CD vs Streaming (groan! Not what you think)

[MajorFubar]

No, not sound quality. You should know me better than that.
The 'experience.'

Since getting my new speakers I've found myself thumbing through the CDs again in preference to streaming lossless files from the Mac. Found that I have really enjoyed it. I've never really considered myself any kind of tactile fetishist. I don't sit there stroking the CD case or thumbing through the booklet for the umpteenth time, but I do find that the physical act of putting a CD on then sitting down and listening to it somehow makes listening to an album more of an 'event' or 'experience' (neither of which are the best terms, but the cloest I can think of). Even though the remote is at hand, I'm less likely to skip through tracks (or albums) than when streaming, for some reason.

Anyone know where I'm coming from?

Give it a few weeks and my honeymoon-period will have ended no doubt as the re-kindled novelty of CDs wears off. But certainly for the time being, I'm enjoying spinning the discs again.

 

[CnoEvil]

Anyone know where I'm coming from?

Vinyl....Yes; CDs.....No. :twisted:

 

[Sospri]

I know exactly what you mean, I stream from my mac also mainly while I'm doing other things about the house.

But for sitting down for a listening session I will play a CD or spin the black stuff.

Perhaps its time to get the thorens out of storage major

 

[plastic penguin]

No, not sound quality. You should know me better than that. The 'experience.' Since getting my new speakers I've found myself thumbing through the CDs again in preference to streaming lossless files from the Mac. Found that I have really enjoyed it. I've never really considered myself any kind of tactile fetishist. I don't sit there stroking the CD case or thumbing through the booklet for the umpteenth time, but I do find that the physical act of putting a CD on then sitting down and listening to it somehow makes listening to an album more of an 'event' or 'experience' (neither of which are the best terms, but the cloest I can think of). Even though the remote is at hand, I'm less likely to skip through tracks (or albums) than when streaming, for some reason. Anyone know where I'm coming from? Give it a few weeks and my honeymoon-period will have ended no doubt as the re-kindled novelty of CDs wears off. But certainly for the time being, I'm enjoying spinning the discs again.

I know exactly where you're coming from.

You can't beat vinyl in that respect: Proper sleeve notes you can actually read, and the dusty smell wafting up the nostrils. That's pure hi-fi theatre.

 

[Xanderzdad]

Major - I'm the same.

I think it's psychological - in that I am planning to 'listen' rather than have it as background.

Must be a bit 'Zen'!

 

[fr0g]

I sometimes do the same, why I still have my old Arcam Alpha 7SE CD player near my system.

And for me, CDs yes, Vinyl NO NO NO, NEVER. I never want to flinch when I hear the snap crackle and pop again and I do not want to be forced to get up half way through an album!

 

[MajorFubar]

Major - I'm the same.

I think it's psychological - in that I am planning to 'listen' rather than have it as background.

Must be a bit 'Zen'!

Think this probably hits the nail on the head. A change in my system (speakers in this case) has prompted me to start listening and rediscovering my music again, and to do that to its fullest potential, playing a CD (or record, I'll go with that) somehow seems the 'correct' thing to do.

 

[rainsoothe]

hah... i was starting to feel a bit weird for doing that after focusing my system on streaming, but i guess it's normal. Stream for when i do something in parallel (like gaming etc), CD for listening session - event.

have a good one

 

[cannibal_ox77]

Same here, I always put a CD on for listening to a complete album. It takes me a while to choose the right one from the collection though, I can stand there for ages looking around for the right album! Whereas i'll flick through itunes and create random playlists on the spin for more varied listening sessions

 

[DCC]

I'm nearly there having moved my content (I have no hard copy) off my Macbook and onto a stand alone server to hifi. It's a unique effort being made to play something, I find I'm willing to listen all the way thru 'albums' and enjoy them. If it's on the book I can't get thru one song before changing platters )

 

[the record spot]

Same here Major. I have an external HDD hooked up to the Onkyo amp but never use it. Always use the CD player instead.

