when does convenience trump ultimate sound quality

[Rob]

I've slowed down my vinyl purchasing from a year or two ago. much of the reason is because i'm actually content with a 16/44 rip/file of some of the music I listen to (24/96 when unadulterated). I'm not the analog-rebel wannabee i.e. Che Guevara type proudly donning a "vinyl or die" t-shirt. I actually listen to a lot of files on the go, in the car or at home as background music. on some occasions I do give it my undivided attention not unlike spinning vinyl.

the reason i bring this up is the Beck thread re the MFSL Sea Change that goes for upwards of $300, it seems asinine to pay such an extraordinary sum for record that, frankly, I wouldn't play that often. Its not to say a Beck fanatic shouldn't, but i'm neither a Beck fanatic nor will I probably ever play that record at home. To me, Sea Change is travelling music, the type you play through central California on that long stretch of hwy I-5 between Bakersfield and timbuktu, that along with a rip of R.E.M. Automatic for the People.

Assuming the file will set you back between $0 to 5 or $6 for the used CD, are you a stubborn vinyl stalwart that will always reach for the vinyl edition - no matter if cut from digital? Or, do you have a predetermined price point that intersects the most likely amount of plays vs the how much do I really like this music graph you refer to?

[Guest]

Didja ever see that Burt Lancaster movie The Swimmer ? heh, just kidding


In the car I'll listen to the radio or Symphony Hall off the satellite. As one of those who never stopped, the whole vinyl-rebel thing is just a different set of clowns coming out of the same rusty Volkswagen of American hipness. I believe there is a level beyond which vinyl becomes the default. I reached that level in my system and haven't played a CD since last August. Check that, I did play the Fozgometer calibration CD. Stubborn-ness is a habit of the weak-willed so I actively choose Living La Vida Vinyl.


When I hear the Beck word I think of Jeff and Tom Jones doing "Goin Down Slow." :-)

[Andy]

I've seen the movie ( years and years ago); never understood it; and don't get the reference here.
Help me understand. ( happy to take this to another forum if appropriate)

Pardon any confusion. I was making fun of myself for a post I made in a thread about Steely Dan.

https://www.audionirvana.org/forum/music/rock-pop/18593-steely-dan-what-s-your-take-on-them

[mep]

I've slowed down my vinyl purchasing from a year or two ago. much of the reason is because i'm actually content with a 16/44 rip/file of some of the music I listen to (24/96 when unadulterated). I'm not the analog-rebel wannabee i.e. Che Guevara type proudly donning a "vinyl or die" t-shirt. I actually listen to a lot of files on the go, in the car or at home as background music. on some occasions I do give it my undivided attention not unlike spinning vinyl.

the reason i bring this up is the Beck thread re the MFSL Sea Change that goes for upwards of $300, it seems asinine to pay such an extraordinary sum for record that, frankly, I wouldn't play that often. Its not to say a Beck fanatic shouldn't, but i'm neither a Beck fanatic nor will I probably ever play that record at home. To me, Sea Change is travelling music, the type you play through central California on that long stretch of hwy I-5 between Bakersfield and timbuktu, that along with a rip of R.E.M. Automatic for the People.

Assuming the file will set you back between $0 to 5 or $6 for the used CD, are you a stubborn vinyl stalwart that will always reach for the vinyl edition - no matter if cut from digital? Or, do you have a predetermined price point that intersects the most likely amount of plays vs the how much do I really like this music graph you refer to?

You have really lumped several thoughts into your post.

1. Beck-I don't have any of his music and wouldn't buy that LP if it was $30 let alone $300, but that's just me.

2. At what point do you reach for your digital remote vice playing LPs?-I start each of my listening sessions off by warming up my system with my server. Sometimes when I plop my butt in my listening chair, my DSD jazz sounds so good I just let it keep playing longer than I intended. However, vinyl or tape is always my first choice.

3. Cheap CDs vs. buying new vinyl-I haven't bought a CD since the Dead Sea was only sick. I buy new vinyl often.

4. Buying an LP made from a digital file vice buying the CD or download-I try and avoid buying reissue vinyl that was sourced from a digital file because it defeats the purpose in my book. However, if there is an LP I want and the only source for that LP that is available is a digital file, I will buy it. Live at the Cellar Door is an example. Sounds damn good too.

[Steve Lefkowicz]

I limit "convenience" mostly to having a remote for volume control. Don't use it much when listening to LPs, but when I'm listening to the server it gets used a lot. I listen to the library on shuffle a lot, and it seems every track comes in at a different level, and I need to tweak the volume. With my passive line stage (no remote) I find this an issue that needs to be rectified in the future.

