I've kept the vinyl and the CDs, though I don't own a turntable anymore. My tastes evolved as the medium changed. I was a classic rock kid in the vinyl era, then embraced alt-country and roots music in the CD era, while replacing some of the must-haves from the vinyl days with CDs. Then came a love for jazz as the CD era began to wane.

As I reached 40, I didn't do much purchasing of digital tracks because I didn't like the idea of not having some sort of artifact in hand.

Now at 50, I've embraced streaming with Spotify premium. Budget wise it saves me money. $14.99 per month for anything and everything new or old is the cost of a single CD, so I've saved tons of money.

Do I miss the days of artifacts? You bet, and I still buy my true loves on CD -- Stones, Dylan, Bowie, since I'm a "collector" or a "completist" in that sense.

But that said, I love the convenience and access.

T@3

I still have about 100 laserdisc's in my collection, Talk about being behind the times. Yikes!

Scotty,
Irvine, CA

Another angle:

Unless you live alone in a house without close neighbors, it is difficult to listen to your rock n roll out loud.

Gone are the days of youth with endless time and disregard for anyone else, lol.

Earbuds/ headphones. Exception when vehicle driving. No more vinyl here.

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35love
Another angle:

Unless you live alone in a house without close neighbors, it is difficult to listen to your rock n roll out loud.

Gone are the days of youth with endless time and disregard for anyone else, lol.

Earbuds/ headphones. Exception when vehicle driving. No more vinyl here.

That's why i am enjoying my sparse time this sunday afternoon with my best of of the faces - good boys when they are asleep cd. Warner Brothers. Great compilation. Great Sound. Perfect.

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35love
Another angle:

Unless you live alone in a house without close neighbors, it is difficult to listen to your rock n roll out loud.

Gone are the days of youth with endless time and disregard for anyone else, lol.

Earbuds/ headphones. Exception when vehicle driving. No more vinyl here.

Also, earbuds/headphones privacy factor. Do I want to advertise I'm listening to 'Lady Cab Driver' by Prince? No. I don't.
Households don't do 'old time speakers' no more. The kids aren't buying vinyl, no way.

I do my listening on stereo speakers if i can. Today I can. Pure bliss.

If you were the type that invested heavily in CDs, then going digital is very convenient. If you rip your CDs at 320 kbs then the sound quality is excellent. The mp3 player that I like for my PC is MediaMonkey. All the mp3 players also support album artwork. I would not go near iTunes.

Once you have ripped your music, then make a second copy of it and put it on a second hard drive or preferably a second PC. Then buy an external hard drive and copy it again and leave that hard drive at a friend's house. Then you are bulletproof.

Keep in mind that if you have a nice home theater sound system with a 5.1 amplifier, then the digital-to-analog conversion takes place inside the 5.1 amplifier itself which is a good thing. And of course turn off all sound processing in the amplifier.

I haven't touched a record in 13 years, they are all in boxes in the basement. I am not tempted to buy one of those record players that converts vinyl into mp3, it would be a huge amount of work.

5.1 is great but for stereo a stereo amp is the best in my experience. But as long as one enjoys listening to the music it is all good

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barbabang
5.1 is great but for stereo a stereo amp is the best in my experience. But as long as one enjoys listening to the music it is all good

Sure but to be clearer, the HDMI (or optical) connection from your home theater PC will convey digital stereo to your 5.1 amplifier and the amplifier will act like any stereo amp. So it means there is no possibility of noise being induced by an analog connection to an analog stereo amplifier. Also, presumably the digital-to-analog converters inside the 5.1 amplifier will be superior to the digital-to-analog converters on a computer motherboard or in an mp3 player or cellphone.

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MononoM
what about VHS?

Funny that.

I played the Winos at the Palladium on VHS just yesterday.

More out of curiosity to see if the player still worked than anything.
[Might be about 7 years since I last fired it up]

Well it did...and it was fun.

Hi Jan, i agree with your opinion !

[stonesworldcollection.blogspot.it]

I almost got rid of all my CD's in the 2000's... But since a couple of years I've started to buy them all over again because I'm getting tired of browsing through my digital library on the computer. And when I open a streaming service (Spotify, Amazon music, Qobuz... I've tried them all) I always spent 10 minutes before finding or deciding what to listen to... So long live to the good old CD and the even older vinyl.
Also I like the fact that when you build a CD or a vinyl collection you have to make choices and you don't loose time at trying to appreciate an album that was recommended to you by a random program.

