Posted on 03/24/2010 5:20:49 AM PDT by ShadowAce
Super Hi-Rez downloads of 24-bit/192Khz (and even more 24/96 downloads) is now available if you have a DAC capable of this level of decoding. This is approaching "Master Studio Tape" quality.
Yes, but you could put so much more on a flash drive. Little 3 inch flash drive can hold several gigs and you are done.
The formats are all pretty much the same--it just depends on the sample rate you record your songs at.
MP3 is actually a closed format, and does/can require fees to use. OGG is a completely free and open format that does not require any fees to use, and is not owned by any for-profit company.
I personally use an iRiver (running the RockBox firmware) as it can play the OGG format as well as the MP3 format. I purchased it used a few years ago, so you'd have to perform some research for today's players.
I don’t do ipod.
I like my CDs.
Each to his own, of course, but I have no interest in downloading to my computer, MP3s, or flash drives.
But if CDs are a dying media, I suppose I had better purchase the titles I want before they pull the plug.
I hope you are using high quality CD’s then and remastering them every year or so.
My business is involved in the importing/distribution of very high end audio reproduction equipment. Hi-Rez downloads that approach "Master Studio tape" quality is the future...IF you have a high quality DAC capable of decoding 24/192 information.
As someone who has always preferred vinyl LP (still have a huge LP collection) because of it's higher natural musicality vs. digital, once you hear the quality of these Hi-Rez downloads, it's quite mind blowing.
That said, I'm searching for my last high-end Turntable/Arm/Cartridge combo.
So, when the next solar super-storm hits (google 1859 Carrington event) or we get hit by an EMP. Music (along with many other things) effectively dies. Except those of us with vinyl.
FYI - MP3 is a very low quality music signal that is highly compressed. Definitely not considered high quality by any stretch...even compared to standard CD.
No reason at all...the music’s great!
I’ve had a 30 gb ZEN mp3 player for many years. Works fine, the ripper is fast and the software works on my PC.
http://us.store.creative.com/category/25657833161/1/ZEN.htm
There are millions of CD’s out there. My kids have gazillions it seems. Now they have MP3 and the bonanza of getting married and integrating the spouses CD’s into the hoard has lost its luster.
With kids running around, storage is a problem
The market will be flooded with unwanted CD’s
They said the same thing when cds arrived on the scene, thata vinyl would die. In fact, the opposite has occurred. More independent record shops are reporting big surges in vinyl buying again. Just read Goldmine Magazine.
I do not think cds will die out. There are many specialty and niche labels out there that are releasing much overlooked music from the 1920s thru the 1980s on cd. CD Universe is great online store to buy these cds from.
I have plenty of cds and will never stop buying them. Hard drives do not last as long as a cd. And who cares if the younger kids are not buying them. Why should we follow them? Trendy...who cares?
Finally, I am glad to hear that Universal is finally dropping the price of cds. Yippy...more for me to buy!! They were supposed to drop prices years ago but never did.
Only to be lost when you iPod dies, or your hard drive fails. CD's are nearly permanent, and you can easily catalog them. They are independent of the device on which you play your music. Play them in the car, on the music system, anywhere. You own them, and you can do with them as you wish. They can be copied and used on other devices such as iPod or MP3 players.
All that seems to be true, but one of the most puzzling things to me was the lack of interest in the Mini-disk, as opposed to the CD.
The Mini is smaller, protected from scratches, and is completely editable, from deleting to adding to manipulating content. And they were pratically indestructible.
Alas, too late now, their time has passed.
“The market will be flooded with unwanted CD’s”
I hope you’re right. That’s music to the ears of a tech-challenged, set-in-his-ways old codger like me.
I just nail them into a keg and stuff food through the bung hole until they turn 18. (/humor off)
Literally thousands without the proprietary nonsense that is Apple iPod. My current one I use is also my Phone and quality of music is limited to only what your CD ripping program can do.
I use the Motorola Em330 Phone it has several features I required (Phone, Camera, Video Recorder and FM Radio as well as MP3 player) it eliminates several pieces of electronic gear I used to drag along wherever I went.
of Course the most important of all features is that it flips open like a star trek communicator ;-0
Several nice features are included such as memory card swaping that allows you to load music without complicated external programs. Just either hook your phone up via usb or use your mem card to hook to your computer and drag and drop. No syncing goofiness needed.
Further you can make your own ring tones using songs or whatever you desire.
And that is just ONE alternative to iPod. My wife and daughter have replaced their Ipods with Phone/MP3 players as well both have different phones and both are glad to be rid of iTunes syncing!
But there are many more choices that are just MP3 players. It just depends on what you want! The nice bit about a phone/Mp3 player is that when you are listening to music the phone can be set to overide the music and go directly to a call without having to shut down the music (it pauses) or take of headphones or pickup another device.
They also used a proprietary Sony format. Sony - the company that put root kit spy ware in their CD’s. Gotta love them.
I had one for a year or two and sold it. It did sound very good.
If the kids are not too large, you can just wet ‘em and stick them on a glass window like a magnet.
Please don't give me anything to worry about ..... ? We are using good CD's -but buy them in stacks of 100 at Sams. Are those good enough?
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