Are CD players still fashionable

[lindsayt]

And for desirable records in decent condition you have to pay. People selling records usually know their worth.

For many even brand new records don't sound as good CD, never mind old worn ones.

For the likes of people that frequent hi-fi forums and own passably well engineered record players, mainstream 21st century vinyl often (usually) sounds easily noticeable better - more alive - than the CD versions. There are significant differences in the mastering.

So it is actually the other way round: brand new records sound better than CD - as a generalisation.

 

[Macspur]

Think of streaming as money saved....how many albums have you went ahead and payed for without ever hearing it and just going on reviews.....I bought a shed load...and bought a shed load of crap.....now I can listen and listen again and decide for myself whether or not a album is good enough for me to buy....yes it's a tenner a month but I used to spend £30 a week on stuff I'd never heard before and will never listen to again.

Yes, get what you're saying, but since having access to Spotify, I buy more CD's than ever... still buy the odd pup, but mostly good choices.

Mac

www.realmusicnet.wordpress.com

exactly...you know what you're buying Mac....you have had the chance via Spotify to listen to a piece of work before you hand over your cash to own the medium.....I have waited for a few albums that I normally would have bought....then I get a listen on a streaming site....nope that ain't the album I was expecting to hear...so I've saved the price of the streaming service for that month....but I also find a few that I really like and then buy even more . lol . it's swings and round abouts.eh!

Yep, like the new Decemberists... I just feel so lucky to be in an age with so much choice, long may it continue.

Mac

www.realmusicnet.wordpress.com

 

[Deleted member 108165]

mainstream 21st century vinyl often (usually) sounds easily noticeable better - more alive - than the CD versions. There are significant differences in the mastering.

So it is actually the other way round: brand new records sound better than CD - as a generalisation.

I'd say the same as well. Bought DS Love Over Gold about two years ago, (new pressing), already have the same album on CD and bought the SACD a few months ago; SACD comes close but the vinyl offers the best reproduction.

 

[Paulq]

That why I’ve not brought a turntable yet is because of the cost of doing it properly I mean if I went and brought a Pro ject classic with what ever cart that came with would it sound any good ? I just do not no would it make my black sabbath albums sound good or would I have to spend a lot more

I recently bought my Rega RP3 and it's one of the best decisions I made. I have hundreds of original vinyl records from the late 70's and 80's which I'd stored for years. Playing them now really does give me something that streaming, and even CD's don't, that lovely analogue sound.

I have actually considered buying a CD player but wouldn't know know what's decent these days.

 

[Paulq]

I pay an average of £2 per album for my mint condition vinyl.

Which is very expensive compared to the 80p average I pay for mint CD's.

I wish I could find them for those prices.

 

[bigfish786]

I pay an average of £2 per album for my mint condition vinyl.

Which is very expensive compared to the 80p average I pay for mint CD's.

I wish I could find them for those prices.

me too. Both local used record shops are now very expensive.

 

[Gray]

I've actually got a few, never bought any, just inherited them. As kids we played them on a wind-up "gram-o-phone"* with metal stylus.

*Which reminded me of this, always worth another look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvswW6M7bMo

"So you know all about it now do you?"

 

[BigH]

Think of streaming as money saved....how many albums have you went ahead and payed for without ever hearing it and just going on reviews.....I bought a shed load...and bought a shed load of crap.....now I can listen and listen again and decide for myself whether or not a album is good enough for me to buy....yes it's a tenner a month but I used to spend £30 a week on stuff I'd never heard before and will never listen to again.

That is true, bought a load on reviews or after hearing 1 track, also as over time your taste may change, probably 80% of my cds I never play these days. Streaming you can just play when you want, if you really like it you can buy the cd (check out best remaster first) or vinyl (but many are so expensive now). If I just had to play my cds I would be bored after a few days. Streaming I'm finding new music all the time and you never get bored because there are millions of albums, many I would not buy. To buy a large enough collection will cost a fortune, even if buying used. More is now available on streaming, the ECM catalogue has just been made available this year. There si also the problem of buying cds and then a better remaster comes out so you may want to buy it again. The music industry is quite good and recycling the same old music.

 

[BigH]

Agree with both of you, old records in mint condition are very expensive indeed.

I pay an average of £2 per album for my mint condition vinyl.

Which is very expensive compared to the 80p average I pay for mint CD's.

It's more like £20-£30 for average condition lps around here.

 

[steve_1979]

I pay an average of £2 per album for my mint condition vinyl.

Which is very expensive compared to the 80p average I pay for mint CD's.

Where do you buy mint vinyl from for £2 a pop?

 

[Gray]

I'll welcome anyone pointing me to a choice of mint CDs at 80p each (they can even have the odd scuff)

 

[steve_1979]

I'll welcome anyone pointing me to a choice of mint CDs at 80p each (they can even have the odd scuff)

Second hand CDs on Amazon are often a bargin selling at a few pence each. When you factor in postage cost many are available from £1.26 each.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

I'll welcome anyone pointing me to a choice of mint CDs at 80p each (they can even have the odd scuff)

Think I bought a used Corrs GH CD from Amazon/Music Magpie about two years ago for 5p plus postage of £1.26. Definitely think that prices are now creeping up though.

 

[Andrewjvt]

I just wanted to no who on here still uses a CD player and do you still buy CDs still as I still do because I like owning a collection of CDs I do some streaming but my favourite is still a CD player call me old fashion  *smile*

But it seems everyone is streaming now and not really owning a music library anymore I mean this was what started me of in hifi 30 years ago was the excitement of going out and buying new music .

But now we have hardly any music Stores left times have changed and if you want to buy new music it’s online stores or downloading or streaming it just doesn’t feel the same to me like it used to when I could walk in to a record shop and find new stuff .

The streaming market is ok but I do feel a complete detachment from theses kind of services and you own nothing that’s the bit I struggle with when your paying £10-£20 a month for a streaming service as I look at it this way I could buy 2 albums a month and own them .

what about the future when everyone has jumped on to the steaming bandwagon and theses companies up there prices to £50 a month and you can’t afford that but at least I’ve steel got my CDs and they are not costing £50 a month. .

Maybe it’s just me getting older and I am turning into an old fart but there must be some logic in what I am trying to say 

I still but CDs like many but choose a better way to play them rather than a cd player

 

[BigH]

I'll welcome anyone pointing me to a choice of mint CDs at 80p each (they can even have the odd scuff)

Think I bought a used Corrs GH CD from Amazon/Music Magpie about two years ago for 5p plus postage of £1.26. Definitely think that prices are now creeping up though.

Yes prices are creeping up, got Led Zepp Remasters which is a double cd for less than £1 plus £1.26 postage and quite few other albums for 1p a few years ago. Been going through Amazon looking at ones I might buy and some of the prices are ridiculous. For example Peter Bradley Adams - Freeleaving is £28 used and £178 + £4.48 postage new. Also noticed that some albums are not available new. Rest assured the Corrs are available at low prices.

 

[Al ears]

I pay an average of £2 per album for my mint condition vinyl.

Which is very expensive compared to the 80p average I pay for mint CD's.

Where do you buy mint vinyl from for £2 a pop?

I would dearly like to know.

 

[MajorFubar]

I very much recall paying half a limb and a kidney for new CDs on major labels, this was the early 1990s when CDs were the 'in' thing to buy and shops could barely give records away. Now the tables have turned I'm pretty much laughing all the way to the music store. Well I would be if we still bloody had one.

 

[Strictly Stereo]

I just wanted to no who on here still uses a CD player and do you still buy CDs still as I still do because I like owning a collection of CDs I do some streaming but my favourite is still a CD player call me old fashion *smile*

But it seems everyone is streaming now and not really owning a music library anymore I mean this was what started me of in hifi 30 years ago was the excitement of going out and buying new music .

But now we have hardly any music Stores left times have changed and if you want to buy new music it’s online stores or downloading or streaming it just doesn’t feel the same to me like it used to when I could walk in to a record shop and find new stuff .

The streaming market is ok but I do feel a complete detachment from theses kind of services and you own nothing that’s the bit I struggle with when your paying £10-£20 a month for a streaming service as I look at it this way I could buy 2 albums a month and own them .

what about the future when everyone has jumped on to the steaming bandwagon and theses companies up there prices to £50 a month and you can’t afford that but at least I’ve steel got my CDs and they are not costing £50 a month. .

Maybe it’s just me getting older and I am turning into an old fart but there must be some logic in what I am trying to say

Definitely not fashionable. We sell far more streamers and music servers these days. Please do not let that stop you though. CD players have never sounded better. I have had a couple of players here recently which have reminded me just how good CD can be.

On the other hand, if you like the idea of streaming but you are concerned about the price or sustainability of subscription-based streaming services, there are plenty of options. There are products which combine reliable ripping and playback of your CD collection with streaming from free and paid for Internet services. This technology is already capable of outperforming direct-from-disc playback.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

The streaming sites I’ve tried are iTunes Music , Spotify , tidal but out all of them I like iTunes for it’s easy search and layout to find new music but I like tidal for its music quality .

One issue with tidal is if you subscribe though iTunes Tidal app for tidal hifi it’s going to cost £25 a month which is expensive but if I subscribe on my windows laptop it will cost £20 a month basically greedy Apple with the £5 just to use the app that’s so wrong I think .

