The Resurgence of the CD?

[humprof]

Maybe there's already a thread about this. CDs--the new vinyl? Stranger things have happened...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2...r-kryptonite-compact-discs-vinyl-format-music

 

[John Svensson]

Can 8 tracks be next?

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I can't speak for others...but for me "resurgence" is the correct term...when I first got interested in hi rez titles I got rid of a lot of my "old" cds...much like I did in the past with other formats when a newer one surfaced...what a mistake that was...I ended up buying a lot of those same CDs back....I discovered 2 things with my "new" hi rez formats...all of them weren't superior in sound as I thought going into the hobby...and the second and most relevant discovery which applies to the thread topic...hi rez is limited in the number of titles that I can purchase...this is where CDs really shine...I didn't do a Wikipedia or Google search... but I would venture to say that there is more music(titles)available(Key word) on CDs than any other format...

I have stated this recently in a post...old CDs of titles that aren't available...especially in the used market...will be sought out heavily by music fans...which I'm doing now...probably more so in the 50+ demographic...and if you do your research you can find titles that will never be offered in hi rez...but are available on CDs with mastering that is more pleasing than many new releases...I look for specific CDs that you can find on Ebay...you can usually find the barcode and catalog number of the title you want on Ebay...I spend hours looking for some of these titles...partly because I enjoy it.....with me sometimes the "hunt" is almost as important as getting the CD...

If you have an open mind and aren't pre disposed to the "metrics"(24/96)and you do your research...there is a ton of GREAT music that isn't available in hi rez and can be obtained on CD..and with these newer receivers... with various sound modes.. you can tailor the sound to your preferences....there are quite a few members that enjoy CDs...like Snood..hwkn...and Quad Linda...

 

[Tornado Red]

As always, I'm ahead of the curve by hanging onto all my CDs, knowing they'd be back in vogue at some point. Using this same criteria is why I'm also hanging onto my tighty whities and Jerry Seinfeld sneakers...

 

[Clint Eastwood]

As always, I'm ahead of the curve by hanging onto all my CDs, knowing they'd be back in vogue at some point. Using this same criteria is why I'm also hanging onto my tighty whities and Jerry Seinfeld sneakers...

The irony is that I kept other things that gives every indication that I'm a hoarder

 

[antoine555]

The discogs marketplace is always the place to find THE correct cd version (yes, the japanese or german one with the surround bonus dvd!!!)

 

[hafquark]

The discogs marketplace is always the place to find THE correct cd version (yes, the japanese or german one with the surround bonus dvd!!!)

Yes, Discogs is a great source for finding/buying that properly mastered, great sounding CD pressing (generally from the 80s to early 90s) you've been searching for. I've browsed Discogs since they were a strictly Electronica site. They list about everything nowadays.

Concerning the Guardian article, I disagree with the many back-handed compliments. Who cares what music media "hipsters" purchase for their life-style selfies? Also, the dubious statement that "(CDs) relative affordability also serves as a sign of their decline " when in fact CDs were always massively over-priced and have only recently fallen to a somewhat more realistic level (and believe me, there are many collectible used discs that are absurdly expensive -- I've bought a few, embarrassed to say). Then you have fluff such as “CDs lack both the romance of vinyl and the endearing clunkiness of cassettes” as though everything is about nostalgia driven consumerism, rather than a hunt for the best audio available in an optical format.

Like it or not, there are hundreds of millions of CDs still in circulation and in personal collections. They will continue to be spun on CD/Universal players and will be around for a very long time, certainly longer than I will be when my curtain comes down.

 

[edisonbaggins]

I've held on to many of my most cherished CDs. Glad I did, because well-mixed and mastered ones sound awesome in my car.
Yet, I long for a car surround system someday!

 

[4-earredwonder]

Everything old IS new again. That simple!

 

[IMachine]

My CD collection will always stay. (About 1000)
I sold 15 in the past but never will again.
In the last two years I only bought vinyl beside the surround releases but I decided to buy only surround titles now.
New music that is in stereo only will be streamed.

 

[karlkastner]

CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray for me.

It's good exercise to get up and switch discs.

 

[Fourplay]

The only CDs I ever sold were junk that I tried and found to be inferior. No, I have been buying during their decline. Shop smart!

 

[antoine555]

Well, I have a Linkin Park cd somewhere in a box in the basement ...

Anyone interested?

