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[Neil]

Originally Posted by Giles Walker

I doubt anyone could tell the difference between a well mastered 320kbps mp3 and a cd.

I agree completely.

I'm playing Devil's Advocate a bit here as I do buy and download music online quite frequently and listen to my MP3s much more than I do to any of my CDs. I can quite happily say I've not been in a music store now for some years. If I need to buy a CD I'll buy it online as that is where I'll find it cheapest - even for rarer releases.

However, I still agree with some of the arguments for why music on a traditional, physical medium such as CD or Vinyl is preferred to a digital copy be it an MP3 or some other file format. The fact is that yes, CDs can get scratched or lost but it is considerably easier to destroy an MP3 or even your entire collection of downloaded music. How many people back-up their music collections? The average life of a computer hard-disc is about 5 years so you have to back-up your music. I've got CDs sitting in my collection that are coming up to being 20 years old and still play fine. MP3s will be long obsolete within 20 years - then what? Buy copies of your digital music again?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Stripey

320kbps is absolutely commonplace at any decent online music store.

I'm still waiting for an example. I honestly can't think of one.

[Inkster]

Originally Posted by JeanieStar

I've had similar kinda chat in OneUp where I've bought something and been told that they're playing or that it's a good choice and general comments on the album that I've bought. I've always found the service to be pretty good... The feeling that they usually know what they're talking about and that they enjoy what they're doing always makes me want to buy the music I do from OneUp. Simple as that really. Going into larger chains or supermarkets I don't get that feeling and if I was to ask a question I think I'd be worried about the look I'd get! Lol.

I've never had such chat in One-Up. I've always heard about it but don't think it ever exists as I never see it. Maybe I just come in at the wrong time or buy cd's that are way uncool to be spoken about?

Having said that, the 4 for £20 section is a gem and needs extending!

[Stripey]

Originally Posted by Neil

The fact is that yes, CDs can get scratched or lost but it is considerably easier to destroy an MP3 or even your entire collection of downloaded music. How many people back-up their music collections? The average life of a computer hard-disc is about 5 years so you have to back-up your music. I've got CDs sitting in my collection that are coming up to being 20 years old and still play fine. MP3s will be long obsolete within 20 years - then what? Buy copies of your digital music again?

I back my up music collection all the time, it's only prudent to do so and I think everyone knows that. It costs nothing to burn a few dvd-rs of mp3s.

The argument that mp3s will be "obselete in 20 years" is disingenous - mp3s, like CDs are just digital data - codecs will probably improve, storage will get cheaper, bandwidth will get faster, but the basic concept of delivering music as a digital file is here to stay for the forseeable future. 20 years from now the CD as an audio format is going to seem as ludicrous and archaic as edisons wax cylinders. 20 years from now the chances are you will find it hard to buy a cd player to play those precious cds on.

[Inkster]

May I also ask a question of anyone who works in a record store. Why do cd's go up in price after they've fallen out of the charts before dropping say maybe a year later?

I've often seen cd's be £10 or £12 when newly released but suddenly jump to £13-£16 3 months later.

[Stripey]

Originally Posted by Neil

I'm still waiting for an example. I honestly can't think of one.

where do you buy mp3s from?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Stripey

I back my up music collection all the time, it's only prudent to do so and I think everyone knows that. It costs nothing to burn a few dvd-rs of mp3s.

Agreed, I still think most people don't back-up their data though even though they know they should be doing so.

Originally Posted by Stripey

The argument that mp3s will be "obselete in 20 years" is disingenous - mp3s, like CDs are just digital data - codecs will probably improve, storage will get cheaper, bandwidth will get faster, but the basic concept of delivering music as a digital file is here to stay for the forseeable future. 20 years from now the CD as an audio format is going to seem as ludicrous and archaic as edisons wax cylinders. 20 years from now the chances are you will find it hard to buy a cd player to play those precious cds on.

But that's the problem. With a physical medium like a CD I can just rip it again to whatever the latest and greatest audio codec of the day is. Time consuming yes, but not a big deal. However, what do I do with the MP3s I downloaded years ago that now won't play on the latest audio players? I could transcode it to the latest and greatest audio codec, but as you are probably well aware, audio quality suffers greatly if you do this. So what are my options? Do I buy and download the tracks again? Because that would be rather costly.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Stripey

where do you buy mp3s from?

None that sell 320kbps music that's for sure! The only exceptions to this I can think of are when I've purchased releases directly from the artist. Nine Inch Nails and Saul Williams being recent examples. However, I can't think of any online "music store" that offers 320kbps. Do you know different?

[Stripey]

Originally Posted by Neil

what do I do with the MP3s I downloaded years ago that now won't play on the latest audio players and music players? I could transcode it to the latest and greatest audio codec but as you are probably well aware, audio quality suffers greatly if you do this. So what are my options? Do I buy and download the tracks again? Because that would be rather costly.

I find it hard to believe that backwards compatibility for what is arguably the most popular digital music format of our time will not be built into hardware devices of the future. It's not like betamax vs vhs vs videocd vs dvd. Compatibility is not about physical restraints anymore it's just a matter of software. If apple for example decided to make their next generation of ipod primarily use FLAC, it costs nothing for them to include mp3 support because it's already there.
You can still open text files created in the 80's on an outdated computer, despite all the innovations present in the latest edition of microsoft word.
Why are you suggesting it's harder to look after your mp3 collection than it is to look after your CD collection? Don't scratch your CDs, backup your mp3s, everything will be fine!

[Stripey]

Originally Posted by Neil

None that sell 320kbps music that's for sure! The only exceptions to this I can think of are when I've purchased releases directly from the artist. Nine Inch Nails and Saul Williams being recent examples. However, I can't think of any online "music store" that offers 320kbps. Do you know different?

boomkat.com?

I have a feeling places like itunes probably distribute 128kbps, and probably they are harsh mixes created by the artists distributors because its not in their interest to release "proper" quality mixes at high bitrates to the wider public.