User Name
Password
AppleNova Forums » General Discussion »

Music: How do you listen, how do you buy?


Register Members List Calendar Search FAQ Posting Guidelines
Music: How do you listen, how do you buy?
Thread Tools
MagSafe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
 
2006-11-27, 19:06

Hi there,

I'm hoping to start up a bit of a general music discussion here, it doesn't matter what type of music you listen to, just how you listen to it and how you buy it.

I'm a big music fan, and right now what I do is buy loads of CD's from retail stores, import them into iTunes and listen to them on either my 60GB iPod Video (at home via my iPod Hi-Fi or in my car) or Shuffle (at the gym or at work). The reason for starting up this discussion is because at the moment what i'm doing just isn't making sense, i'm buying CD's and there just getting dumped on a shelf, piling up gathering dust and taking up loads, and loads, and loads of space!

I've just had a big clear out and to be honest, half of the CD's i've just gotten ready to put on eBay I wonder why I bought them, the majority is because i was in a mood to buy something and just happened to see something that caught my eye. Anyways, I've managed to get my collection down to 7.67GB, which rules out down-grading to an 8GB Nano, which i'll get onto in a sec...

Every since buying my shuffle (1GB V2) i've realised what music is about, and why i enjoy it so much. Just listening to songs that you forgot about, appreciating them for what they are rather than buying album upon album of stuff you already have (for example if you have the greatest hits, like the band a lot and want all their albums just for the sake of it). So, basically i'm finding my 60GB iPod Video overkill now, i don't use the video feature at all, period, it's too big (hard drive wise) and bulky to carry around with ... ideally i'd like a Nano but as i've said above, at the moment the space on them is to little.

So, my idea is basically this ... I like the idea of just having the shuffle for listening to music on the move, and then selling my iPod Hi-Fi and iPod Video for a proper hi-fi, and just play my actual CD's in a proper CD player.

Really I guess I just needed to type this out to get it organised in my head better, but i'd quite like your opinions as well ... So, firstly, do you think the above is a good idea, and secondly, how do you buy and listen to your music?

Any input, whatever it may be, is greatly appreciated

Find me on Twitter: @StevenMcLintock
  quote
atomicbartbeans
reticulating your mom
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Send a message via AIM to atomicbartbeans  
2006-11-27, 19:28

I download music and play it on my iBook at home (hooked up to Creative T3000 speakers), and iPod mini ($6 Sony headphones FTW) elsewhere. I have about 1100 songs, about 900 of which transfer to the iPod (I uncheck songs I get sick of, which I eventually delete). The iPod mini's 4 GB limit helps me keep my music collection at a manageable size.

I haven't bought a CD in years, and only download an entire album if most of the songs on said album are really good... I don't like unnecessary files taking up disk space.

You ask me for a hamburger.

Last edited by atomicbartbeans : 2006-11-27 at 19:55.
  quote
Eugene
careful with axes
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hillsborough, CA
 
2006-11-27, 19:37

purchases: Mostly iTMS or CD if not available. I have a very short stack of SACD and DVD-A

@computer: Grado SR-60s. Using anything more than that at a computer is excessive, unless you need closed-cans because your fans are so loud.

portable: 3G iPod + Etymotic ER-6. More expensive canalphones from Shure just don't hold up, though they are better constructed.

home theater: Denon DVD-2900, Denon AVR-4802, Definitive Tech floorstanding mains, center channel, and dipoles...no discrete sub, but two smaller ones in L/R mains.
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2006-11-27, 19:50

I no longer own a dedicated stereo (and haven't for about 4-5 years now). All my music is digitized, either ripped from CDs or purchased from iTMS. It's on my PowerBook and my iPod (and a few specific mix CDs I've created over the years: driving music, etc.). I do have a bedside alarm clock/radio, but even it is iPod-compatible and I often set my iPod in it at night and call up one of my "relax and drift off" playlists.

I have some JBL Creature II speakers connected to my PowerBook and I just use the iPod earbuds.