[JCOConnell]

I've slowed down my vinyl purchasing from a year or two ago. much of the reason is because i'm actually content with a 16/44 rip/file of some of the music I listen to (24/96 when unadulterated). I'm not the analog-rebel wannabee i.e. Che Guevara type proudly donning a "vinyl or die" t-shirt. I actually listen to a lot of files on the go, in the car or at home as background music. on some occasions I do give it my undivided attention not unlike spinning vinyl.

the reason i bring this up is the Beck thread re the MFSL Sea Change that goes for upwards of $300, it seems asinine to pay such an extraordinary sum for record that, frankly, I wouldn't play that often. Its not to say a Beck fanatic shouldn't, but i'm neither a Beck fanatic nor will I probably ever play that record at home. To me, Sea Change is travelling music, the type you play through central California on that long stretch of hwy I-5 between Bakersfield and timbuktu, that along with a rip of R.E.M. Automatic for the People.

Assuming the file will set you back between $0 to 5 or $6 for the used CD, are you a stubborn vinyl stalwart that will always reach for the vinyl edition - no matter if cut from digital? Or, do you have a predetermined price point that intersects the most likely amount of plays vs the how much do I really like this music graph you refer to?

Sounds like you mean price instead of convenience

[Johnny Vinyl]

If I cared about convenience I'd be fully digital.

[1morerecord2clean]

If I cared about convenience I would download to an iPod. I don't even have a preamp remote. I have do a CDP remote. The kind of remote I'd like is a 20 year old bikini clad female to change my records.

[mep]

If I cared about convenience I would download to an iPod. I don't even have a preamp remote. I have do a CDP remote. The kind of remote I'd like is a 20 year old bikini clad female to change my records.

Here is a pair of them for you:

[Rust]

One remote control needed is an unsee button.

[c1ferrari]

To all of you...decorum -- decorum, please!
LOL ;-)

" One remote control needed is an unsee button. "

ROFL!

[Alrainbow]

Mep what digital device do you use.
Infact rhat is a three I will start.
Somce I have a working theory it's not digital that is unwhelmong most analog folk it's bad digital. Not saying
yours is.
Just wondering and I love your speakers too.
So are you a chubby chaser lol.
nice for the remote nice thoughts most are always better from behind

[Johnny Vinyl]

[1morerecord2clean]

Here is a pair of them for you:

Perfect. How did you know my type?

[mep]

I have a laptop server running JRiver 20 going into a Mytek Stereo 192 DAC. It sounds great with DSD.

[Bill Hart]

I could see doing digital for convenience, instant access to content, and ease of use (as well as avoiding the cost of some pressings) but,
1. I don't know enough about the current state of digital to jump in meaningfully- and assuming that meant throwing 17k dollars into a DAC, another 5-10k into a transport, buying a stand alone computer to store downloads and some sort device to act as an interface-controller, I'm putting how much into this for such convenience? Hold that thought.
2. It seems based on casual reading (and I do mean casual, only out of the corner of my eye), that there are constant issues over format, interfaces and continual "break-through" products that obsolete what came before. So, unlike the hypothetical 50k dollar turntable/tonearm rig which has the potential to run for years, what do I really get for the investment, unless I'm interested in chasing the latest improvement?
3. Mastering- once digital, is it all good? I doubt it. I've heard some pretty convincing vinyl pulled from recordings that were made natively in the digital domain, but aren't you still subject to the vagaries of production, engineering and mastering?
All that said, I guess I could care less about "convenience," as such. I currently have a line stage with a remote- first time ever. I keep forgetting where I put it down. I don't mind a little inconvenience if it gets me what I want, musically and sonically.
Access to the best quality content is key for me (even if that content happens to be an ancient blues recording). Maybe digital is complementary to analog, so I could listen to that Beck album if I chose (I agree that it's not worth the OOP mark-up, pink or otherwise). But, apart from cost, am I really increasing my musical enjoyment? There are a few records that were never released on vinyl, e.g. Curtis Mayfield's last album. Sure, I'd like to be able to listen to it over the main system, but I guess I can make do over a modest system for that purpose. I'm not being hard-headed about this; at some point, I may introduce some sort of digital playback in my main system. But, I've deferred that decision for a long time, preferring to invest in improving the analog front end and the rest of the system over time. Where that leaves me--and whether it answers your question-- dunno.

[mep]

Perfect. How did you know my type?

I read your mind.

[Garth]

When your 200 lbs of tube amp keeps needing to be lugged to the repair shop a good solid state amp is worth the convenice and sounds better than a 1980s tube amp anyway IMO