Digital or hard copy?

[1986]

I've scanned around and I can't find this anywhere else.

Buying cds has always been a passion of mine, I have at least 350, and whenever I'm in a new town or city I always hunt for the music shops and spend hours scanning everything they have. However these days I find less and less titles I want are in stores and i have to rely a lot on online shopping. The excitement I once felt for music stores is starting to dwindle.

So recently I've been thinking about a huge shift in media, selling all my cds and strictly relying on itunes and the like, though its a momentus decision I think and I'm not certain if its the best move.

So what do you think? How is your music sorted?

[I-CloWn-I]

on the computer....lol

[The mayor of Albuquerque]

600+ CDs and a rapidly growing amount of digital-only music.

I guess I will make a switch to all-digital eventually, but I'm in no hurry. Even then, I will want back-up copies of my music, so I will just be ripping CDs and then hiding them in a box somewhere.

[Jamie]

I think it's still a good idea to maintain hard copies, not only as a backup in case your computer breaks but for the palpability

the whole cloud computing "all media can be downloaded theres no need to buy anything physical ever again" concept that apple is pushing with its new cd-driveless macbook air and apple-tv movie rentals kind of concerns me

[I-CloWn-I]

i mostly buy my music from itunes

[America: Fuck Yea!]

i d/l. if I love something, i will buy a hard copy.

[jim]

Hard copy only. I'll never make the change to downloads of either music or movies. The only stuff I download is bootlegs and rarities that cant be bought, and the occasional single or one-hit-wonder song that I couldnt be bothered paying for. Id certainly never pay to download something.

[America: Fuck Yea!]

yeah, I will never pay to d/l anything, ever.

[1986]

So where do you d/l from? I find most places you can find music for free comes up pretty shit on the sound quality.

[blueguy]

I'll keep buying CDs and rip the MP3s myself so I know I'll get a high quality transfer.

[Van Houten]

There are artists that I like but wouldn't pay for their music so a digital copy is fine. I still like to have a hard copy most of the time to rip my own MP3s and because it's tangible. It was the same when I was using minidisc; I still wanted a copy on CD as well.

[conor.]

I'll pay for a hard copy but rarely for a digital one.

[grissom]

Hard copy, absolutely no question. If I'm going to pay for any kind of media, I'm getting something I can actually hold in my hands. Paying for digital downloads just seems stupid to me, plus it eliminates any of the excitement and enjoyment of collecting DVDs/CDs/vinyl. A download only future would suck a lot.

[jim]

Agreed 100% with grissom. A bunch of files on a harddrive is no substitute for a real collection.

[Evil Jebus]

I follow a similar thought process to the posts right above me. Fuck MP3s. The only times I download tracks are to find out initally if a band is worth listening to-- once I've decided they are, I want the god damn CD. Period.

[SilverEagle]

I'll take the unpopular option: mp3s from torrents burned to CD-R.

[raheem]

i'm mostly mp3's at this point, I occasionally buy cds, but i'm hoping to start a vinyl collection during/after university, budget permitting

I would also never pay money for a digital download

[Run CMB]

i buy cds on occasion, but i have to really be into the artist

[Josh C]

All my music is digital, but that's because I have absolutely no disposable income I can spend on CDs. and mp3s are much cheaper than buying a cd only to find i hate it

[jim]

Also, I dont care what anyone says, I can hear a BIG difference in the sound quality between CDs and MP3s. Ive got a fairly high end system and the difference is very noticeable. MP3's, apart from being significantly quieter, just sound much flatter. I'll plug the Ipod into the sterero for convenience when I just want to play a mix, but if I listen to a full album, its always using the CD.

[Chuckles Manson]

I prefer hard copy, and I am an avid supporter of record/CD store hunting; but among my co-workers who are all 10 years younger than me, I am in the minority. Also, as digital is taking over, it is getting harder and harder to find good indie CD stores. Especially in my new town where there are only two stores with a halfway decent punk selection, and no stores with a good industrial/experimental section.

Of course, the good thing about being online is I can buy directly from the artist/indie record company; but I'm still ordering physical copies of the CD rather than downloading.

Most people in music rags are predicting that by the time my generation (X) is in the old-age-homes, physical media will be dead except for a very select group of either audiophiles or collectors who like to "show off" their tastes (usually the same people).

In some sort of weird irony, vinyl will probably outlive the CD.

[Milhouse Van Houten]

hard copy.

[America: Fuck Yea!]

Also, I dont care what anyone says, I can hear a BIG difference in the sound quality between CDs and MP3s. Ive got a fairly high end system and the difference is very noticeable. MP3's, apart from being significantly quieter, just sound much flatter. I'll plug the Ipod into the sterero for convenience when I just want to play a mix, but if I listen to a full album, its always using the CD.

Nate=disstoked.

[grübermeister]

Some albums i would download but others i would prefer to have in hard copy. I don't mind downloading Ep's or live albums. There's more of a feeling of ownership in hard copy.

[caribou]

goddamn i don't want to lose album art :(

[Binky]

Also, I dont care what anyone says, I can hear a BIG difference in the sound quality between CDs and MP3s. Ive got a fairly high end system and the difference is very noticeable. MP3's, apart from being significantly quieter, just sound much flatter. I'll plug the Ipod into the sterero for convenience when I just want to play a mix, but if I listen to a full album, its always using the CD.
That's why you download or rip to a lossless format.

[jim]

That's why you download or rip to a lossless format.
Which is fine if you only plan to listen to it on your PC. Not much else recognises anything other then CD and MP3.

[Ryan]

i rarely buy cd's anymore, just the odd album here and there. download most of it.

[Ivan]

Hard copy, I can't have a digital copy unless I also have it on CD.

[Binky]

Which is fine if you only plan to listen to it on your PC. Not much else recognises anything other then CD and MP3.
iPods play Apple Lossless tracks and I'm sure lots of other devices play WMA lossless.