I'm not an audiophile. As long as things are crisp, reasonably full and bassy and so forth, I'm happy. I could never see myself spending triple digits on headphones or the like. I'm not that discerning.
  quote
MagSafe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
 
2006-11-27, 20:06

Cool , i'm quite suprised actually with the different ways in which people choose to listen to music ... some completey dedicated to their iPod and iPod add-ons and some the complete opposite.

I've kind of contradicted myself i guess ... I just switched on my iPod Video to listen to a Sufjan Stevens album, even worse, it's one that was in my clearout pile

I'll definetly be keeping my iPod Video, i've been so busy lately i've forgotten how relaxing it can be to lay back listening to the one album and appreciating each song one after the other. Having so many albums is the only annoying thing now, after a while you forget what ones you have and only listen to a select few of your favourite bands ... I guess I have to make more time for music really

Find me on Twitter: @StevenMcLintock
  quote
Perfecting_Zero
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
 
2006-11-27, 20:20

I log-on to my public library website, place hold-requests on whatever seems of interest, wait to be notified of delivery to my specified branch, and pick up. Easy.

I rarely buy CDs anymore. I have purchased exactly one album from iTMS. Beyond that, I trade with friends for new (to me) music.

I am seldom without one of my iPods.

I am saving my money for a dedicated headphone amp.




Cheers to music!

"We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are." Anais Nin
  quote
blakbyrd
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Warrenville, SC
Send a message via AIM to blakbyrd  
2006-11-27, 20:22

Most of my music is downloaded, bought from iTunes, or ripped from CDs.
On my PMG5, I've several gigabytes of music. I've a few hundred megabytes backed up on CD-Rs. I've about a gig of music on my MacBook.

ウォーレン | こんにちは, bitches!
  quote
PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2006-11-27, 20:23

I download mostly, usually full albums, and import to iTunes. The few CDs I have I rip into iTunes.

I'm getting a 30GB iPod Video soon, so I've been adding all my music videos and concert videos to iTunes and getting them converted to mp4 so it'll be ready for my new iPod.

I actually bought two items of music recently. A CD from Amazon, and a music video collection DVD from Wal-Mart. Already got the videos ripped and into iTunes, courtesy of Handbrake.
  quote
torifile
Less than Stellar Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Send a message via AIM to torifile  
2006-11-27, 20:38

98% of the time: I buy a CD, open it. Import it into iTunes, put it on my iPods. Put the CDs away for dust collection.

1%: Download (either iTunes Store or BT), put in iTunes then on the iPods.

1%: Check out from the library. Import into iTunes. On the iPods.

I listen either with my crappy tape adapter in the car (which sucks but is super convenient), on my computer through my creative itrigue 3300, using my iPods with my home theater system or through my Senn HD280s. When I run, I use a pair of Koss SC75s or whatever that number is. They're great.

The short of it is that my CDs don't get used more than once. Why do I keep buying them? Because I encode them at higher rates than I can get online - legally or illegally. When I can buy lossless files or download them, I'll do that for most things. But it's still nice to have a physical CD in hand.

If it's not red and showing substantial musculature, you're wearing it wrong.
  quote
colivigan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
 
2006-11-27, 21:13

Quote:
Originally Posted by torifile View Post
The short of it is that my CDs don't get used more than once. Why do I keep buying them? Because I encode them at higher rates than I can get online - legally or illegally. ... But it's still nice to have a physical CD in hand.
QFT.

I actually find myself buying a lot more CDs lately. For the past 4 or 5 years, I've bought a lot of songs at the iTMS, almost 1000, and almost no CDs. But since I wasn't usually springing for entire albums, I found that I was getting the hits, but losing out on the album experience, and missing some of the hidden gems.

I like a lot of stuff from the 80s and 90s, and lately I've been picking up used CDs from Amazon or eBay on the cheap. You can find some real bargains.

I listen mostly in my car and when I go to bed at night. I have the iHome alarm clock, and am sorry to say that my iPod almost never leaves it lately. But I love it. I have an MP3-capable CD player for my car, and can burn about 130 tracks to a CD for hours of drive-time listening.

