How long has cd got left

[Pedro]

Labels have pretty much committed commercial suicide over the years and streaming is really the end of the line. I pay 6,99 euros/month to Spotify, so labels are getting a fraction of cents per stream. Artists even less. Remember when labels were suing file sharing websites and wanted people that downloaded music arrested? Well...

I own more than 4 thousand CDs (maybe 4600, I lost count a while back) and nowadays I seldom buy a new CD. I still buy used CDs on the cheap, mainly classical music. Here in Portugal apart from 2nd hand shops we almost only have FNAC shops (french chain, they sell books, CDs, cameras, TVs, laptops, smartphones, some stereos and so on) and very specific small mail order stuff. Everything else went under, many years before Spotify. I only have 3 mates that buy music on a regular basis and one of them is mostly used CDs. Everybody else couldn't care less about owning CDs, vinyl or any kind of physical format.

At the rate CD sales are declining worldwide I think in a matter of years the format will be almost non existent. I think that it will become a niche market a bit like vinyl, for die hard fans of some music genres.

 

[davedotco]

I pretty much gave up on CDs when i got my first Airport Express, nearly 10 years ago now. Bit of a faf having to use Airfoil for Spotify but once I got into it there was no turning back.

The latest generation of Spotify Connect enabled streamers and the possible introduction of full-flac, uncompressed streaming is, for me, game set and match.

Not owning the physical media does not trouble me, if we get to the point of being unable to stream music for some reason, I think the world will have many more important things to worry about.

 

[davidf]

Labels have pretty much committed commercial suicide over the years and streaming is really the end of the line. I pay 6,99 euros/month to Spotify, so labels are getting a fraction of cents per stream. Artists even less.

Artists are being paid "per play", which isn't necessarily bad for them - would you want hundreds of thousands of people to keep playing your album over decades, or have them buy it once? Long term, streaming is probably better for them.

I foresee a point where plays become so frequent that these streaming companies can't afford to pay out - subscription prices will rise, or they'll go under. In order to pay for the plays, they need to keep gaining subscribers.

 

[Al ears]

Labels have pretty much committed commercial suicide over the years and streaming is really the end of the line. I pay 6,99 euros/month to Spotify, so labels are getting a fraction of cents per stream. Artists even less.

Artists are being paid "per play", which isn't necessarily bad for them - would you want hundreds of thousands of people to keep playing your album over decades, or have them buy it once? Long term, streaming is probably better for them.

I foresee a point where plays become so frequent that these streaming companies can't afford to pay out - subscription prices will rise, or they'll go under. In order to pay for the plays, they need to keep gaining subscribers.

...and there's only a finite number of them..

Whatever.... back to the question... ;-)

 

[steve_1979]

...Not owning the physical media does not trouble me, if we get to the point of being unable to stream music for some reason, I think the world will have many more important things to worry about.

Interesting thought there Dave. If a little depressing.

Although if there's a massive economic meltdown, large scale war or some other world wide crysis at least I'll have a USB stick and a portable MP3 player with my entire music collection on them. If things ever got that bad I expect that having some music will be a great comfort.

Actually thinking about it, I already have a solar panel, a SBT and some energy efficient class D active speakers so I'm already prepared for armageddon.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

I think the problem of a downturned music market might be sorted if those who have CD players just to play 'their choice' non radio music, are forced to invest in streaming players and a service or buy downloads. They'll have to replace their CD players (or add to their system) with a streamer, to get this online streamed or downloaded music. A bit like with digital TVs. That's the only way I think the market can be revived to 80/90 music market heyday where cd came about as a quality improvement.

But I think people regret paying a monthly fee if they don't buy too many albums - maybe a smaller sliding scale of services if streaming, with currently decent downloads like from Apple for the mass market.

Only when the mass market gets sorted will their be enough cash in the business to achieve widespread high bitbrate downloads, mqa available on everything etc, that benefits niche hi fi ists and audiophiles.

 

[iMark]

The biggest difference for me between physical media and streaming is the lack of information in the form of album covers of CD booklets. I remember that I would scrutinise an LP after buying to see what people were playing, where it was recorded and who had produced the album. That information would help when looking for other artists. If a certain producer had produced a record and I liked the sound, another one of his productions would automatically be interesting.

That sort of information is completely lacking when playing an album on Spotify. At the same discovery is incredible because of the outrageously big library. Spotify is also great for classical music if you want to compare different performances of the same piece.

 

[davedotco]

The biggest difference for me between physical media and streaming is the lack of information in the form of album covers of CD booklets. I remember that I would scrutinise an LP after buying to see what people were playing, where it was recorded and who had produced the album. That information would help when looking for other artists. If a certain producer had produced a record and I liked the sound, another one of his productions would automatically be interesting.

