Is the CD showing its age?

[bikemig]

NPR had a segment claiming that the CD is getting over the hill:

The CD, At 30, Is Feeling Its Age : The Record : NPR

Not a revolutionary thing to say but is it time to get rid of CD players and turn them into paper weights? I haven't owned one in a long, long time.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Not for me, yet. A music server is still an expensive PITA. I don't want a computer with my audio system. I can't hear any improvement from hi-res recordings that can't explained by better recording technique or mastering. The only thing about CDs I really hate are those old plastic cases that 1500 or so CDs in my collection are still stored in.

 

[bikemig]

Why is a server an expensive PITA? It is pretty easy (and cheap) to connect a laptop to your music system (add a dac if you like) and use itunes to control your music. There are other ways to do this.

So for maybe around $500 (inexpensive laptop plus an HRT usb music streamer), you have a heck of a platform to play all your CDs ripped at lossless using itunes and you can stream what you want from the net.

Certainly expense isn't the reason to prefer CDs over a music server; the difference in price is vanishingly small. And the PITA is finding that darn CD.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Why is a server an expensive PITA? It is pretty easy (and cheap) to connect a laptop to your music system (add a dac if you like) and use itunes to control your music. There are other ways to do this.

So for maybe around $500 (inexpensive laptop plus an HRT usb music streamer), you have a heck of a platform to play all your CDs ripped at lossless using itunes and you can stream what you want from the net.

Certainly expense isn't the reason to prefer CDs over a music server; the difference in price is vanishingly small. And the PITA is finding that darn CD.

Because I don't want my laptop on a tether to the audio system. The laptop also has a rather annoying fan, and selecting music from a 15" screen is a lot less user-friendly than a wall of CD cases. I also have to rip all of my ~2500 CDs to a hard drive to really make it work, or pay for a lot of that music again. (I figure about 70% of my CD collection is actually music I might still listen to, so that's about 1700 CDs or so, which is the real PITA.)

 

[ACsGreens]

The CD is like Betty White. Keep on Keepin' on CD

 

[Steve81]

Because I don't want my laptop on a tether to the audio system.

I know how you feel. Yeah, I stream music from my laptop to my main system in the basement, and that system will probably never see another CD.

OTOH, I'm not likely to set up my bedroom system for streaming. The laptop lives in the basement, and its a heck of a lot easier to pop in a CD from the stack in my bedroom than to go down two floors to retrieve the laptop.

 

[3db]

I rather the physical media any day over a file stored on a server that requires backups in the event of a disk failure. I work in IT..that's why I prefer physical.

 

[markw]

I'm old school.

I like having some tangible evidence in my grubby paws that I actually own the music I bought. I can rip it to my computer with no rights problems, load it on as many MP3 players as I need, and, should something catastrophic happen to any of my devices, I always have a hard copy backup. and, I can burn replacement CD's as needed should the original get trashed!

But, yeah, those jewel boxes can be a PITA. I'm just glad they are cheap to replace.

 

[Steve81]

I rather the physical media any day over a file stored on a server that requires backups in the event of a disk failure. I work in IT..that's why I prefer physical.

To be fair, it's not that difficult or expensive to back up music files, and even with physical media, it's probably still prudent to have a backup.

 

[j_garcia]

I don't mind having both. I buy a lot of music digitally today, however if I end up really liking it, I will buy the disc also. In many cases though, the digital version is cheaper, but not always; especially with older albums. CD is still a viable format and I still purchase them; quite a few this year actually, probably on the order of about 30-40 so far.

 

[slipperybidness]

I like having some tangible evidence in my grubby paws that I actually own the music I bought. I can rip it to my computer with no rights problems, load it on as many MP3 players as I need, and, should something catastrophic happen to any of my devices, I always have a hard copy backup. and, I can burn replacement CD's as needed should the original get trashed!

But, yeah, those jewel boxes can be a PITA. I'm just glad they are cheap to replace.

i trashed all my jewel cases 15 years ago. I just have a 100 disc changer and 4 notebooks full of CDs

Plus, about 300 vinyls

 

[sterling shoote]

All,

Why make rules? Why not just accept computer audio as another source component in your system which for me includes gear to play CD's, DAT's, Compact Cassettes, SACD's, and LP's.

