Nostalgia for cds is beginning

It can be argued that the development of the CD standard itself propitiated the beginning of the "Loudness Wars". How? By specifying a line level output of 2V which, by default, will sound louder than the typical line level component of the day which rarely exceeded 1V (Tape decks, tuners). This meant that a CD input would sound louder, more "powerful" to the casual observer, and therefore it was "better".

 

Music collectors love the idea of tangible products that can be sold, replaced and upgraded. The music industry likes the idea of controlling sales, degradable products and repeat sales. These things when taken to extremes produce an irreconcilable conflict. Providers would like nothing better than to lease rather than sell since downloads neither break down nor require any special maintenance (no replication, no maintenance). Millennials (currently) seem to prefer non-object based portability (downloads and music services) over collecting and are generally less interested in sound quality than convenience.

Unfortunately, this scenario plays into the hands of music providers and/or any party who shares ownership or controls intellectual property rights as they can pull the plug, raise prices or deny service pretty much any time they choose for a variety of reasons (always read the fine print). Content providers holdings can change hands and new owners rewrite service contracts or drop music. Musicians can reclaim rights to music and withhold access to service providers. Prices can be raised for access, etc.

Originally, the CD was designed as a more convenient medium for music listening than the LP. CDs were never "perfect sound forever" even though originally hyped as such. They're also prone to gradual degradation over time as are all physical media. Nevertheless, CDs do provide high fidelity, consistent (repeatable) playback, often with greater resolution than vinyl (dependent upon mastering and source material) and much simpler maintenance than LPs. The key to continued CD survival rests with hardware manufacturers who keep the format alive through backwards compatability. Piggybacking formats guarantees CD survival, at least in the near term.

If I were a fortune teller, my crystal ball would be predicting that music services and digital downloads are unlikely to ever replace CDs for the reasons outlined above. Also, looking deeper I'd envision disc formats (CD, DVD-A, music BD, etc.) thriving as a niche market for collectors who prefer the tangible to ethereal (cloud koo-koo) as they rummage through cheap used bins and seek solace in pricey imports. Libraries composed of music and literature are both personal and by that very nature shareable within a like minded community.

Moving to left over tea leaves the only thing I foresee in the tannin residue that has potential to replace our dependable old CD warhorse is some kinda new tech, high resolution format that isn't backwards compatible with existing disc formats or hardware. This newfangled high resolution format would still need to be physical media of some sort to satisfy collectors, but something smaller and more reliable than existing formats (possibly an imbedded data stick or smaller disc). Yep, some sorta alien technology will be required to entice Tommy Lee Jones to buy the White Album all over again.


Cat

 

Same thing. You are adding extra circuitry to the signal path: i.e. caps and resistors. No "straight wire with gain" here, the raison d'etre for audiophoolery.

 

All but the most basic models of the Toyota Tacoma and the Ford F150 have CD players. All Subarus have CD players even the bottom of the line of their cheapest car, the Impreza. I mention these only because they are the vehicles I've either bought or seriously investigated this year.

 

I think this will only matter for those who mostly stick to music from the 90s and onward when LP's mostly disappeared. The idea of buying music from 65-75 (arguably the greatest period in modern music history) on CD does not seem all that interesting to me. It's like buying your old favorites in "new and improved" formats. For what? Certainly not nostalgia. "Nostalgia" in that case has nothing to do with holding something in your hands and listening to it as it was meant to be when it was first produced.

 

I usually pay around 20 bucks for a new record. how much were new cds in the 80s again?? care to do the inflation calculation on that one??

 

I bought the T.Rex 'The Slider' box a few years ago.

My first thought was' "Wow, it's beautiful".

My second thought was, "Where the f*** am I going to put it?"

 

This may describe a "music collector", but it in no way describes me as a music lover. I don't sell my music, I buy it to own, to play, to keep. I certainly don't buy them with the idea I'll replace them. I do sometimes "upgrade" - but surely by now everyone is aware that an "upgrade" is more likely to be a "down grade", so we tread carefully.