That sort of information is completely lacking when playing an album on Spotify. At the same discovery is incredible because of the outrageously big library. Spotify is also great for classical music if you want to compare different performances of the same piece.

Aithough my streamer/preamp is controlled via an iOS app, Spotify Connect allows me to select and play music from my Macbook, and control volume too.

So if I want to know about an artist or an album I have the whole 'world wide web' at my disposal.

Note. Whenever I get one of my Grateful Dead moments, I can play one of the nearly two dozen versions of Dark Star, only on Spotify...

 

[Gray]

In the early days of the blue laser, I remember reading about the potential for Blu-Ray audio-only discs.

Space for loads of top quality audio, maybe even the complete catalogues of some artists, on a CD sized disc.

Even then, long before mass streaming, the industry must have looked at the demand for SACD / DVDA (with their top quality audio on a CD sized disc) and decided Blu-Ray Audio was a non-starter.

Has any forumite got a decent collection of SACD or DVDA discs? (I found a Santana/Supernatural DVDA disc in an HMV sale for a fiver - not sure they knew what it was - it's the only one I've got for my Panasonic DVDA capable player)

 

[iMark]

Has any forumite got a decent collection of SACD or DVDA discs? (I found a Santana/Supernatural DVDA disc in an HMV sale for a fiver - not sure they knew what it was - it's the only one I've got for my Panasonic DVDA capable player)

We've got about 50 SACDs, mainly classical. Some popular music discs were bought around 2003, now fetching ridiculous prices. Also 4 Bluray Audio discs (bought at a FNAC in France) and 5 DVD-A discs. Earlier this year we bought a Sony player that plays all these formats. Most of the discs sound very good. It's all about the mastering. We have a stereo setup so I can't comment on the multichannel mixes.

 

[Gray]

Has any forumite got a decent collection of SACD or DVDA discs? (I found a Santana/Supernatural DVDA disc in an HMV sale for a fiver - not sure they knew what it was - it's the only one I've got for my Panasonic DVDA capable player)

We've got about 50 SACDs, mainly classical. Some popular music discs were bought around 2003, now fetching ridiculous prices. Also 4 Bluray Audio discs (bought at a FNAC in France) and 5 DVD-A discs. Earlier this year we bought a Sony player that plays all these formats. Most of the discs sound very good. It's all about the mastering. We have a stereo setup so I can't comment on the multichannel mixes.

I bet they are (even some of my CDs are up for stupid secondhand prices online)

That's quite a collection you've got there iMark.

 

[Al ears]

That's a good price for that disc.

I don't own any DVDA, I have around 35 SACD along with a few SHCD and around ten BluRay audio discs at the present time.

 

[spiny norman]

"Ditto the stereo system. Our test car also feature the cost-option of a CD player; sadly, with no loft or time machine immediately available, no CD could be found to test it."

– Autocar

 

[nopiano]

"Ditto the stereo system. Our test car also feature the cost-option of a CD player; sadly, with no loft or time machine immediately available, no CD could be found to test it."

– Autocar

At one time Autocar shared premises with WHF, didn't they, so could have borrowed one! I'm sure Steve Cropley must still use them; he's my era.

 

[chebby]

Just bought 10 brand-new CDs.

I will buy some more on Friday.

I will buy more still next month and get some on my birthday and at Christmas.

I must have spent a couple of hundred quid this year (at least) on new CDs and i've not played even one whole track on a CDP. (Just one minute, or less, of a random CD to confirm a new Marantz's player function was working.)

They've all been ripped and then stored.

 

[Electro]

The biggest difference for me between physical media and streaming is the lack of information in the form of album covers of CD booklets. I remember that I would scrutinise an LP after buying to see what people were playing, where it was recorded and who had produced the album. That information would help when looking for other artists. If a certain producer had produced a record and I liked the sound, another one of his productions would automatically be interesting.

That sort of information is completely lacking when playing an album on Spotify. At the same discovery is incredible because of the outrageously big library. Spotify is also great for classical music if you want to compare different performances of the same piece.

Aithough my streamer/preamp is controlled via an iOS app, Spotify Connect allows me to select and play music from my Macbook, and control volume too.

So if I want to know about an artist or an album I have the whole 'world wide web' at my disposal.

Note. Whenever I get one of my Grateful Dead moments, I can play one of the nearly two dozen versions of Dark Star, only on Spotify...

One of my lady customers recently said that she thought I looked a bit like Jerry Garcia .

