CD or not CD?

[mikey]

A dilemma I am hoping you can help with.
got frustrated with an increasing number of CD's, including those bought on a reckless whim and will be unlikely to play again.  Listening habits was to upload to laptop, transfer to MP3 and listen on the move.  I hVe no other player other than a mac which is whAt I now use, explanation below.  I also reckon quality of materials/manufacture has declined so they can become unplayable a lot easier, no more covering in butter, placing in toaster and still playing like we were originally promised.
I made the bold move of buying an iPod (I love it), loaded up my collection (it already holds Amazon downloads) and I'll use iTunes or Amazon to acquire downloads.  
My quandary is when I get to Womad and see the record tent, I will be like a child in a sweet shop.  Is there any reason to buy cd's on sale? Are they available on iTunes? Or may even get a bigger choice looking online.  Is it better quality on cd rather than downloads?
what do you guys think?

[mikey]

Oh, and if I was younger I would be proficient in downloads but buying vinyl for perfect quality listening on special albums. Gave my vinyl to the charity shop years ago so not inclined to go down that route again ( too old to bother, and limited room for a decent player).

[beef]

I share your dilemma Mikey... so many ways to listen these days. I still get a buzz from checking out the Womad record shop (for CDs) although it doesn't have the magic treasure trove vibe that the original Womad shop had... not sure when they stopped running it themselves, maybe 8-10 years ago? Not everything can be found on iTunes. But in general most people seem to prefer Spotify etc these days... not for me.

At home I listen to CDs and 64gb of stuff from my phone via Bluetooth to my stereo. I sometimes have problems with CDs but I think that's my ageing CD player being grumpy. I don't know what I'll do in the future - got 1000s of CDs and storage issues.

[sc]

Same dilemma, other than I do still have all my records too, other than 3 but that's another story. I still stick to CDs but I agree that the life expectancy has deteriorated massively, along with the quality of the protective box, unless it is Cardboard, why aren't they all cardboard covers, it must be greener.

The main reason I haven't moved over is for the following reasons:

1) Mrs SC and I are not that great with technology and so it's a bit of a confidence thing.
2) I like the covers and being able to physically hold something
3) How am I going to get my collection moved from Album/CD over to MP3 or whatever
4) Need to buy the technology and invest before I know what I am doing
5) Occasions like when we saw SU:M at WOMAD and bought the CD and they had only brought 30 with them - no hope of getting it on ITunes

I feel a bit like King Canute, I know I will have to grasp the inevitable one day, probably sooner than later.

I do recall seeing Dire Straits back in 1985 and a pamphlet was left on every seat, offering the bearer to be able to take ANY number of Dire Straits Albums into a record shop and the record shop would swap them for free for the CD version ............ I threw my pamphlet away, saying "Those CDs will never catch on....." It seems I have not learnt from history

[calndel]

we try to buy CDs at WOMAD we know we won't get anywhere else

Del always wants a hard copy of music and hates downloads as it's easier to lose a download than a cd

All our CD get copied to our hard drive which we can access anywhere via the internet and we then listen to the music on our phone and ipods

[deserttraveller]

Cds first because I can browse them physically but put on itunes and then on an i pod.

[Zenrider]

CD if it's really important, to me. Downloaded to digital and flashcard for convenience.

Otherwise am spoiled with one of the best radio stations ever, so....

[mikey]

Thanks for all the advice. Will still buy the odd special CD, and be prepared to queue for signings at Womad 🙂. But will push on with downloads in other circumstances.

Zenrider, best radio station? Have listened to BBC6? Especially Cerys Matthews show on a Sunday morning, but guess you are acquainted with her life show from Womad each year. Only problem is colleagues at work do not like it and prefer to switch to BBC radio 2 😕

[Rendrags]

Call me old fashioned, but I've never bought into the idea of buying downloads. I just don't like the idea of an album being a single file on my PC or phone, with no artwork or anything to go with it, despite it solving the problem of having to find space in which to store new CDs.  I still have my vinyl collection, and when that went out of fashion I started buying CDs instead, via a short period of casettes.

I listen to a lot of music on Spotify these days, but when I want to purchase something, I get the CD. I do enjoy the touch and feel of it, and all of the artwork and notes that go with it! So I too will be joining you in the CD tent and queuing for CD signings.

As for listening to radio, I tend to listen to 6 Music most of the time - especially Cerys, Staurt Maconie's  Freak Zone, Gideon Coe - plus of course World on 3 and Late Junction, for a more eclectic mix. I try to avoid Radio 2!

[armsnlegseverywhere]

I got a new car last week and am gutted as now I don't have anywhere to listen to my tapes #;-(

[grey]

First reason to buy CD's at womad is for the journey home with fave new artists on repeat.
But as for CD's once they have been put into iTunes they rarely get played and just gather dust.
I haven't got the budget for the same amount of CD's I came away with last year so only the very best will make the cut and thats not the band The Very Best.

[Zenrider]

I'm pretty sure artists are better supported through the purchase of CD's and vinyl. As also has been mentioned, it's nice having a hard copy backup for the music that's really important to you.

[jax2000]

....and if you no longer want them, there are sites that will pay you a little bit in exchange for them.

[sc]

An article I posted on another thread, that vinyl sales are now exceeding digital......... makes you think ............ perhaps those of us that still hold onto CDs and Vinyl are right ................ it's not necessarily the best thing for you as an individual to chase the latest technological thing ........... the latest trend ..................... to do as the Corporate Sales Machine tells you ............... to obey The Man ....................... Do in life what is right for YOU ........... not what Google, Apple, Windows, Politicians or People who believe in "make believe Friends" and cause war and suffering over who's "Make believe Friend" is the best "Make believe Friend", say you should do ......... If it feels right to YOU, it probably is right for YOU. Never forget You are an individual

www.theguardian.com/music/2016/dec/06/tables-turned-as-vinyl-records-outsell-digital-in-uk-for-first-time

[standing stone]

CD