Most recently, I've started ripping old vinyl. Some stuff you just can't get on CD. It's worked out surprisingly well. I got an Audio-Technica turntable with line-level outputs, an iMic USB adapter, and free Audacity software. The results are surprisingly good. But, like pscates, I'm no audiophile - I just like listening to music.
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2006-11-27, 22:23

Vinyl.

OK, as much as I wish everything came on vinyl and there was a place that stocked it on every corner, I concede to CDs, too. iTunes is a last resort. I like having "hard copies" of the disc and liner notes. I'm weird like that.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
  quote
torifile
Less than Stellar Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
Send a message via AIM to torifile  
2006-11-27, 22:43

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roboman View Post
Vinyl.

OK, as much as I wish everything came on vinyl and there was a place that stocked it on every corner, I concede to CDs, too. iTunes is a last resort. I like having "hard copies" of the disc and liner notes. I'm weird like that.
I think many real music fans are "weird like that". I've bought a total of 2 singles from the iTMS. And one of them was the song for the opening dance of our wedding.

Everything I buy, convert or download are albums.

If it's not red and showing substantial musculature, you're wearing it wrong.
  quote
scratt
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: M-F: Thailand Weekends : F1 2010 - Various Tracks!
Send a message via Skype™ to scratt 
2006-11-27, 22:58

Poll?
  quote
Wrao
Yarp
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
 
2006-11-28, 00:19

I Buy most(95%) of my new music from iTunes, but only about 10% of my library was purchased from iTunes. The rest is a composite of CDs I ripped, songs I've downloaded, and shares between friends.

During the daytime I listen to music in the living room via an airport express. We have a luxman receiver and athena speakers. I understand they are pretty high quality, but they are not mine.

During the evening(bedtime) I often listen to tunes through my sennheiser HD280 headphones.

Being a musician, I often find myself listening to the musical components of any given song and not the music. However, I'm not too bad.
  quote
Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2006-11-28, 00:55

I pretty much listen to music I can download for free.

Last edited by Partial : 2006-11-28 at 00:56. Reason: not pirating; just free indie stuff and myspace
  quote
PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2006-11-28, 00:57

I hope the RIAA doesn't see this thread.
  quote
Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2006-11-28, 05:07



Actually, I rarely download music, generally I get it from friends. They're probably the ones who do most of the downloading.

Sometimes I buy it... from a certain Russian site that sells music for really cheap.

I've bought a few CDs here in China, and they're cheap as well, but some of them don't sound right in my computer. On one of them, the last four tracks have occasional hiccups and sound artifacts, but they sound fine if you play them in a standard CD player (not a computer).

As for listening, pretty much just through iTunes, either on my computer's built-in speakers (I know, they're crap) or my headphones (which are pretty good).
  quote
wecallitfall
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
 
2006-11-28, 14:57

This thread is a good idea

I get my music by buying CDs, the "old-fashioned" way, which i then put onto my iBook and iPod. i recently, like MagSafe, bought a shuffle and have changed the way i listen to my music, rather than carrying around a big clunky 20GB 'Pod, i'll just upload my shuffle for a day or two with some different tunes, and have rated my songs a lot more to cut any crap when i autofill from "My top rated playlist"

Listening to music like this makes a lot more sense as im actually listening to music i enjoy, rather than whole albums on the larger iPod.

As far as purchasing digital music, i could see myself doing it a lot mor ein the future, as i recently got 33 free iTunes songs (hehe) and found it to be very easy and user friendly, however i still prefer having a physical product, and a nice shelf full of CDs

"Music can soothe even the savage beast"
  quote
BarracksSi
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
 
2006-11-28, 16:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by wecallitfall View Post
... and have rated my songs a lot more to cut any crap when i autofill from "My top rated playlist" ..
I've got a "Rarely Heard" playlist that only lists tracks that I haven't heard more than once. It's HUGE, of course, but it's there if I want to dig up old stuff that I haven't purposely listened to. Surprisingly, it's just one-third of my total collection.

