Why rip, back-up, etc, when you could just put a CD/DVD in?

[cram]

crusaderlord:Also i am with Joelsim as i would much prefer to listen to a whole album in the right order at a sitting rather than jump around between tracks.

You can still do that. That's initially how I used to listen to music on the PC/Ipod but overtime discovered playlists and now prefer that. Some of my playlists feature entire albums and are played in a very specifc order. I love the flexibility. And I know that for me I now listen to more music because of it.

I can understand the whole don't want a PC in a lounge thing. But it's possible to hide/disguise them. My main enterainment PC is only used for playback of music/dvds/blu rays/family photos. As such it is more device like

 

[Gusboll]

The 'listen to a whole album' or have your mp3/pc on shuffle debate is an interesting one. I love listening to my ipod on the train and deliberately rip stuff that I wouldn't ordinarily choose to play on CD so that I can give it a chance.

However, I believe certain albums should be given the consideration they deserve in that they are an artistic expression by the performers, producers and engineers. I sometimes get a nagging feeling of uneasiness that we are entering some kind of shuffle generation that will devalue what the artist is trying to achieve. If you were looking at a picture in a museum or gallery, would you just want to look at the top right-hand corner on Tuesday with a view to looking at the lower middle left at some random stage in the future? Concept albums (nothing wrong with them!!) would go out the window.

Anyway, time I shuffled along to my CD player and replaced the latest King's X album with Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick"!

 

[cram]

I try to listen to an album in its entirety at least once but with some albums/artists you get a definite impression that they were struggling to fill an album.

Which brings me to a different but related point. The number of tracks/length of an album has for sometime been dictated by the medium on which it is going to be sold. That no longer needs to happen. Though I suspect the 10/12 tracks for round about an hour type release will continue for sometime to come.

 

[Alec]

ffiish:

I don't appreciate the sarcastic sniping around the relatively minor points in my post. The key points around how long it takes to rip a CD collection running into the thousands hasn't been adequately addressed by anyone. Ripping them as you buy them is all very well for new ones, but I often buy 10 at a time, which will take at least an hour to rip. And unless you have your computer running all of the time (some people care about their energy use), the time taken to boot up etc. is significant, and frustrating.

I have good hearing, and the sound of a computer whirring away p****es me off big time; it doesn't matter how quiet it is, fans are not silent as a rule, and especially if you are listening to classical music, it is omnipresent during the quieter moments. For me, it's almost as bad as listening to a tape. Comparing it to a DVD player? A fatuous argument: I'm playing CDs on a CD player. That doesn't have a fan (or four).

I won't begrudge anyone else choosing to use alternative means of music delivery, but until the problems I have with it are resolved I won't be going down that path.

And by the way, it doesn't help your argument if you act like someone has insulted your mother, rather than your taste in electronics.

My, that was calm. Not in the least as if someone had insulted your mother. And you even use the "my hearing is better than yours" gambit.

Well done.

 

[Alec]

cram: There are companies out there that will also do the initial rip for you (ripcaster for example). Obviously there's a cost involved but you weigh it up versus your time and interest.

If anyone has used such a service, id love to hear how it went.

 

[Gusboll]

cram, you are so right when you say that some artists were struggling to fill an album. In those cases I would have no hesitation in consigning them to the shuffle button!

Obviously whatever the digital source you have the opportunity to listen to whatever you want in whatever order, but it does worry me a little that in future, musicians will only make music for the shuffle generation. If consumers only listen to an album once in its entirity sort of emphasises the point (not that I'm dissing your listening behaviour, cram!).

But then again, recorded music has been around an incredibly short period of time in the grand scheme of things and the mediums to express it have changed even more quickly - who is to say that in the future we won't be tweaking a particular pubic hair folicle to instigate that bit of our brain that requires us to listen to Tubeway Army's "It Must Have Been Years"?! Thankfully technology will change but music will live on.

 

[Anonymous]

Horses for courses.... and personal choice/tastes etc. That is what it comes down to. No rights or wrongs, or better or worse.

I choose to have a iTunes-Airport Express-DAC section to my system in addition to a CD player and I have CHOICE.

 

[cram]

Gusboll: who is to say that in the future we won't be tweaking a particular pubic hair folicle to instigate that bit of our brain that requires us to listen to Tubeway Army's "It Must Have Been Years"?! Thankfully

I hope not. Coincidentally ripped that track today, without the need for any folicle tugging...

 

[Gusboll]

Top tune, although I'll never be able to listen to it in the same way now!