It makes me sad just to think about this. The end is coming closer not just for record collections.

IMO if one really enjoys listening to music on a decent sound system, vinyl cannot be dismissed in many terms. Even if the record being played is not in mint condition there is a tangible difference between cd sound and analogue records to my ears. Different LP pressings matter. Some records just explode out of the speakers. Led Zepp 2 mastered by Robert Ludwig I was lucky enough to buy when it was first released. Side 1 simply blows your socks off with that record. It is an amazing example of what records can do compared with a CD. Yes, the Page remasters from 2014 are pretty damn good too, but they don't beat that Bob Ludwig mastered vinyl. Quality copies of that LP fetch $150 plus easy, and yea it's probably worth it if you have the money and want that sound.

Of course there are some excellent CD's too. In the end, the record albums we refer to often here on this board are available in good quality, albeit at a premium to what they worth at release. So it goes. I believe in many cases that the premium is much warranted. I have been slowly upgrading my record collection with better quality vinyl over the past few years. Absolutely worth it imo.

For example, I own a first pressing of EOMS I bought the day it was released in 1972. It still plays remarkably well considering where it has traveled and the many hands that it encountered going from sleeve to turntable. Problem though is all those years left their mark with some crackles here and there. I wanted a US first pressing that didn't have those distractions. So last week I bought a very clean copy of EOMS. Presswell with Artisan stamps on all 4 sides. This record sounds fantastic and for just under $40 I am very pleased to have this in my collection.

Great records can't be beat imo. Never mind the fact that the liner notes you can read without glasses, the artwork looks better, and simply turning a record over to listen to a different side creates it's own mood change as it was intended to be by the artists that created the track lists for that reason.

My record collection is something I love revisiting when the mood strikes. I have many, many CD's too, but there is something special about playing a great record on a system where you can hear the difference.

Happily, no end to the record collection for me.

They all coexist happily at my place, but the first choice now is digital (mp3 320 on my "old" ipod classic, wav or HD at home).

I am in the process of re-ripping my CD collection for the umpteenth time (first low quality mp3 to fit as many songs as possible in the early Ipods, then 320 mp3 now WAV ...)

Hate to admit it, but digital now sounds better.

I'm not into streeming services yet. To many places I go to with poor internet connection.

C

Spotify has never turned a profit. The labels and publishers demand huge fees, and very little goes back to the artists. They are reportedly in line to have an IPO soon, which will provide them with more capital, but that doesn't solve the profitability problem. Who knows if they will even be around in a few years? Not that streaming will not continue, because big companies like Apple, Google, and Amazon have deeper pockets that can subsidize streaming services, even if it is difficult to turn a profit due to high rights fees.

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liddas
They all coexist happily at my place, but the first choice now is digital (mp3 320 on my "old" ipod classic, wav or HD at home).

I am in the process of re-ripping my CD collection for the umpteenth time (first low quality mp3 to fit as many songs as possible in the early Ipods, then 320 mp3 now WAV ...)

Hate to admit it, but digital now sounds better.

I'm not into streeming services yet. To many places I go to with poor internet connection.

C

Lossless flac was made to replace wav files requiring about 1/10th the space. If you really wanted you can use a fan-less "PC on a stick" or an Android box connected to a large SSD to have a completely quiet system to play back your music library on your analog stereo system. You can drive it all with a tablet or your cell phone. We have made it to the future!

The problem is that the industry has still not adopted a universal & consistent approach to the formats/codecs used for high quality domestic digital playback.

The industry has been under no pressure to do so because after 30 years or poor quality digital playback ...folks have forgotten how good music should and can sound.

Perhaps it can argued in either direction, but I view music in similar terms to reading. With music, I enjoy picking through my organized collections of LP's/45's and CD's. Same with videos.

I feel the same way about reading. I like to hold onto books and turn the pages. I used to love going to the library and search for titles. Got to the card catalog, find the titles, then off you go to find the book/books, check them out at the library counter, and take em home to read.

There is visual and physical aspect to this that differs from pulling something up on a computer screen or through a remote digital device.I understand and appreciate the convenience of having mobile access to audio and video entertainment. I utilize this myself. Nothing better though to me than finding an LP or Cd and putting it on a machine and sitting down to listen through some nice speakers. Same with picking up a book and just enjoy the pleasure of turning the pages to see whats going to happen next.

