• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Would you be as enthusiastic about the audio hobby if streaming disappeared?

Bill S said:
Depends on what you're streaming with and the capabilities of that equipment. Bluetooth or wifi streamer? What's the source of the stream? What settings? Etc.
Click to expand...
I'm using a onn tablet with a modi3+ rca cable to a McIntosh Mx113 preamp McIntosh Mc152 amp and the cd player Yamaha s1800 plugged into the modi with optical cable I also have qobuz but the song wasn't in there library also I checked the settings on Amazon but I enjoy streaming alot and plan on using it as my main music source
 
Perfect example of the benefit of accessing new music exposure just happened - heard a new tune on the classical radio station and found it on Qobuz.

Made that a favorite so that it is now available to my LMS based music systems. Might purchase the download.
 
E-Stat said:
Perfect example of the benefit of accessing new music exposure just happened - heard a new tune on the classical radio station and found it on Qobuz.

Made that a favorite so that it is now available to my LMS based music systems. Might purchase the download.
Click to expand...

Is it available on vinyl? :-)
 
E-Stat said:
Doesn't appear to be. Since it's new content, the vinyl would use a digital master anyway.
Click to expand...

I've been watching the Mofi debacle from a safe distance. Not really being a part of the vinyl community, I'm not well equipped with knowledge surrounding that arena of the hobby. Has it become damn near impossible to get a pure analog (from tape to vinyl) recording of new music? By "new" I mean recorded in the last five or ten years.
 
Bill S said:
Depends on what you're streaming with and the capabilities of that equipment. Bluetooth or wifi streamer? What's the source of the stream? What settings? Etc.
Click to expand...
I'm using a modi3+ to a tablet rca cable to a McIntosh mx113 preamp Mc152 power amp I also have qobuz and compared to Amazon HD I believe sounds better on my set up than Amazon .I would miss it but being old school I would survive without it
 
tomlinmgt said:
But hasn't losing music to obscurity been going on for decades now? It's sort of Darwinian...there's soooooo much music that has been made and recorded since the incarnation of the technology. Some of the less popular stuff is just going to fade away, by and large, regardless of what format it's available in.
Click to expand...

True. But I would think that if physical copies of that music had been made there would now be a better chance of that music being listened to some years down the road. For example, let's say that some extremely minor music artist puts out a very small release of an album, CDs let's say. The album goes nowhere. Most of them end up being trashed, but a small number survive, stuck away in closets, drawers, boxes etc. Well then, some years later, they end up in garage sales, yard sales, thrift stores etc. and one or more people come along who decide to take a chance and buy it (after all, being unknown, the price is right). Some of them may discover they really like it. Maybe it was really good. Maybe it was just ahead of it's time. Maybe the music artist just wasn't able to go anywhere at the time. It happens all the time. Who knows? Then it's even possible that it could end up being a valued collectable. This is what happened with some of those 78s, and certain music on later formats too, and then what was previously forgotten becomes re-released for later interested listeners. Anything that helps the survival of as much music as possible is good in my book because who know how future tastes may swing?
 
intro6 said:
True. But I would think that if physical copies of that music had been made there would now be a better chance of that music being listened to some years down the road. For example, let's say that some extremely minor music artist puts out a very small release of an album, CDs let's say. The album goes nowhere. Most of them end up being trashed, but a small number survive, stuck away in closets, drawers, boxes etc. Well then, some years later, they end up in garage sales, yard sales, thrift stores etc. and one or more people come along who decide to take a chance and buy it (after all, being unknown, the price is right). Some of them may discover they really like it. Maybe it was really good. Maybe it was just ahead of it's time. Maybe the music artist just wasn't able to go anywhere at the time. It happens all the time. Who knows? Then it's even possible that it could end up being a valued collectable. This is what happened with some of those 78s, and certain music on later formats too, and then what was previously forgotten becomes re-released for later interested listeners. Anything that helps the survival of as much music as possible is good in my book because who know how future tastes may swing?
Click to expand...

I hear what you're saying. But conversely, couldn't one say that there are an equal, if not greater, number of "extremely minor music artists" who are getting more exposure because of the accessibility streaming affords for artist of that caliber?
Seems to me that pros and cons exist regarding the viability of music with or without streaming. Fortunately, there is still demand for hard media, and nothing that says you can't have and use all forms of media simultaneously to your full advantage. And any artist who wants to have their work preserved on hard media still has the option to do so. Even if digital music delivery continues to grow to the point that it severely hamstrings the recording of music to hard media, I think there will be enough niche interest in that format that it will remain an option for those who want to go that route. I mean, look at what 'ol Jack White did with that super rare vintage recording booth.
 
Last edited:
GChief said:
That was pretty awesome. Dave Grohls project with the mix board he bought is pretty awesome also.
Click to expand...
Yep...the Neve. Had he not snatched it up, rest assured someone else would've and done the same. There's a line ten miles long that wants that thing...Dave just had the resources and clout to get first dibs.
 
tomlinmgt said:
Has it become damn near impossible to get a pure analog (from tape to vinyl) recording of new music? By "new" I mean recorded in the last five or ten years.
Click to expand...
More like forty years. The first digitally mastered albums were introduced in the late 70s. Here's Bob Woods from Telarc:

telarc_stasis.jpg
 
Comes down to a few things.

Some of us have no desire for perfection or do we try to obtain it when it comes to the theoretical true rendition.

Some of us have a limited budget. Media...equipment...living space all come at a cost. Streaming is the cheapest way to listen and explore.
 
I have been buying records since I was a kid and will continue to buy records until the day I die. I have thousands. That said, I also have a Spotify account, but I only listen to it when walking the dogs, on public transport, driving, or if using a bluetooth speaker either outside in the summer or if I take it on holiday.

I think the discovery of new music - especially obscure music - has been around for ages. For example, so many obscure psych bands were being discovered in the 70s via 'Nuggets' compilation and then later in the 80s via bootleg labels like Psycho, Midnight Records, Eva etc. This helped get obscure and hard to find records or long forgotten bands into the hands of people like myself who wanted to dive deeper. Those "needle drop" bootlegs (sourced from an LP rather than master tapes) played a huge part in me discovering very obscure bands from the late 60s and early 70s. The audio quality may not have been great, but hell...this was the 80s and back then we didn't have things like hi-def. We were still adjusting antennas and playing our original Atari thinking it was great as we didn't know any different.

Also, there are so many great compilation labels. The 'Brown Acid' comp that was originally posted on page one of this thread is a good example, Numero is also a great label that have put out so many amazing compilations. They employ good obsessive music nerds to curate and find all the great, deep, obscure cuts and put them out on their beautifully packaged physical releases. However, to buy them all is an expensive hobby and of course does take up space. Obviously, one could just stream them as Numero have put everything on Spotify.

What I will say about Streaming that I think is great is when an album or playlist is done and it goes into "more like this" that are randomly picked by Spotify or the said band name's "Radio" - that does a great job of curating similar stuff that may be new discoveries. I have definitely discovered a handful of bands/albums that way, but then I went out and tracked down the physical LP either in local record stores or, if needed, on Discogs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom