Are we now on the road to the end of CDs?

[admin_exported]

This week music label Mercury announced that it was ceasing production of CDs. This presumably means that downloads are the future. Is this also the end of 'CD quality' mainstream music? I know that there are high quality downloads available from the likes of Linn and Naim, but they are the exception rather than the rule. If the majority of labels make their music available only on iTunes, the future for quality isn't good.

In addition, if I was in the market to upgrade my Nad CD player for say a Cyrus or Audiolab machine, I'd be having second thoughts. Presumably I'd be better off with a machine that plays downloaded material from my computer?

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, singles only, including vinyl.

 

[chebby]

+1 Grottyash.

Mercury announced they are ceasing the production of 'physical' singles (CD and vinyl singles).

 

[Andrew Everard]

...Which, given that downloads account for 98% of UK singles sales, and physical media only 2%, is hardly surprising.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry guys, I missed that bit about singles. Mind you if HMV shuts up shop we'll only be able to get CDs from the likes of Amazon. I live in North Wales, so my CD outlet is HMV in Llandudno. Their range of jazz is pitiful.

 

[CnoEvil]

Linn have nailed their colours to the mast on this one by stopping production of CD players.
It may not be the end of CDs, but imo, it's the beginning of the end.

The advantages to downloading/streaming are hard to overlook, provided your music collection is backed up.

The pleasure of physical ownership of a CD (for me), does not rank along side that of an LP.

As the younger generations come through, with their total comfort using new technology, I would expect to see the tide turn reasonably quickly, but not immediately.

I just hope that an appreciation of quality doesn't disappear with the rise of convenience. My kids are far more interested in quantity over quality.

 

[chebby]

Good job I bought something that covers all the options

 

[pete9012s]

Re the post about North Wales cd's......

Ever tried Cobb records in Porthmadog??....bought some brilliant used cd's there over the years!

 

[Anonymous]

Re the post about North Wales cd's......

Ever tried Cobb records in Porthmadog??....bought some brilliant used cd's there over the years!

Yes but a long way from me. They have a branch in Bangor though. I do tend to buy releases as they come out, rather than second hand.

 

[Overdose]

Amazon is your friend................

 

[manicm]

Amazon is your friend................

CDs are on the way out, whether it's due to the labels halting them or retailers. Your friend Amazon no longer stocks Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love - not an obscure release by any stretch, for example.

My advice is, if you've been meaning to get any physical copies of favourites - do it now.

 

[Alec]

I haven't even read it all yet, and im not saying i agree with it (or not) but there seems to be some interesting thoughts herein.

 

[manicm]

Interesting indeed.

The only point I find debatable is visualizing music - he states that some edition of R.E.M's latest has a video of each song - apparently Michael Stipe's idea. Videos are fine, but to attend to music that way all the time, to quote Roger Waters, just becomes staring at wallpaper. Unless it's interactive - Peter Gabriel did something very interesting in the late 90's with his Explora CD-ROM.

 

[Alec]

As far as I know there isnt a version of the album that comes with the videos, but they are out there.

It all sounds a bit Emperor's new clothes to me. They are just music videos afterall.

As long as I know where to go to purchase their latest batch of songs (if there are any more), whatever they choose to refer to it as, im happy.

 

[Anonymous]

just two tracks that apply to this thread

Pablo – Record Shop

The Daydream Club – The Record Shop

 

[Anonymous]

I guess one consequence of this may be a shift in separates: note that the new Audiolab, for example, has digital inputs. So people can play their existing CDs and use the expensive box to stream, too. Alternatively, if I understood the discussion on another thread about new Rega products correctly, they've announced new amps and a transport. The idea being, I guess, that people will buy the DAC for their digital sources, and if they have enough CDs to make it worthwhile, they'll add the transport. Interesting times for system-building, I think. And a lot of things that WHF staff can advise us on!

I like this thought: transports coming back in the midrange.

Hedgehog