Death of High Fidelity--article on Rollingstone.com

[wiredbecker]

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/ ... h_fidelity

I found this interesting and thought you guys would too. No breaking news here though. Digital compression is killing dynamic range in modern pop music.

[Geek]

That should be required reading for everyone entering the HiFi hobby.

Thanks for the link!

[Shannon Parks]

Though we are at a time where music is heavily based as MP3s and SACD and DVD-A is practically dead, I think the interest in hifi music will rebound as there is <huge> interest in hifi TV. Plus I think the huge music industry will breakup and spinoff. Hopefully the Britney Spears era will be dead. They can sell compressed ringtones & downloads to fourteen year-olds, but high quality, value added stuff to us.

Meanwhile, scarf up first gen CDs and vinyl. :)

[wiredbecker]

Though we are at a time where music is heavily based as MP3s and SACD and DVD-A is practically dead, I think the interest in hifi music will rebound as there is <huge> interest in hifi TV. Plus I think the huge music industry will breakup and spinoff. Hopefully the Britney Spears era will be dead. They can sell compressed ringtones & downloads to fourteen year-olds, but high quality, value added stuff to us.

Meanwhile, scarf up first gen CDs and vinyl. :)

I never really got into DVD-A. What are some good players to keep an eye peeled for? The 4.7gb available on an ordinary dvd is quite enticing.

YES, I've been doing just that for a while now. Used CDs are just getting more and more inexpensive. Vinyl, even more so but there's more competition so you have to go early and go often. Plus you never know what you'll find at the thrift or garage sales. I passed up some KLH 17 bookshelf speakers the other day with good drivers. From the looks of it, someone on Audiokarma snatched 'em up just a day later!

[Shannon Parks]

Used CDs are just getting more and more inexpensive.

And some of these new CD remixes have been horrible. I never thought that the first gen, high noise CDs would end up being the definitive releases, but in many cases they have been. Couple of gross examples are the first two Ozzy Osbourne album remasters that totally replaced the original bass and drums in order to skirt royalty issues to the original performers (one of whom, Lee Kerslake, just retired this past year from the music biz - happy retirement Lee!). Also, I grabbed the first CSN remastered CD a couple months ago, and the bass is WAYYYYY out of control. And I'm your typical bass lovin' American. These examples are absolute garbage. Some would say the Ozzy was absolute garbage in its prime. Touché.

Vinyl, even more so but there's more competition so you have to go early and go often.

Definitely stay away from the DJ used record shops. They basically want $10 for everything. But then again, they sell tripped out 70's funk and stuff. But god bless'em, they've kept that medium alive.

Hmmm, maybe they'd buy my Osibisa?

[Slartibartfast]

Definitely stay away from the DJ used record shops. They basically want $10 for everything. But then again, they sell tripped out 70's funk and stuff. But god bless'em, they've kept that medium alive.

They don't have any GOOD used LP stores in your area? In my home town, we have a place called Papa Jazz and he has very nice collection of Jazz on vinyl. He also has a good selection of Rock and Country. The albums in really good condition, sell in the $8 to $12 range.

They also sell used CDs and DVDs. He even has a few 10" LPs available...

[wiredbecker]

Used CDs are just getting more and more inexpensive.

And some of these new CD remixes have been horrible. I never thought that the first gen, high noise CDs would end up being the definitive releases, but in many cases they have been. Couple of gross examples are the first two Ozzy Osbourne album remasters that totally replaced the original bass and drums in order to skirt royalty issues to the original performers (one of whom, Lee Kerslake, just retired this past year from the music biz - happy retirement Lee!). Also, I grabbed the first CSN remastered CD a couple months ago, and the bass is WAYYYYY out of control. And I'm your typical bass lovin' American. These examples are absolute garbage. Some would say the Ozzy was absolute garbage in its prime. Touché.

Vinyl, even more so but there's more competition so you have to go early and go often.

Definitely stay away from the DJ used record shops. They basically want $10 for everything. But then again, they sell tripped out 70's funk and stuff. But god bless'em, they've kept that medium alive.

Hmmm, maybe they'd buy my Osibisa?

Wait a second here. I have those Ozzy reissues (fortunately free unopened promo copies), now I have no qualms about selling them on Amazon or trading them in for credit. Thanks for the heads up because that's completely messed up!

You know what's another reissue that sucks? The Stooges - Raw Power remastered by Iggy himself in '02 or '03. Gain is way too high. Information from the original tracks is just completely blown out and gone. Hell, I dunno... maybe that's how he heard the music in his head and recording technology at the time was too sensitive and he was finally able to get it right? No. It sounds like shit.

I wish those DJ used record shops wanted basically $10 for everything. They want $10 for absolute crap or common lps that can be found used for a buck or two. The stuff I'm looking for goes for between $15 and $50. I can't bring myself to spend $50 or higher on a used lp. Still, you are absolutely correct, they have kept the medium alive.

Now if only we could get people realize that they aren't actually hearing all of the music by running an input through their computer's crappy sound card and listening to two tiny speakers and a subwoofer. Case in point, my wife. She's currently using an old Cambridge Audio sub and tiny speaker combo that I dumpster dove. It's been driving me crazy listening to music here all week. I really NEED to build that amp kit for her. heh heh

Better than no music at all I suppose. Happy New Year by the way.

[Slartibartfast]

I wish those DJ used record shops wanted basically $10 for everything. They want $10 for absolute crap or common lps that can be found used for a buck or two. The stuff I'm looking for goes for between $15 and $50. I can't bring myself to spend $50 or higher on a used lp. Still, you are absolutely correct, they have kept the medium alive.

We also have an independent music store and one chain store that is selling new LPs. The inie shop is selling a lot of reissues of old LPs. One example is Heart's Dreamboat Annie for $30.00. There are some Jazz reissues that even have the original cover art/photography.

Do you have any stores in your area that are doing this?

[Shannon Parks]

You know what's another reissue that sucks? The Stooges - Raw Power remastered by Iggy himself in '02 or '03. Gain is way too high. Information from the original tracks is just completely blown out and gone. Hell, I dunno... maybe that's how he heard the music in his head and recording technology at the time was too sensitive and he was finally able to get it right? No. It sounds like shit.

Huh. I was just listening to Raw Power two days ago. I just thought it was the DIY-ethos punk engineering that made it sound bad. I guess the word 'remix' in the title should have been a clue. I'll toss out my vote for worst remix of all time: Frank Zappa's remix of 'We're Only in It for the Money' with completely new, 80's funk, slap happy bass. It was the only CD release for a long time, I think.

[Shannon Parks]

They don't have any GOOD used LP stores in your area? In my home town, we have a place called Papa Jazz and he has very nice collection of Jazz on vinyl. He also has a good selection of Rock and Country. The albums in really good condition, sell in the $8 to $12 range.

Not these days in Champaign-Urbana, IL. I visited Vermont this past summer and felt like a kid in the candy store with all the shops and their $1 bins - almost felt guilty.

[wiredbecker]

There's A-Mazing record stores in the San Francisco Bay Area. So many to choose from. I tend to stay away because it's far too easy to spend my entire paycheck in one weekend. Better to hit up thrift stores and flea markets not only because the cds and records are cheaper, but because you never know when you'll come across vintage audio gear for pennies.

For example I went back to this Goodwill near my wife's place up here in Eugene, Oregon and snatched up some KLH Model 17 speakers half off for $20 today! Cabinets are a bit rough but I don't care, it'll be a good learning experience recapping the cross overs. (I tested them and one of the tweeters was weak.)