Physical formats vs. hi-rez downloads

Danny Tse
Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
edited October 2007 in 2 Channel Audio
I don't know....

I keep hearing about the death of the physical formats with the advent of hi-rez downloads. Perhaps I am just getting old, but I will always prefer having some kind of physical package in my hands over clicking on a mouse and downloading something off of the 'net. There's just something special about holding a CD jewel case, a cardboard vinyl sleeve, etc. and looking/reading the packaging. Why would anyone want to sit in front of a computer to do the above.

What's your opinion on this?
Post edited by Danny Tse on
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  • shadowofnight
    shadowofnight Posts: 2,735
    edited October 2007
    I want my own tangible copy...period
    The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club
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  • AndyGwis
    AndyGwis Posts: 3,655
    edited October 2007
    I like the physical item as well. Sense of ownership, support of the artist, etc. Also, shows you are a fan to have 100+ albums, 500+ CDs, etc.

    A laptop and some speakers doesn't really show you're a fan of audio and/or movies.

    One thing I am guilty of is watching bad movies on TV over good movies that I actually own. Could I pop in Departed on HD-DVD for 2.5 hours of viewing pleasure? Sure. But, instead, I end up watching Bring It On on TBS for 2 hours.

    I suck.
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited October 2007
    Portability, lendability, reliability.... lots of ility's you get from having the hard copy. If some server 1000 miles away goes down or gets hacked or burns to the ground, and I want to watch a movie I own.... what happens? If I want to lend a movie to a friend, or even bring a movie to a friend's house... how do I do that?
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited October 2007
    Danny Tse wrote: »
    I don't know....

    I keep hearing about the death of the physical formats with the advent of hi-rez downloads. Perhaps I am just getting old, but I will always prefer having some kind of physical package in my hands over clicking on a mouse and downloading something off of the 'net. There's just something special about holding a CD jewel case, a cardboard vinyl sleeve, etc. and looking/reading the packaging. Why would anyone want to sit in front of a computer to do the above.

    What's your opinion on this?

    That's what we all said when vinyl was on it's way out and cd's were the new standard. Gone was the great art work and liner notes and the cardboard "Love Gun" from my KISS album.

    I have no problem if the price is right and the format is acceptable. I, however, will not pay as much as they charge currently for a cd. All the production (physical disc, etc) costs via the delivery of the product are now gone. No more middle person or costs associated with print/packaging and physical burning of the cd so costs should be much less.

    That's where they (the RIAA) will continue to shoot themselves in the foot is the inflated cost of selling music.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited October 2007
    heiney9 wrote: »
    Gone was the great art work and liner notes and the cardboard "Love Gun" from my KISS album.

    Slightly off-topic but "Love Gun" was the only LP my father ever purchased....and I probably still have it somewhere. Still wrapped.
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited October 2007
    Edit: music downloads, not movies, nevermind. :)
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited October 2007
    Nope give me a hard copy any day of the week. That way I will always have it, & not be dependant on a hard drive crashing & burning taking my music with it!
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited October 2007
    I guess I'm missing something here. Not enough bandwidth (ok maybe for hi-rez video) for music, plenty of bandwidth. I also was speaking to buying music via on-line delivery and burning your own cd's. Not purchasing the right to listen to it from a far off server or thru some web based distribution.

    I'm talking dl'ing and making my own cd's or leaving theme on a HD or copying them to a portable or all 3. Full owner ship, not just the right to listen to the music based on what the distributor see fit to allow.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • shadowofnight
    shadowofnight Posts: 2,735
    edited October 2007
    heiney9 wrote: »
    That's what we all said when vinyl was on it's way out and cd's were the new standard. Gone was the great art work and liner notes and the cardboard "Love Gun" from my KISS album.


    H9

    One of the fondest memories of LP's for me was buying better storage for my LP's at Quement Electronics on Bascom ave in San Jose....and taking my album covers and plastering the walls of my room with them :) Had my AC/DC wall ( Every album made ..even the imports from Tower records )....etc

    Parents didnt like it, but said ok to doing it.....As much as I love computers I want the music in my hands...with the artwork....credits ...etc
    The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club
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  • hypertone
    hypertone Posts: 150
    edited October 2007
    Are they offering high res downloads? >96K/24bit?? If so I'd be interested. If any less than that, why bother?
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited October 2007
    Music companies are arrogant.

    Sony amongst the worst of them.

    If the only way to get high rez is downloads, well, its going to be a sad but very possible day.

    RT1
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  • wingnut4772
    wingnut4772 Posts: 7,519
    edited October 2007
    I like downloading for the instant gratification. I can get a whole album and have it up and running on the rig through the Squeezebox in ten minutes. (if I buy from Amazon Mp3. Because it's not DRM).

    The downloads sound really good with my set up and the Benchmark DAC1 but if I really like the album I would rather own it and save it in a WAV file.
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  • Meeks32
    Meeks32 Posts: 330
    edited October 2007
    When one of my favorite artist like NIN release a new album I will always go out & buy the cd, but if I want a song from a group that will most likely be a one hit wonder I will just download it usually. I've been there too many times when a new artist releases a cd with one hit & the rest of the cd sucks & sounds totally different.
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  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited October 2007
    Yep, downloading is for groups who make a good song, but a crappy album.
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