I wasn't sure if it was a compliment but she did say she was a GD fan ! *smile*

 

[davedotco]

The biggest difference for me between physical media and streaming is the lack of information in the form of album covers of CD booklets. I remember that I would scrutinise an LP after buying to see what people were playing, where it was recorded and who had produced the album. That information would help when looking for other artists. If a certain producer had produced a record and I liked the sound, another one of his productions would automatically be interesting.

That sort of information is completely lacking when playing an album on Spotify. At the same discovery is incredible because of the outrageously big library. Spotify is also great for classical music if you want to compare different performances of the same piece.

Aithough my streamer/preamp is controlled via an iOS app, Spotify Connect allows me to select and play music from my Macbook, and control volume too.

So if I want to know about an artist or an album I have the whole 'world wide web' at my disposal.

Note. Whenever I get one of my Grateful Dead moments, I can play one of the nearly two dozen versions of Dark Star, only on Spotify...

One of my lady customers recently said that she thought I looked a bit like Jerry Garcia .

I wasn't sure if it was a compliment but she did say she was a GD fan ! *smile*

This has inspired me to play Dark Star, The Lyceum 1972, 25th may. If I am correct this was the penultimate show, one of the two nights I was present.

To be fair, in true Deadhead style, I actually remember very little. I can remember rather more from the Ally Pally shows in '74.

 

[Al ears]

The biggest difference for me between physical media and streaming is the lack of information in the form of album covers of CD booklets. I remember that I would scrutinise an LP after buying to see what people were playing, where it was recorded and who had produced the album. That information would help when looking for other artists. If a certain producer had produced a record and I liked the sound, another one of his productions would automatically be interesting.

That sort of information is completely lacking when playing an album on Spotify. At the same discovery is incredible because of the outrageously big library. Spotify is also great for classical music if you want to compare different performances of the same piece.

Aithough my streamer/preamp is controlled via an iOS app, Spotify Connect allows me to select and play music from my Macbook, and control volume too.

So if I want to know about an artist or an album I have the whole 'world wide web' at my disposal.

Note. Whenever I get one of my Grateful Dead moments, I can play one of the nearly two dozen versions of Dark Star, only on Spotify...

One of my lady customers recently said that she thought I looked a bit like Jerry Garcia .

I wasn't sure if it was a compliment but she did say she was a GD fan ! *smile*

I hope she was referring to how he might look now... ;-)

 

[plastic penguin]

Forgive me for being over simplistic, but didn't they say the same in the 80s about vinyl? Once the CD player established itself "I wonder how long vinyl has left...."

As CD is a simple, no-nonsence format, I don't think it'll ever die out. Of course figures will vary as time and other formats improve... it will always command an audience.

Just my opinion.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Just bought 10 brand-new CDs.

I will buy some more on Friday.

I will buy more still next month and get some on my birthday and at Christmas.

I must have spent a couple of hundred quid this year (at least) on new CDs and i've not played even one whole track on a CDP. (Just one minute, or less, of a random CD to confirm a new Marantz's player function was working.)

They've all been ripped and then stored.

I would like to ask you how you protect your stored data because if your hard drive or drives fail then you have lost your hole collection in one go and all that hard work gone as they say most hard drives last around 5 years .

And what quality do you rip at please as ripping at a higher bit rates takes more hard drive space up as I use a 2TB hard drive which has music as well as films and that's nearly full so soon got to buy more storage .

 

[steve_1979]

I bought 2 CDs this weekend. Leftfield and Kate Bush.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

Forgive me for being over simplistic, but didn't they say the same in the 80s about vinyl? Once the CD player established itself "I wonder how long vinyl has left...."

As CD is a simple, no-nonsence format, I don't think it'll ever die out. Of course figures will vary as time and other formats improve... it will always command an audience.

Just my opinion.

the only thing is vinyl is a fad and declining now and it came back after it had already died out, in the mass market mainly for nostalgia. And it's people buying budget decks and vinyl on existing systems which had kept the vinyl format going of recent.

 

[davidf]

the only thing is vinyl is a fad and declining now and it came back after it had already died out, in the mass market mainly for nostalgia. And it's people buying budget decks and vinyl on existing systems which had kept the vinyl format going of recent.

Whose figures are we using for that generalisation?

Vinyl is a fad? Do you know how old records are? It's the oldest format around that is still in production - at this rate, it's going to outlive the iPod!

 

[plastic penguin]

Indeed David. Records as we know it has been in existence since the early 20th Century as the Gramophone. Not sure if the OP knows what a fad is, but records or vinyl certainly isn't one.

 

[davidf]

I can't see first quarter figures for vinyl being down in 2016, not after what I believe was a "record" Record Store Day.