Play it back as you please. I've got all of my media in my iTunes library now, except SACD, and it's real convenient; but, sometimes, I like to listen to the original rather than a copy, even if it's a loss-less copy.

It seems the CD player may be superseded soon by Blu Ray players which appear to be capable of playing back just about any sort of disc. I like that. It means I can enjoy CD's for years to come.

 

[slipperybidness]

All,

Why make rules? Why not just accept computer audio as another source component in your system which for me includes gear to play CD's, DAT's, Compact Cassettes, SACD's, and LP's.

Play it back as you please. I've got all of my media in my iTunes library now, except SACD, and it's real convenient; but, sometimes, I like to listen to the original rather than a copy, even if it's a loss-less copy.

It seems the CD player may be superseded soon by Blu Ray players which appear to be capable of playing back just about any sort of disc. I like that. It means I can enjoy CD's for years to come.

Guess I should elaborate. I have 100 disc changer hooked up and a turntable.

I also have my computer hooked up to my living room TV and receiver. Wireless trackball and keyboard.

It all depends on my situation and mood for the day as to which source I use.

 

[ErnieM]

Caution on CDs

I buy all my music on CDs. I want the physical backup.

However CDs do NOT last forever. CDRs have a life of about 10 yrs. CDRom have a longer life, perhaps 30 yrs.

I did a quick and dirty Google search on "CD deterioration" - here are a couple of articles that stuck out:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130244610

http://stason.org/TULARC/entertainment/audio/general/10-32-Do-CDs-deteriorate-with-time-What-is-their-life-span.html

 

[ErnieM]

Apologies - I messed up posting those links! I seem to always get that wrong. . . Mea culpa!

 

[slipperybidness]

I buy all my music on CDs. I want the physical backup.

However CDs do NOT last forever. CDRs have a life of about 10 yrs. CDRom have a longer life, perhaps 30 yrs.

I did a quick and dirty Google search on "CD deterioration" - here are a couple of articles that stuck out:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130244610

http://stason.org/TULARC/entertainment/audio/general/10-32-Do-CDs-deteriorate-with-time-What-is-their-life-span.html

Yeah, good point. I've had a few wear out.

In particular, it is a good idea to purchase high quality discs for burning. I no longer use any Memorex junk. My preferred brand is Maxell or maybe Phillips.

 

[cpp]

I got it all, Vinyl, CD's and stored music on a NAS. Why not just use what you like, after all your the only person listening to the music, not the people on a forum.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I buy all my music on CDs. I want the physical backup.

However CDs do NOT last forever. CDRs have a life of about 10 yrs. CDRom have a longer life, perhaps 30 yrs.

I did a quick and dirty Google search on "CD deterioration" - here are a couple of articles that stuck out:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130244610

http://stason.org/TULARC/entertainment/audio/general/10-32-Do-CDs-deteriorate-with-time-What-is-their-life-span.html

I've never had a CD wear out. Many of my CDs are from the '80s, and they still play as well as the day I bought them. Not one of the shows any sign of deterioration either. I expect that their useful life will exceed mine. (Ignoring my detractors who probably think that time has already occurred.)

 

[Time_Stand_Stil]

I rather the physical media any day over a file stored on a server that requires backups in the event of a disk failure. I work in IT..that's why I prefer physical.

I agree with you 100%

Humans are (even if many try to peddle the B.S.of non-physical media) touchy, feely beings. We still like to have, hold and look at REAL OBJECTS.

Though my first place format of aural and touch pleasure is the L.P. record, I have no bad feelings to the CD as well. In fact I also enjoy to archive especially vinyl onto audio cassettes and reel to reel tape as well.

If you have the CD you can upload it to any non-physical playing device while you still have it even as back up in a cupboard or closet.

IT'S A WIN WIN

 

[Time_Stand_Stil]

i trashed all my jewel cases 15 years ago. I just have a 100 disc changer and 4 notebooks full of CDs

Plus, about 300 vinyls

I moved my CD's out of jewel cases as well. I kept the CD booklets in a catalogue file system and put all my CD's into Caselogic zipped up binders. I just wanted to free up some space and figure doing this was a good thing. My growing collection of L.P.s needed the shelf space