how it's set up. And last but not least, that my hearing capability drops like a brick beyond 13.5kHz or thereabouts also plays into the equation, perhaps I'd hear more of a difference if my ears would be younger & less affected by PA systems.

(DAW = Digital Audio Workstation by the way, recording and music creation software like Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Avid Pro Tools or Reaper).

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To me, considering the cost of storage media, it makes little sense to listen to compressed files vs uncompressed or lossless files anyway when it comes to digital audio..
 
RunOutGroove said:
I used to be more into Clapton's stuff, when I was younger and getting into everything classic rock. Though I'd certainly say that there are some nice moments sprinkled through his catalog, mostly what I like of his is the stuff where he was more of a collaborator, rather than the featured guy, like in Cream and Blind Faith. I kind of came to the same conclusion about his music some years ago and traded in a few albums I had by him. I'm not really all that much of a blues listener, but when I'm in the mood for stuff with that vibe, I go for other stuff...
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My favourite Clapton is the live album 'EC Was Here' since it avoids some of the more schlocky stuff he did like 'Wonderful Tonight' and is just really blues workouts with a good band.
 
I marvel that they ever went OUT of style!
They sound great, low maintenance, low noise floor. Take up a fraction of the space of records to store (esp. in a binder)
I think a lot of us mostly listen to only old music anyway. The one problem is that cars don't come with CD players any more; can just load up a little CD wallet for the road any more.
 
All I can say is that the different times I've gone into music sections, it's mostly young people browsing the CDs (and of course vinyl), and they don't appear to be hipsters for the most part either. That seems to say something for the future staying power of CDs.
 
Smaug said:
I marvel that they ever went OUT of style!
They sound great, low maintenance, low noise floor. Take up a fraction of the space of records to store (esp. in a binder)
I think a lot of us mostly listen to only old music anyway. The one problem is that cars don't come with CD players any more; can just load up a little CD wallet for the road any more.
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I agree with your assessment. I keep mine in its jewel case and still deem it to take up minimal space.
 
intro6 said:
Well, up further north in Hollywood and certain adjacent areas, they are more numerous, but even there it seems like the majority aren't.
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We have more than our share in Va Bch etc, but they aren't in the vinyls shops.
 
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