 

[Anonymous]

Ripping is no big deal. All my music is backed up automatically without my knowing. My computer is on anyway.ÿ

It would actually be more effort in the long run to have to "just put a CD/DVD in".ÿ

 

[Gerrardasnails]

ffiish:

I don't appreciate the sarcastic sniping around the relatively minor points in my post. The key points around how long it takes to rip a CD collection running into the thousands hasn't been adequately addressed by anyone. Ripping them as you buy them is all very well for new ones, but I often buy 10 at a time, which will take at least an hour to rip. And unless you have your computer running all of the time (some people care about their energy use), the time taken to boot up etc. is significant, and frustrating.

I have good hearing, and the sound of a computer whirring away p****es me off big time; it doesn't matter how quiet it is, fans are not silent as a rule, and especially if you are listening to classical music, it is omnipresent during the quieter moments. For me, it's almost as bad as listening to a tape. Comparing it to a DVD player? A fatuous argument: I'm playing CDs on a CD player. That doesn't have a fan (or four).

I won't begrudge anyone else choosing to use alternative means of music delivery, but until the problems I have with it are resolved I won't be going down that path.

And by the way, it doesn't help your argument if you act like someone has insulted your mother, rather than your taste in electronics.

ffish, is it alright for you to open up with sarcasm and then moan when people prove you wrong? We only retorted that way because you set up your argument in a childish, "2 seconds to put cd in tray"....."14 seconds in total" way. A lot of us use a wireless connection and the pc/laptops are nowhere near the HiFi equipment yet you still harp on about fans and loud whirring.

"I won't begrudge anyone else choosing to use alternative means of music delivery, but until the problems I have with it are resolved I won't be going down that path.".

It sounds to me like you do begrudge people choosing an alternative.

 

[JoelSim]

Agreed. Until I see a benefit I won't be going down that route. Sitting, ripping music is not my idea of a good laugh. Oh the CD needs a change. What a palava, how will I ever manage? I may have to grow some more legs to get the 10 feet to the hifi.

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:

Sitting, ripping music is not my idea of a good laugh.

So, how do you fill your time, "having a laugh" Joel? It must be a none stop Jackass setup round your gaff.ÿ

 

[cram]

out of interest whats the benefit that you wish to see? Just curious

 

[Anonymous]

Equally - walking to and from my cd player when I could be listening is not my idea of a laugh. "Oh the CD needs ripping. What a palava, how will I ever manage? I may have to grow more hands to put the cd in the computer".

The benefits are easy to see. I used to be in the pro-cd camp. But wouldn't go back now. To sit and have my whole music collection available on my pc, and control it in the palm of my hand with an i pod touch, just means more listening. If I choose I can listen to a whole album too (just don't go pressing buttons!!), or mix it up with playlists etc.

And the sound quality. No error correction "on-the-fly". Already done - so it's bit-perfect off the hard drive and straight off to the DAC. I also rip as full 1411kbps WAV files. If I have to buy another hard drive so what? It takes up the space of about 4 cds, but stores about 1000 of them !!!

Unless you like the physical side of using CD's (as many do with Vinyl), I can't really see any reason to use them ?

 

[JoelSim]

Octopo:
JoelSim:

Sitting, ripping music is not my idea of a good laugh.

So, how do you fill your time, "having a laugh" Joel? It must be a none stop Jackass setup round your gaff.ÿ

It would be far easier for me if I had 8 hands like you fella, I could rip a couple of albums, whilst drinking wine, typing my next post, tickling the missus, stroking the cat, and cooking dinner at the same time.

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:
I could rip a couple of albums, whilst drinking wine, typing my next post, tickling the missus, stroking the cat, and cooking dinner at the same time.

My goodness, how did you know. The albums are a flowing, the wine is Wolf Blass, I'm typing a post, the missus will be tickled when she returns from the hospital (where she works), the cat is watching me however I'm not stroking it, and I have the roast chicken on the go for when the missus is being tickled. You must be a mind reader.ÿ

 

[JoelSim]

Octopo:JoelSim:
I could rip a couple of albums, whilst drinking wine, typing my next post, tickling the missus, stroking the cat, and cooking dinner at the same time.

My goodness, how did you know. The albums are a flowing, the wine is Wolf Blass, I'm typing a post, the missus will be tickled when she returns from the hospital (where she works), the cat is watching me however I'm not stroking it, and I have the roast chicken on the go for when the missus is being tickled. You must be a mind reader.ÿ

So you're a spider then?

ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:
So you're a spider then?

Yes. That's exactly what I am. I'm a spider.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

I prefer listening to my music from a cd in my player,i also like my cd collection on show on my shelves,i am a colector of music,like hi fi, its my hobby,i would,nt dream of hiding them away. I also read and collect books,They are on shelves in another room,i would never just read them then throw them in the attic.

But thats what makes us all different and that we can debate it on forums like these.No one,s choice is right or wrong,in the end we are all doing the same thing arnt we,listening to and enjoying our music,no matter what its played on.