(I was young and )

Back on topic it’s mainly Qobuz and Tidal for stereo, the rest in Blu-ray or DVD-A now, except for my friends’ bands.

 

[surround.sound.enthusiast]

Interesting article. I never sold off any of my original cassettes or CDs unless I didn't care for them or grew out of the music.

Urban Outfiters selling cassettes... that's friggin' wacky! I had to go to the website to see what they offered. Ah nostalgia, and hipsters. The last time I was in Bullmoose in South Portland I saw a spread of new cassettes
on an end cap. I assumed at a quick review that they we're indie or local groups. I thought only Metallica were off the wall with a cassette included in one of their recent boxed sets (that's right, brought to you by the
self-confessed bootleggers that brought down Napster. Good old cassettes and 'file sharing'). And then never mind the flexi-disc in the Alan Parson's boxed set...

I guess we might want to start snapping up all of the unopened TDK and Maxell cassettes we see in the second hand stores, might be worth gold someday, them thar tapes!

 

[GOS]

I still have all of my CD's...they are not so accessible though. I have them stashed in some tupperware containers down in the basement.....I really have NO clue what I have as I didn't document them....I have hundreds I guess. Not 1000 though. Geez....maybe I need to dig through them and rip the ones I like. Now that I'm a NAS sort of guy. And, CD's rip super fast......

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I still have all of my CD's...they are not so accessible though. I have them stashed in some tupperware containers down in the basement.....I really have NO clue what I have as I didn't document them....I have hundreds I guess. Not 1000 though. Geez....maybe I need to dig through them and rip the ones I like. Now that I'm a NAS sort of guy. And, CD's rip super fast......

That's a great idea

 

[kap'n krunch]

I can't speak for others...but for me "resurgence" is the correct term...when I first got interested in hi rez titles I got rid of a lot of my "old" cds...much like I did in the past with other formats when a newer one surfaced...what a mistake that was...I ended up buying a lot of those same CDs back....I discovered 2 things with my "new" hi rez formats...all of them weren't superior in sound as I thought going into the hobby...and the second and most relevant discovery which applies to the thread topic...hi rez is limited in the number of titles that I can purchase...this is where CDs really shine...I didn't do a Wikipedia or Google search... but I would venture to say that there is more music(titles)available(Key word) on CDs than any other format...

I have stated this recently in a post...old CDs of titles that aren't available...especially in the used market...will be sought out heavily by music fans...which I'm doing now...probably more so in the 50+ demographic...and if you do your research you can find titles that will never be offered in hi rez...but are available on CDs with mastering that is more pleasing than many new releases...I look for specific CDs that you can find on Ebay...you can usually find the barcode and catalog number of the title you want on Ebay...I spend hours looking for some of these titles...partly because I enjoy it.....with me sometimes the "hunt" is almost as important as getting the CD...

If you have an open mind and aren't pre disposed to the "metrics"(24/96)and you do your research...there is a ton of GREAT music that isn't available in hi rez and can be obtained on CD..and with these newer receivers... with various sound modes.. you can tailor the sound to your preferences....there are quite a few members that enjoy CDs...like Snood..hwkn...and Quad Linda...

the only "afterthought" I can contribute to this is , the same ole' thing I have been saying.. stuff that has been "tracked/recorded" in 96K or above, will ALWAYS trickle down.. so , it all depends on the DAC converter...or some sweet connection...

 

[Mesozoic Mike]

I too have over 1000 cds. I must admit to selling losers over the years, but only absolute losers.
I'm not buying many new ones, not because of the music, but I can't stand the brickwalling on most new releases.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I too have over 1000 cds. I must admit to selling losers over the years, but only absolute losers.
I'm not buying many new ones, not because of the music, but I can't stand the brickwalling on most new releases.

I have well over 10K RBCDs....dating back to the earliest days of the format when compression was non~existent and a lot of them were either pressed in Germany or Japan. I too purchase RBCDs VERY selectively and find that most RBCDs from Jazz, world or classical labels are perfectly fine but try to avoid Rock albums which tend to be overly compressed. Most classical albums I do buy are mch SACDs, however, which are ironically usually competitive with CD pricing.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Do we have a "What 2.0 RBCDs Have You Added to Your Pile?" thread?
My latest is Kevin Gilbert's Shaming of the True. And holy dang did it take quite a while to find one at a sane price.