Purchases? There are a lot of publicly-available recordings from rehearsals and such, but you can't buy them anywhere anyway. I threw my entire CD collection in there, and I immediately import any new CDs once I get home. I've bought some stuff from iTMS, mainly either for convenience or because I just want that one track, and usually when I'm not concerned about fidelity.

I've got an iPod for every need now. I have a 3rd gen 40-gig that I know I can use as a boot drive if necessary and is a backup of my Home folder; my 60-gig does pretty much the same thing, but is just nicer, bigger, plays videos and the new games, and the battery lasts longer; my 1st gen Shuffle can carry data to & from work while playing a Berlitz learn-to-speak-German album in the car; my Nano is a go-anywhere collection of my most listenable stuff that'll also track my jogs; and my new 2nd gen Shuffle is the new go-anywhere collection of stuff I've forgotten that I own.
  quote
Yonzie
Mac Mini Maniac
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
 
2006-11-28, 17:12

I've goten exactly one thing from the iTMS: an audiobook.
All the music is bought on CD and used exactly once (encoding to ALAC). That's a half lie since I'm only at ~250 of ~400CDs, but I'm working on it. Playback happens on the computer on a high-end FW sound card, amp and speakers. My 2nd gen iPod unfortunately doesn't do ALAC.
When I listen to music, It's usually an album thing. I choose something I'm in the mood for (which genres utterly suck at) or, when it happens, whatever's stuck in my head.

Plans are underway for a central file server, but I am yet unsure how playback will happen in the living room. A Mac Mini is a possibility, but WAF is low and it's annoying to turn on the TV to play music. Maybe a squeezebox would be the ticket, although I'm worried about useability. What I'd wish for is an networked Empeg for the living room. Damn that thing was 10 years ahead of it's time.

Converted 07/2005.
  quote
turbulentfurball
Right Honourable Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Québec
Send a message via ICQ to turbulentfurball Send a message via AIM to turbulentfurball Send a message via MSN to turbulentfurball  
2006-11-28, 18:20

I buy CDs when I'm purchasing a full album, and if I want a single and I'm pretty sure I won't want the album, I'll buy it from the iTMS. Like others, I like owning something physical.
  quote
Sargasm
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Send a message via AIM to Sargasm  
2006-11-28, 21:24

If I can't find a torrent for some bands (I like some really obscure stuff), I'll purchase them on iTunes, burn them to cd, and re-rip them to get rid of the DRM.

At home, I'll use the Bose headphones Apple stores have (my dad got them for me as a gift, I think they're 150 bucks), or if my roommate isn't home, $30 Logitech speakers. Z2-somethings. Very nice. I have about 25 gigs on a PowerBook G4.

For portable I have an 8gb iPod nano with $40 Sony Fontopia earbuds. I usually keep it full with "walking" or "studying" music.

When I'm in the car I have a tape adaptor I plug my nano into. Works well enough.
  quote
remlemasi
Formerly “theelmerguy”
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Irvine, California
 
2006-11-30, 04:54

I either buy CDs or "borrow" CDs from friends and rip them to my iBook. The iBook is connected to a Sony receiver and Polk Audio R15s and a PSW303 sub. Also connected to the stereo is a 30GB iPod photo via lineout from the iPod photo dock. It has MUCH better sound quality than the headphone jack from the iBook. In the car is an Apline CDE-9852 with full-speed iPod connection. I also have the new iPod shuffle for extreme portability uses. Headphones for the two iPods is the Sony MDR-EX81.

I have yet to buy anything from iTMS. For one, I like having a physical CD + booklet to look at and hold and I like to rip at higher than 128Kbps. Second, I really like to listen to albums as a whole so I don't find myself wanting just a few songs from the iTMS.
  quote
PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Send a message via Skype™ to PB PM 
2006-11-30, 11:14

I buy about 70% of my music from the iTunes store, and and anything I like to turn the volume up on (the 128kbps bit rate on iTunes store music is a little low for good quality) I buy the CD for, or borrow it from a friend. I have bought two CDs this year (22 songs) vs. over 80 songs from the iTunes Store.