I'm certainly guilty of rebuying stuff over and over, forever in a search for something more from the music I love. Such is life. I've given old copies to interested folk at times. But what you describe in that sentence isn't, to me, a music lover. It's a new breed of person with a fetishistic attitude to the object, and who lets a lust for an "investment" override considerations of actually appreciating the music. I suppose the two don't have to be mutually exclusive, but they often are in my experience. I certainly have little in common with them.

 

Of course, that's your choice. But there are many reasons to buy them on CD, if the CD is done well. I was born in the 60's, by the way. I mean, it's not as though CD's have no advantages.

 

Unfortunately there won't be a resurgence of CDs. The technology is so antiquated that downloads and streaming and far more convenient. Much like desktop PCs, they are anchored in a market logic of the late 20th century when the network and ubiquity didn't exist.

I'm not saying that there isn't a market for CDs. Our company is the business of CDs, and we actually make a living of it (we are the sole distributor still in the market while several dozen others have disappeared). But I must be realistic, our customers are very few, the potential for growth is limited since it's a dying product well past its maturity curve.

Adele didn't "save" the business like it was argued a year ago with her album and the CD industry is still in bad shape. Our only option for now, to quote the accountants and financiers is "downsizing" which means, reducing the scope of our business in direct relation to our ever diminishing sales. There'll still be people buying CDs, for sure, but they're an artifact of the past and we have to make a convincing argument for young people, those of the generation "Y", to actually buy CDs. So far it's only the older demographic which buys them, and they're not being replaced by a new customer demographic which is strongly dependent on mobile technology for all aspects of their lives -including music consumption.

 

I've decided i don't need physical media for digital content. It's just a file. I keep my space and money reserved for
analog formats if i have to have a physical version.

 

If only Wayne Green were still with us.
Anyone remember CD Review Magazine?

 

I purchased a buffering setup and equipped it with soft buffering cloth wheels and very fine and medium grit. I can remove about 95% of all light scratches and scuffs. They look like new. I have done well over 800 cds, dvds and games for myself and for an individual resale shop. I no longer hesitate to purchase used cds unless they have scratches that can be felt. It is an art that can be learned with practice. The process will NOT work on the home recorded cds. Scratch and scuff removal is one of the benefits of cds over records.

 

Upon the altar of my sacred complete Europe ’72 shrine.

 

Is that in the same room with the 50 trips box?

 

I have a few CDs that probably should've come with earplugs.

 

I have owned CD's since 1986. My first was Graceland by Paul Simon. They are all in fabulous condition because I like to care for my possessions. The blurb is true...CD's can provide a lifetime of enjoyment. If you abuse them, they won't.

 

The problem with 'collecting' cds is that almost everything has been released multiple times with each release having a unique reason to own it. Understanding the market and pros and cons of each release requires a great deal of study and expertise. Just randomly buying cds will result in aiming at everything and hitting nothing.

 

Yes, but without all these problems, SHMF would shut down.

 

I think we're about 10-15 years from CDs making a nostalgic based comeback. Anything else is just a blip on the radar.

 

I concur with this. I bought an entire collection of over 500 classical CDs for cheap from a woman who didn't want to move them when she was relocating cross country. Many of the discs had considerable scratching, but I was able to polish all but two of them so they were fully playable and rip-able. I did the polishing by hand, using Meguiar's PlastX and soft cloths.

 

That's cool - let them bad boys ripen up a bit and climb in value!

 

I tried to attach the email but I couldn't get it to work.

 

I am very careful with my possessions as well, but normal wear and tear is inevitable....as were LPs back in the day....

 

I still think people will be playing CD's in 50 years time if not longer. As time goes by, they will become even more cool due to their age. Imagine how amazing it will be to play a 100 year old CD. There is no obvious reason,to the best of my knowledge, why they will degrade.