New Album, Your Preference Options

[Alex]

I did it for Radiohead, but I wouldn't for Live any more. (And yeah, In Rainbows is pretty fantastic.)

But regardless, I always buy the physical copy over a download. Not that I don't download music; but if I like it, I always buy it.

Not only do you get the complete package, you get (mostly) uncompressed quality.

[LaLaGrunge]

For the past 4 years, I've been in a hungry buying phase of endless amounts of 1990's albums on CD. CD just sounds a hell of a lot better. I think people are nuts if they can't possible hear a difference in CD(WAV 1411 kbps) vs. even the highest mp3(320kbps) sound.

Most people who download individual songs off of a place like Limewire will often get the standard 128kbps versions which sound awful. With pretty good speakers, you can easily hear the "hissing" and occasional "chops" in a 128kbps encoded mp3 than you can't hear on a set of cheap speakers or headphones.

Even the iTunes 128 kbps AAC format isn't that great. Sadly, people just don't buy CD's a lot anymore because the rise in digital music downloads has made it so easy for people to gain access to their favorite artist. I remember even about 8 years ago in 2000, amidst the Napster takeover, people would still buy CD's. Back in the 90's, we had to physically go to a local record store and buy a CD. It was funner and more exciting.

[Badman]

Question: Does the music sound better if you listen to it in your computer from the cd or does it make any diff if you downloaded it at 320 kbs anyway?

[Alex]

It makes a difference, yes. 320kb is still compressed. But a lot of people can't tell the difference.

[Wambangalang]

i was at a friends house the other day, his dad is an audiophile, has this $50,000 system that he pieced together, replacing all the copper wiring in the amps with silver and even the wiring in his house, gets his equipment and all his cd's cryogenically frozen on the other side of the country so that the molecules are are apparently more compact and alligned its all above my head really

i thought it was all a bunch of wank until they played me some stevie ray vaughn and johnny cash and i was blown the fuck away. Unlike anything ive ever heard. This shit sounds like the band is in your living room on stage playing for you, the sound doesnt sound like its comming from the speakers which are right in front of you... i brought my awake cd and wanted to blow everyone away with lightning crashes but the sound was pretty ordinary. There was distortion and it was a little unclear. That pissed me off but does anyone think that could be due to the fact that the awake cd is a compilation and likely more compressed because it has 19 tracks???

these guys apparently have different releases of the same album of say deep purple for example, and there are major differences in quality from cd to cd. I also played dance with you but the same problems.. do you think that the original releases of the live albums would have this problem??

[Alex]

I think you're getting a bit mixed up with the concept of compression.. CDs always have a sampling rate of 44.1khz 16bit, regardless of the amount of tracks on it. The number of tracks has no impact on the sound of the cd (well, none that is going to affect commercially pressed cds anyway).

I'm not sure if Awake has been remastered (though from memory it hasn't) so you wouldn't hear any difference between the original CDs and the compilation. Different pressings of CDs (except in bootleg or extremely poor production line cases) definitely wouldn't result in audibly different sound; I'm guessing the different versions were different masters or transfers. It's not like vinyl where each copy from the same master can sound different. CD is just data.

What you were hearing from the Live cds was pretty much due to their production (specifically, but not limited to mastering). This is probably partly due to his setup- from what you've said I'm guessing this guy listens to a lot of music originally recorded in analog settings; and probably gets pressings which still have a lot of headroom intact.

[Wambangalang]

thanks for the info, yeh i guess that kinda sucks, but then again i guess this kinda music was intended more for throwing yourself around the room than having a flawless audio experience

[Alex]

I don't how concerned Deep Purple were with providing a flawless audio experience either... but production techniques have changed. Had his equipment been set up to cater for the more modern sound Live would certainly have sounded better than it did.

This post has been edited by Alex: Mar 2 2008, 4:46 am

[GoddessWithAttitude]

If Live were to release a new album and a digital version for less, which would you purchase and why?

I'd buy both. I'd download because I would certainly NEED to listen to it ASAP and couldn't wait for shipping or for the chance to get over to the 'record' store. LOL!

But I prefer to own the cd's and their liner notes, etc. I would listen to music pretty much 24/7 if I could , and damn near do come to think of it, so I need to cover all my bases. There are still places I go that don't have iPod docking abilities. But that's ok, I've got my cd! I think it's also a tactile-sensory kind of thing. I much prefer curling up on the couch with my liner notes to learn songs instead of sitting in front of the computer to do it.

[seriakiLLa]

I'd get the physical copy.

Audio quality issues.

[Saviour]

Something about having the album in hand!

[Joi]

Must have CD! My cd player has never crashed on me, my computer/mp3 player do it on a fairly regular basis! And I like the sound quality of the cd much more.

[VoodooLady]

i'm the lone - buy the digital version vote..
i get the need to hold the CD in hand.. but i voted otherwise for two reasons..

first.. i'm a slob, and aside from when my Live CDs are taking up positions 1 thru 6 in my car's CD changer, i have an aweful time trying to keep track of them.. (just reunited with TDTH on saturday after a long separation... .. what a reunion )

second.. i found it near impossible to find SFBM in stores last time, and had to order online..

although now that i voted.. i probably would need to hold the CD in my hot little hands eventually...

[Hoodstock]

second.. i found it near impossible to find SFBM in stores last time, and had to order online..

They still have copies at the local Best Buy by me!

[Existentialist]

I always check the Live selection whenever I'm in a store that sells cds, and frankly I think SFBM is the easiest cd of theirs to get anymore. All the big chains carry it in the store and the rest is hit or miss. For some reason, MJ seems to be easy to pick up in stores too.