 

[d4v3pum4]

I will agree that the initial 'big rip' took time. It took me a few days but while each CD was ripping, I was also listening. Now it's done, it's done. I regularly back-up to another drive just in case and each time I buy some new CD's, I get on with ripping using EAC then batch convert (again takes a while but you can do other things while it's going on) to mp3 for my ipod etc. PC based music has transformed my music listening habits and I'm listening to a whole load of music that I forgot I had. My music collection is now well organised, tagged and ripped at the best quality (FLAC). I love my Arcam CDP but I love my Squeezeboxes even more. Being able to access my entire music collection from my itouch is just too convenient. I haven't downloaded one single music track and don't intend to, there's just so much out there like last.fm, napster, internet radio etc. so for me PC based music is the way ahead.

 

[chebby]

Considering this computer noise issue that keeps popping up.

I have just found the published environmental data (ISO 9296) for the laptop in the listening room that I use with the hifi....

SPL at 'operator' position (defined as 0.6metres distance)..

When hard-drive accessing. SPL = 25db

When idle = 24db

SPL at 'bystander' postion (defined as 1.0metres distance)

When hard-drive accessing. SPL = 21db

Idle = 21db

So if I reference a table of SPLs like this one...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_pressure#Examples_of_sound_pressure_and_sound_pressure_levels

I can see that 20 -30 db is defined as equivalent to 'very calm room' and even close up, 21db is at the lower threshold of that definition.

Bearing in mind that when listening to music from my laptop I am sitting far more than 0.6 and 1 metres away, so that is probably why I normally cannot hear my laptop above ambient room noise (even when music is not playing).

I sit about 3.5 metres away from the laptop so someone else can do the maths and tell me how loud that will be (at 3.5 metres) - given that it is 21db at 1 metre.

 

[oldleodensian]

Gusboll:

If consumers only listen to an album once in its entirity

Interesting comment made there...sometimes listening to a whole album reaps dividends when certain tracks that may otherwise get ignored become personal favourites.

However, downloading or ripping individual tracks is in many ways no different to buying a single CD or 7" or recording your favourite tracks onto tape to make a mixtape. Just more convenient.

My 19 year old recently asked with genuine disbelief, "who plays CDs anyway?" ...well, for a start, me and my 12 year old! In fact, 45s are making a comeback in my house, with said 12 year old loving the retro feel of playing vinyl. Who'd ever have thought you'd have such diversity of opinion in the younger generation (in same household)!

 

[Anonymous]

"Sound quality means more to me than convenience."

Computer audio can give you both.

 

[Anonymous]

al7478:
My, that was calm. Not in the least as if someone had insulted your mother. And you even use the "my hearing is better than yours" gambit.

Well done.

More sarcastic sniping! I didn't make comparative judgements about anyone's hearing, only a statement about my own, which having had it tested I confirm is pretty good. And as noted, I mostly listen to classical music, which has a great dynamic range and plenty of silence. Any background noise becomes intrusive under those parameters.

And you wouldn't want to know what I would say if you had insulted my mother.

Gerrardasnails:

ffish, is it alright for you to open up with sarcasm and then moan when
people prove you wrong? We only retorted that way because you set up
your argument in a childish, "2 seconds to put cd in tray"....."14
seconds in total" way. A lot of us use a wireless connection and the
pc/laptops are nowhere near the HiFi equipment yet you still harp on
about fans and loud whirring.

You say childish, others might say succinct. And it wasn't sarcastic, it was a fair reflection of my personal situation (indeed, assuming that I'd bothered to move my computer setup downstairs before undertaking the exercise, so understated the time taken).

And I don't disagree with the rest of what you say. I am aware the computers can be in a different place, but if I want to listen to a CD when I get in from work, I don't want to go upstairs to turn the computer on just so that I can listen to my music, wireless connection or no.

Gerrardasnails:"I won't begrudge anyone else choosing to
use alternative means of music delivery, but until the problems I have
with it are resolved I won't be going down that path.".It sounds to me
like you do begrudge people choosing an alternative.

Er, no. That's not what I said. Happy for others to spend their time and money on it while I wait for the problems I have with it to be sorted out.

chebby:

I have just found the published environmental data (ISO 9296) for the laptop in the listening room that I use with the hifi....

SPL at 'operator' position (defined as 0.6metres distance)..

When hard-drive accessing. SPL = 25db

When idle = 24db

SPL at 'bystander' postion (defined as 1.0metres distance)

When hard-drive accessing. SPL = 21db

Idle = 21db

That is fair enough; my work laptop is very quiet, until it decides it needs to turn the fan on, when it becomes noisy again. Maybe I'm just unlucky.

But back to my main issue with the whole thing:

Would anyone care to volunteer two weeks of their time to rip my CD collection?