Poll - Vinyl, CD, Squeezebox/MP3, Radio?

[Richard]

I hope a few more of the 1200+ members here will let us know what they use. It seems strange that only 50 or so have polled.

This is a poll to see what members use, not a debate about what's best, no explanations needed .

[Dave the bass]

Originally Posted by Hardy

....2. Real hifi is not well enough known to the younger generation and audio as a proper medium for enjoying quality sound in one's own home is selling only to a limited number of people, driving up prices of high quality equipment as volumes come down.

Rich.

I dunno if 'proper' is a wise choice there Rich, times have changed and younger folk live more 'on the go' than maybe some of us so maybe they don't need to take time out to sit and listen.

My children (18 and 20) are both really into music.

They are both iPodders and have grown up and live in the MP3 and CD generation. Music to them is cheap, 'fun' and available all the time (via headphones or laptops or in the car or the radio or even on TV). Mine seem to listen to music whilst they're doing something else IE it's a background noise to them. Thats not to say they don't enjoy music, quite the opposite but they don't sit and listen.

I think thats the difference between us and the younger generation. I remember getting my first Cassette walkman and then my first Discman, it was brill. Music on the go but it wasn't 'Hi Fi'. I still came home to really listen.

They're aware of Mum and Daves penchant for sitting down and listening to musics but that seems rare amongst other couples our age thesedays, we're not aincient, we're 45 and 41 respectively. We don't watch much TV.

DTB

[Hardy]

I guess I (and a few of my friends) find it difficult to enjoy music unless it's played on equipment of a reasonable quality. I tried listening to someone's IPOD and I could bearly make out what was playing it was so mashed up and compressed. I'm used to hearing everything similar to real world with genuine hi-fidelity. Don't you think people are missing out?

Always open to other's opinions of course....

Rich.

[Dave the bass]

Originally Posted by Hardy

I guess I (and a few of my friends) find it difficult to enjoy music unless it's played on equipment of a reasonable quality. I tried listening to someone's IPOD and I could bearly make out what was playing it was so mashed up and compressed. I'm used to hearing everything similar to real world with genuine hi-fidelity. Don't you think people are missing out?

Always open to other's opinions of course....

Rich.

I've just spent 9 days listening (not continuously) to an iPod to learn songs that I need to play for a gig on Saturday.

The songs are all in MP3 format and they've all come from various sources. Whilst it's not HiFi I wouldn't say "I could bearly make out what was playing it was so mashed up and compressed". Maybe the iPod you heard had some odd settings or naff encode musics on it? I personally managed to work out 2 1/2 hours worth of Bass parts no problem

I fed it into a headphone pre-amp called a Korg 'Pandoras Box', its a looper/FX pedal/ Drum machine/ practise tool all in a likkle box about 5"x3"x1". Worked a treat for me.

I do think the 'value' of listening to music is being eroded thesedays though Richard. It used to be a luxury to listen to good quality sound. Now music is everywhere, shops, pubs, clubs, iPlods, pootars, TV.

I still get a kick from listening to musics from black and silver discs that I've worked for and built the equipment its being played on though.

I'm an old-fashioned boy at heart

DTB

[vitalstates]

Originally Posted by Dave the bass

I've just spent 9 days listening (not continuously) to an iPod to learn songs that I need to play for a gig on Saturday.

I'm an old-fashioned boy at heart

DTB

Right you are squire!! I use it for the very same reason and I'm unaware of anything quite so useful or versatile...

When demonstrating kit with the ipod at eggfests I have had nothing but positive responses....nobody has criticised its delivery...

No, its not the £2k front end, but I do think you're being a bit harsh Rich.

[david counter]

Originally Posted by Dave the bass

I've just spent 9 days listening (not continuously) to an iPod to learn songs that I need to play for a gig on Saturday.

The songs are all in MP3 format and they've all come from various sources. Whilst it's not HiFi I wouldn't say "I could bearly make out what was playing it was so mashed up and compressed". Maybe the iPod you heard had some odd settings or naff encode musics on it? I personally managed to work out 2 1/2 hours worth of Bass parts no problem

I fed it into a headphone pre-amp called a Korg 'Pandoras Box', its a looper/FX pedal/ Drum machine/ practise tool all in a likkle box about 5"x3"x1". Worked a treat for me.

brings back memories of sitting in the bedroom in the 50s learning bass parts from 45s played on a record player

[Richard]

One of the things I hoped might show was if many of the newer format users visited here. It might give an indication as to how they valued 2 channel audio.

Sadly there doesn't seem to be much interest. 61 polls in 10 days from a world-wide audience and half of them our regular vinyl squad. Not very encouraging for the future is it? Supposedly we have 1200+ members of which 500+ have posted (active). Not much evidence of that here. No wonder we drive each other mad sometimes if there are only that few of us really visiting .

To say MP3 and digital is not listenable is daft. When I was young we listened to records or radio for maybe an hour whilst getting ready to go out. Then a car tape player, cassette or 8 track was the business. Failing that a portable cassette flung on the back seat. Then music at a bar or disco.

You either like music or not. Sure there's the electronic hobby interest and the elation of a slightly different sound after hours of tweaking. I often ask myself if I'd be interested in music if it didn't need equipment. You know, pay a fee similar to the equipment cost and it just appears on demand without vinyl or cd or SB. That's quite a levelling question .

[Richard]

Originally Posted by david counter

brings back memories of sitting in the bedroom in the 50s learning bass parts from 45s played on a record player

Yes my kids do it now with a cd in the computer

[Hardy]

Maybe there are even fewer of us perfectionists left than I thought...

The "IPOD" I listened to was worse sound quality than the old portable cassette player I had as a teenager....the sound was so electronic and compressed and tonaly grey - it was difficult to tell the sound of instruments properly

I like music and vocals and want to hear what contributes to that total sound with all it's colour and vibrancy. I've heard very budget hifi systems in people's homes with cassette decks, CD players and cheap turntables that sounded ok and you could listen to....but that IPOD thingy was so weird sounding I could not listen for more than a couple of minutes....he even played different tracks to me - they all sounded dire....

Another friend who has a good system at home brought round another of these things and we plugged it into another friends decent hifi...we all imediately felt it sounded very poor and unlistenable....

Maybe there are better machines around...dunno....

Perhaps there is a problem with conditioning and expectation...dunno....

Having a bad hair day...dull weather does not help....wettest June on record and all that....

[JerryT]

I'm still doing it!! I only picked up a bass guitar two months ago and I feel like I'm 15 all over again - playing along - picking out keys, parts and techniques. I prefer the older recordings because the tracks were usually laid down without 'help' that is were actually played live - old fool that I am!

Jerry