 

[tino]

When I stream music from my PC as opposed to a NAS, the experience can also be an immersive one without having a physical disc to handle. That's because I have my Foobar 2000 software configured to give me additional information such as Artist Info, Album Info, Lyrics etc. As you listen you can read about and follow the whole album as if you were reading LP sleeve notes or thumbing through a CD booklet

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

I don't spin CD because i don't have a CD player anymore... My "CD player" is my Rega DAC, and i do listen to complete albums through my DAC, but I love my daily playlists!

And YES vinyl plays an important role in my listening, last weekend went to Amsterdam to buy more albums, JAZZ and Blues mostly, brought 41 with me... all mint!

 

[MrReaper182]

When I was streaming my music many years ago (I'm a CD, tape and vinyl man now) I always sat down and listened to an album. I guess Major you get bored of listening to full albums after a while. If that's the case there is nothing wrong with that as everyone listens to music differently. There is no right or wrong way to listen to music.

 

[bigfish786]

Since buying my Rega Apollo, i have not stopped enjoying my whole music collection. Yes, it is an event- putting an album on, and listening to it all. I don't know what it is about that top loader, and the "initializing" process, but it really is satisfying using the Rega.

 

[DIB]

Yes, me too. I'm a CD or LP man at night. Early mornings before work, it's internet radio ( normally Radio Paradise ) on the SBT.

I must have about 1000 albums ripped/copied/downloaded in various formats stored on my PC that I hardly ever access now since moving the PC upstairs and ditching my DAC.

I drive a van all day with work and CDs are vital to make it through the day.

.

 

[GeoffreyW]

Reading the slip case of LPs and CDs has always been an essential part of listening to my music, in fact I get vexed if there's nothing to read. Doesn't matter how many times I read it, I always re-read. And yes, the physical act of putting on an LP or CD is part of the fun. I've just put a new Naga MP110 on my RP, and realise how bad my old cart was, so I'm slowly working my way through my vinyl discs. But they all have to be read.

Of course, there's always the fact that I don't do streaming, I have no need for it, don't listen to radio much, apart from traffic news, etc., in the morning, so listening to music is an Event, to be experienced and enjoyed; a bit like a tea ceremony. Similarly, it could develop and get out of hand (anal).

I must admit that I've got used to the flexibility and control offered by the remote control, which my RP doesn't have, but it's only six feet away, and the exercise is good for me.

 

[manicm]

Sorry, as far as tangible, palpable joy goes NOTHING beats vinyl. The covers were just an experience to behold, as well as the record itself. And the *pain* of changing sides was just a part of the joyous ritual.

This is something that zealous, dogmatic vinyl-haters will never grasp.

 

[MrReaper182]

Sorry, as far as tangible, palpable joy goes NOTHING beats vinyl. The covers were just an experience to behold, as well as the record itself. And the *pain* of changing sides was just a part of the joyous ritual.

This is something that zealous, dogmatic vinyl-haters will never grasp.

The joy is the music and I get as much joy from listing to a tape as I do vinyl. There is no right of wrong when it comes to listening to music only what brings you pleasure.

 

[steve_1979]

Sorry, as far as tangible, palpable joy goes NOTHING beats vinyl. The covers were just an experience to behold, as well as the record itself. And the *pain* of changing sides was just a part of the joyous ritual.

This is something that zealous, dogmatic vinyl-haters will never grasp.

Although I'm not a vinyl user myself prefering the convenience and sound of digital files, I can fully appreciate your point of view. Playing vinyl is fun.

 

[the record spot]

Yes, the old romantic notion of vinyl. Lovely album sleeves, lavishly written liner notes, beauty to behold.

Sadly, that didn't pan out all of the time. Lyric sheets, well you can get that easily enough today, not all liner notes were the work of Tennyson, some barely contained any information at all, and others were basic covers with plain white inner sleeves.

A lot of good ones in the 70s, but for every Warrior On The Edge of Time, there were many Quick Step and Side Kicks....

 

[CarlDW]

I appreciate what vinyl can bring as an experience, although it isn't something that I have been interested in (yet...).

I must say I prefer listening to albums on CD, it does make it more satisfying when you've been down to the local record store/recieved a delivery from an online retailer and you can sit down, put an album on and look through the sleeve notes.

In reality at the moment most of my music listening is done on a portable media player and headphones...