Where to buy albums

Mike · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:15 am

noodles wrote:

Oh yeah I generally buy albums from bandcamp if the band has one, then iTunes if they don't.

+1

noodles · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:30 am

Thrashtildeth wrote:

noodles wrote:

Thrashtildeth wrote:

Lossless files give you the full impact of how the music is supposed to sound, and in fact how it did sound in the studio.

Nitpick! It's actually how they sound on the CD, not how they sound in the studio. Not everyone thinks that CDs are the pinnacle of audio fidelity, which is why you have things like vinyl's resurgence and the HDCD/SACD formats and such.

Sorry noodz, but that's not quite right.

CDs are compressed as well. If you download lossless files, they are actually way less compressed than what you hear on CDs. CDs are a very outdated format now, with not much space on them, and just to fit albums on there it has to be very compressed. Not as compressed as an MP3, but still compressed as hell.

Now, if you rip a lossless file from a CD, obviously all you are doing is restricting the amount of compression on the file to what was already present on the CD.

However, as I said, directly downloading a lossless file that hasn't come off a CD is what it sounded like in the studio. Trust me, I know my shit on this one.

Ah ok. I was under the impression that most (all?) lossless files are ripped from CDs. Where do you download ones that are from masters?

Thrashtildeth · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:34 am

I can't refer you to a particular site that sells music en masse, because I almost never download music. I'm a collector, so I like something to put on the shelf.

However, I do listen to a lot of downtempo electronica, and in that genre it is increasingly trending towards no physical releases. So artists will sell their new albums directly from their sites, and they will allow you to download lossless files from the masters. That's how I know about this.

EDIT: I assume in less than 10 years time, it will be like this across all genres.

noodles · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:40 am

Thrashtildeth wrote:

EDIT: I assume in less than 10 years time, it will be like this across all genres.

That's what I'm hoping for! (Also that it becomes common practice for album art and liner notes to be included with downloads.) Although it is working on the assumption that mp3s ripped from masters sound better than mp3s ripped from the CD. Or that the 600gb ipod is just around the corner.

I just looked on *torrent website name deleted* and they had John Coltrane albums in 24bit Lossless ripped from SACD's. HMM.

edit do you know what the difference between these two would be:
2012 - Blue Note / Audiophile 96kHz 24-bit Remaster / WEB
2012 - Blue Note / Audiophile 192kHz 24-bit Remaster / WEB

Thrashtildeth · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:50 am

noodles wrote:

Thrashtildeth wrote:

EDIT: I assume in less than 10 years time, it will be like this across all genres.

That's what I'm hoping for! (Also that it becomes common practice for album art and liner notes to be included with downloads.) Although it is working on the assumption that mp3s ripped from masters sound better than mp3s ripped from the CD. Or that the 600gb ipod is just around the corner.

I just looked on *torrent website name deleted* and they had John Coltrane albums in 24bit Lossless ripped from SACD's. HMM.

edit do you know what the difference between these two would be:
2012 - Blue Note / Audiophile 96kHz 24-bit Remaster / WEB
2012 - Blue Note / Audiophile 192kHz 24-bit Remaster / WEB

With regards to the artwork being included in downloads and the possibility of massive hard disk iPods, I'm pretty sure both will become realities once physical releases end, and internet speed goes up. Not that far away either, probably.

As for the 96kHz vs. 192kHz, there's an argument to be made that we're now delving into territory beyond what the human ear can even differentiate. Besides, unless you have the right high fidelity equipment, you won't get any benefits from the extra kHz. I'd say if the file is smaller, go with the 96kHz. Chances are you won't notice the difference.

noodles · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:54 am

I'm skeptical about massive disk ipods coming. iirc latest version dropped from 180gb to 120gb. Seems like not enough people care about FLAC for apple to bother doing it. Video is the only other thing that I could think of pushing Apple to release one but ipod video never really took off afaik. I think internet speeds and computer sizes are big enough these days for FLAC - my comp has 1TB hard drive, way more than I'm using, external hard drives are dirt cheap, and a FLAC album only takes 3-4 minutes to download - but there isn't the same demand for a FLACable portable device.

Thrashtildeth · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:59 am

Yeah, I agree, not yet. But it will happen eventually.

The first desktop my parents bought in like 1990 had about 5 megabytes of hard disk. At the time it was all that was needed. Today, all you really need is 160 gigs of iPod space. That will change.

noodles · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:03 am

This conversation is tempting me to download my collection in FLAC and move my stereo to my computer room, since I hardly ever sit in bed and listen to music any more. :<

edit: this is kinda related to the "digital liner notes" thing:
http://www.grammy.com/credits

Metastable To Chaos · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:55 am

Nothing can replace that new CD smell aaaaaahhhhh.

Thrashtildeth · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:05 am

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

SilkCrimsonMoon · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:10 am

Thrashtildeth wrote:

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

You won't be alone!

EDIT: Nothing beats unwrapping a new CD or a new LP. Nothing!

Tehom · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 2:20 am

Jewelcases suck though, I need to start ordering them without. I've got two Sterilite containers filled with those plastic bastards.

noodles · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:16 am

Define Infinity wrote:

EDIT: Nothing beats unwrapping a new CD or a new LP. Nothing!

listening to an album for the first time is p great imo

MetalStorm · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:43 am

Thrashtildeth wrote:

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

I doubt in 15 years CD's will still be around. More likely digital will be the thing for music and video due to ease of portability and ease on the environment via going green.

Thrashtildeth · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:44 am

MetalStorm wrote:

Thrashtildeth wrote:

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

I doubt in 15 years CD's will still be around. More likely digital will be the thing for music and video due to ease of portability and ease on the environment via going green.

I guess you didn't read the whole conversation. That's what we were talking about!

Milan · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 12:34 pm

Define Infinity wrote:

Thrashtildeth wrote:

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

You won't be alone!

EDIT: Nothing beats unwrapping a new CD or a new LP. Nothing!

This. The anticipation for an album to arrive in the mail or to become available at your local store, or the surprise to suddenly discover an album you've been looking for for ages or the excitement when you finally get your hands on it and unwrap it... Nothing can replace that.

DevotedWalnut · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:01 pm

Define Infinity wrote:

Thrashtildeth wrote:

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

You won't be alone!

EDIT: Nothing beats unwrapping a new CD or a new LP. Nothing!

Make it 3!

Metastable To Chaos · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 3:53 pm

DevotedWalnut wrote:

Define Infinity wrote:

Thrashtildeth wrote:

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

You won't be alone!

EDIT: Nothing beats unwrapping a new CD or a new LP. Nothing!

Make it 3!

+1

= 4

DevotedWalnut · **Posted:** Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:33 pm

Metastable To Chaos wrote:

DevotedWalnut wrote:

Define Infinity wrote:

Thrashtildeth wrote:

I know! I can picture myself in 15 years time, being the only old fart left in the world buying CDs.

You won't be alone!

EDIT: Nothing beats unwrapping a new CD or a new LP. Nothing!

Make it 3!

+1

= 4

you think you matter, how cute.

Metastable To Chaos · **Posted:** Fri Oct 05, 2012 1:06 am

Ouch, where'd that come from?

Metal Reviews

Where to buy albums

Who is online