Spotify is ok but didn’t like how the site recommended stuff when I wasn’t interested in what they picked but for £10 it’s not bad and iTunes is not bad at £10 a month but trying to get away from apple products all together as you can fall in the trap of buying a new iPad when they stop updating it and the fact Apple is getting very expensive .

But tidal is the service I like but costs £20 a month but I no they do a £10 service but what that’s like sound quality wise I do not no .

So I have had a good go with the free trials that theses sites do but I would basically only use tidal for finding new music but my CD player is what I mostly use so I will continue to buy CDs still and I have a Yamaha wxc50 for streaming which does a great job .

 

[lindsayt]

I pay an average of £2 per album for my mint condition vinyl.

Which is very expensive compared to the 80p average I pay for mint CD's.

Where do you buy mint vinyl from for £2 a pop?

Car boot sales and cards in newsagents saying I'll buy vinyl or CD's.

 

[Gray]

I'll welcome anyone pointing me to a choice of mint CDs at 80p each (they can even have the odd scuff)

Think I bought a used Corrs GH CD from Amazon/Music Magpie about two years ago for 5p plus postage of £1.26. Definitely think that prices are now creeping up though.

Yes prices are creeping up, got Led Zepp Remasters which is a double cd for less than £1 plus £1.26 postage and quite few other albums for 1p a few years ago. Been going through Amazon looking at ones I might buy and some of the prices are ridiculous. For example Peter Bradley Adams - Freeleaving is £28 used and £178 + £4.48 postage new. Also noticed that some albums are not available new. Rest assured the Corrs are available at low prices.

Makes you wonder how they could sell for pennies, they weren't even making a profit on the postage.

There really seems to be no logic to the pricing. (I noticed that they were asking considerably more than the cost of my amp for one CD)

 

[Webern]

I still buy and listen to CDs but use Qobuz to listen to new recordings. Classical is my passion, but It's also great to be able to read a recommendation for a folk/pop album on this forum and be streaming it two minutes later. Before streaming I just wouldn't have taken the risk of paying for a physical copy or download.

For classical music lovers it's a golden age. You can buy complete editions of the major conductors and artists for a couple of quid per CD and every week brings dozens of fresh interpretations and new discoveries. I have a legacy vinyl collection, but I don't know a single classical music lover who wouldn't choose CD over vinyl. The engineering on many modern CDS is jaw-droppingly good.

 

[BigH]

I'll welcome anyone pointing me to a choice of mint CDs at 80p each (they can even have the odd scuff)

Think I bought a used Corrs GH CD from Amazon/Music Magpie about two years ago for 5p plus postage of £1.26. Definitely think that prices are now creeping up though.

Yes prices are creeping up, got Led Zepp Remasters which is a double cd for less than £1 plus £1.26 postage and quite few other albums for 1p a few years ago. Been going through Amazon looking at ones I might buy and some of the prices are ridiculous. For example Peter Bradley Adams - Freeleaving is £28 used and £178 + £4.48 postage new. Also noticed that some albums are not available new. Rest assured the Corrs are available at low prices.

Makes you wonder how they could sell for pennies, they weren't even making a profit on the postage.

There really seems to be no logic to the pricing. (I noticed that they were asking considerably more than the cost of my amp for one CD)

Think they buy up job lots of them, many are not worth much but guess there are a few gems amongst them. But yes I agree don't know how they can make money on it, not sure how much they make on postage. UK is often more expensive than the USA, I have bought some but you can get stung with VAT. If you want a special cd then I would search abroad. The Peter Bradley Adams cd is nothing special as far as I know, just bog standard cd but must be in short supply.

 

[BigH]

I pay an average of £2 per album for my mint condition vinyl.

Which is very expensive compared to the 80p average I pay for mint CD's.

Where do you buy mint vinyl from for £2 a pop?

Car boot sales and cards in newsagents saying I'll buy vinyl or CD's.

So dealers price. Car boot sales never seen anything I would want to buy.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Think they buy up job lots of them, many are not worth much but guess there are a few gems amongst them. But yes I agree don't know how they can make money on it, not sure how much they make on postage. UK is often more expensive than the USA, I have bought some but you can get stung with VAT. If you want a special cd then I would search abroad. The Peter Bradley Adams cd is nothing special as far as I know, just bog standard cd but must be in short supply.

Probably negotiate a bulk shipping deal with the post office and get reduced rates. Many postal/shipping companies operate reduced rates for frequent/bulk shippers. For the UK anything imported from outside the EU with a declared customs value over £15 will attract VAT, depends on your supplier as to whether they honestly declare the purchase price or not.