Listening to music is for me best appreciated through vinyl.

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filstan
Perhaps it can argued in either direction, but I view music in similar terms to reading. With music, I enjoy picking through my organized collections of LP's/45's and CD's. Same with videos.

I feel the same way about reading. I like to hold onto books and turn the pages. I used to love going to the library and search for titles. Got to the card catalog, find the titles, then off you go to find the book/books, check them out at the library counter, and take em home to read.

There is visual and physical aspect to this that differs from pulling something up on a computer screen or through a remote digital device.I understand and appreciate the convenience of having mobile access to audio and video entertainment. I utilize this myself. Nothing better though to me than finding an LP or Cd and putting it on a machine and sitting down to listen through some nice speakers. Same with picking up a book and just enjoy the pleasure of turning the pages to see whats going to happen next.

Listening to music is for me best appreciated through vinyl.

Indeed there's so much more to something that's tangible vs. something that doesn't physically exist.

I built an enormous two sided shelving unit at my studio (a fair sized warehouse) that's apprx. 10ft high x 20ft across that juts out from a wall forming sort of a room divider - leaving a space on the far left of studio about 10 ft. wide - it's basically become like a separate room. Within that space, on the main wall is my stereo system, multiple guitars, amps, etc., while on the shelving unit side facing in is my collection of vinyl, cd's, cassettes, etc., filled from top to bottom. On the other side of the shelving unit that faces the large studio work space proper, every shelf is filled to the brim with books - all categorized. Most are art (and art history) books, many are music related books, some are Academic books (history, philosophy, theology, etc), and a few I've had since I was a kid - it's basically a mini-library. On a funny note, a couple of years ago a young whippersnapper was admiring all of the vinyl, books, etc. that was in this enormous shelving unit. As he was perusing and browsing around from top to bottom and shelf to shelf through the giant wall of music, he said "You know you could fit all of this into a device that would fit in your hand". I Looked at him and said perhaps so but that would be considered sacrilege and blasphemy in these sacred grounds, and to never speak such evil again in my presence lol. The little punk made a valid point, but there's no way on Earth I would get the same proper experience of my collection if it was on a little device in the palm of my hand. And what would happen if I were to ever lose that device? Or if it were to malfunction? Or if it became obsolete like floppy discs?

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-04 19:32 by Hairball.

Many here are talking about what they feel at ease with. But, maybe, the real question is: What will happen with your collection when you are ready for elderly care? Hence the title "The end of record collections".

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Stoneage
Many here are talking about what they feel at ease with. But, maybe, the real question is: What will happen with your collection when you are ready for elderly care? Hence the title "The end of record collections".

As Rockman said on the previous page "Leave it to the family... they can deal with the removalist $$$fees"...

I sometimes joke with my wife that she's in for a massive problem when I pass away...not only my music collection, but tons of artwork scattered around and displayed at my studio (mostly paintings and sculptures).
Some of it complete, some are works in progress, some are bulky and heavy, some are massive in size, some are pieces of crap, and some are quite nice! Good luck with all that!

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
Hairball

Quote
filstan
Perhaps it can argued in either direction, but I view music in similar terms to reading. With music, I enjoy picking through my organized collections of LP's/45's and CD's. Same with videos.

I feel the same way about reading. I like to hold onto books and turn the pages. I used to love going to the library and search for titles. Got to the card catalog, find the titles, then off you go to find the book/books, check them out at the library counter, and take em home to read.

There is visual and physical aspect to this that differs from pulling something up on a computer screen or through a remote digital device.I understand and appreciate the convenience of having mobile access to audio and video entertainment. I utilize this myself. Nothing better though to me than finding an LP or Cd and putting it on a machine and sitting down to listen through some nice speakers. Same with picking up a book and just enjoy the pleasure of turning the pages to see whats going to happen next.

Listening to music is for me best appreciated through vinyl.

Indeed there's so much more to something that's tangible vs. something that doesn't physically exist.

I built an enormous two sided shelving unit at my studio (a fair sized warehouse) that's apprx. 10ft high x 20ft across that juts out from a wall forming sort of a room divider - leaving a space on the far left of studio about 10 ft. wide - it's basically become like a separate room. Within that space, on the main wall is my stereo system, multiple guitars, amps, etc., while on the shelving unit side facing in is my collection of vinyl, cd's, cassettes, etc., filled from top to bottom. On the other side of the shelving unit that faces the large studio work space proper, every shelf is filled to the brim with books - all categorized. Most are art (and art history) books, many are music related books, some are Academic books (history, philosophy, theology, etc), and a few I've had since I was a kid - it's basically a mini-library. On a funny note, a couple of years ago a young whippersnapper was admiring all of the vinyl, books, etc. that was in this enormous shelving unit. As he was perusing and browsing around from top to bottom and shelf to shelf through the giant wall of music, he said "You know you could fit all of this into a device that would fit in your hand". I Looked at him and said perhaps so but that would be considered sacrilege and blasphemy in these sacred grounds, and to never speak such evil again in my presence lol. The little punk made a valid point, but there's no way on Earth I would get the same proper experience of my collection if it was on a little device in the palm of my hand. And what would happen if I were to ever lose that device? Or if it were to malfunction? Or if it became obsolete like floppy discs?

Echoes of the movie Fahrenheit 451. Welcome to the Dystopia. There is an electromagnetic storm in space that wipes out all of the hard drives in the world. Music and movies all disappear and tragically the "Recycle Men" had already visited your studio and they took away all of your books and records and turned them into green park benches!

Hell I'm still adding to my collection. I don't see me even thinking about thinning it out. I am a vinyl purist and always will be.

Funny topic. Good comments!

As every day passes we are all closer to confronting the reality of being hobbled old folks. I'm 64 and will rock on until I can't. I'm not worried about that in the least. With some luck there are many good years left. When the time comes for me to go I am confident in saying that my children will be like vultures descending to pick clean my music and video collection. Never mind surviving friends. They will all have fun with sorting out the music, framed posters, books. There will be stories told. They will toss what no one wants. I won't care.

Anyone need books about the Rolling Stones? I'm ready to part with many of those right now. Forty plus years of reading and collecting that stuff.

In a nod to Tom Petty, I always loved that bit on the Full Moon Fever cd where he said "attention cd listeners" We have come to the point in this album where those listening on cassettes or records will have to stand up or sit down and turn over the record or tape. In fairness to those listeners we will now take a few seconds before we begin side two. ...... Thank You and here is side two."

Physical music collections say a little bit about who we were, and who we are now.

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Hairball

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Stoneage
Many here are talking about what they feel at ease with. But, maybe, the real question is: What will happen with your collection when you are ready for elderly care? Hence the title "The end of record collections".

As Rockman said on the previous page "Leave it to the family... they can deal with the removalist $$$fees"...

I sometimes joke with my wife that she's in for a massive problem when I pass away...not only my music collection, but tons of artwork scattered around and displayed at my studio (mostly paintings and sculptures).
Some of it complete, some are works in progress, some are bulky and heavy, some are massive in size, some are pieces of crap, and some are quite nice! Good luck with all that!

Aah..does the Art work have any investment value?
I would be happy to save your wife the bother of sorting it all whilst giving me a nice big pay day!

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jlowe

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Hairball

Quote
Stoneage
Many here are talking about what they feel at ease with. But, maybe, the real question is: What will happen with your collection when you are ready for elderly care? Hence the title "The end of record collections".

As Rockman said on the previous page "Leave it to the family... they can deal with the removalist $$$fees"...

I sometimes joke with my wife that she's in for a massive problem when I pass away...not only my music collection, but tons of artwork scattered around and displayed at my studio (mostly paintings and sculptures).
Some of it complete, some are works in progress, some are bulky and heavy, some are massive in size, some are pieces of crap, and some are quite nice! Good luck with all that!

Aah..does the Art work have any investment value?
I would be happy to save your wife the bother of sorting it all whilst giving me a nice big pay day!

Of course some of it does - galleries and museums around the world are knocking down my doors as we speak wanting to get a piece of the action!!!
Seriously though, every bit of music I own and every piece of unsold or collected artwork in my name will be well taken care of by my wife, along with friends and other family members.
But I don't plan on going anywhere any time soon, so in the meantime I'll continue to crank out art (and continue to sell it - hopefully), and the music collection will keep growing...and growing...and GROWING!

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-10-05 23:26 by Hairball.

Speaking of art and vinyl, here's some artwork that combines both. While kind of sad to waste some good albums on this, some of it's quite creative and cool:
(random google search - sorry don't know the name of each artist)







(












_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......