As for listening to music, I either listen on my iBook, with Midland (not the best brand I know) speakers, but I inherited them when my Grandfather passed away last year, so I didn't have the heart not to use them. When I'm out for a walk or just sitting around between classes I use my 4GB G2 Nano, which holds most of my 5.8GB library. I keep podcasts, other than the most recent ones off my iPod to save space.

Last edited by PB PM : 2006-11-30 at 11:37.
  quote
Wyatt
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Near Indianapolis
 
2006-11-30, 11:35

When I buy, I buy from iTunes. I haven't bought an album for myself in stores for well over a year (I received two CDs as gifts last year). I don't buy a lot of new music, and I don't download illegally. I do copy stuff that my parents or girlfriend have, but that's about it.

I do most of my listening on my iPod and on my MacBook. I have an auxillary jack on my car stereo, so I usually use my nano instead of CDs in the car as well. I'm hoping to pick up a higher capacity iPod so that I can move all my music to it.

Twitter: bwyatt | Xbox: @playsbadly | Instagram: @bw317
  quote
GrayDiggity
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Tennessee
 
2006-11-30, 12:20

For the sake of quality and freedom (more quality than anything), I purchase 99% of my music on CDs. Though far from an audiophile, I still think I can hear the difference between a CD rip at 192kbps and one at 128kbps. It all may be a mental issue; I might have to get that checked out sometime.

I have a few albums from iTMS and I really like the ease of purchasing in my underwear. It is sometimes too easy, as one click and it the money is spent. Usually when I go into a CD store, I walk around with the album in hand for 30 minutes and determine the money is better spent at the bar. Borders and Amazon are my stores of choice.

As far a listening, I listen almost exclusively using my iPod. I may throw the CD in after purchase for a first listen, but much beyond that, it is on my iPod. It is either plugged into my computer at work or my mid-90s JVC receiver and el cheapo KLH speakers.

I cannot wait for the day of high quality, DRM free downloads (for both music and movies). I HATE the clutter of CDs and DVDs. I have not brought myself to ripping albums and then trashing the media, but I am coming closer and closer to it everyday. A recent cleaning spree made me realize how much space I could free up if I did not have hoards of DVDs and CDs lying around not so neatly organized. I do not even like CD books.

My next computer purchase will be a Mac Mini along with (hopefully) an iTV, or whatever it will be called. If the iTV does the whole streaming thing well, I will no longer need physical media. Who knows, maybe the iTV will not even be what we think it is going to be.
  quote
JonnyCoats
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
 
2006-11-30, 14:02

It's usually a mix between BT and the iTunes Store. I just recently sold my 4G iPod and I'll be buying a Nano sometime in December. I found that I mostly listen to podcasts first, and music second. Radio has been completely obliterated from my life and I like it that way.

My library never surpasses 1200 songs so I figure I'll buy the low-end Nano, throw some podcasts on, and let iTunes decide which music I should listen to that day. I find that I listen to the same groups of music, so I'll re-discover my music with smartplaylists.
  quote
chrisbot
New Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
 
2006-12-01, 01:59

if i bought all my music i'd be pretty poor (about 28 gigs). i usually swap with friends or download. but it's nice to buy cds sometimes cause it's nice to just have the bookinsert and casing. and it's nice to see a collection of music in physical form rather than the itunes albums
  quote
MagSafe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
 
2006-12-01, 08:41

Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisbot View Post
if i bought all my music i'd be pretty poor (about 28 gigs). i usually swap with friends or download. but it's nice to buy cds sometimes cause it's nice to just have the bookinsert and casing. and it's nice to see a collection of music in physical form rather than the itunes albums
so your admitting to piracy then?
  quote
MagSafe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
 
2006-12-01, 08:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by GrayDiggity View Post
I cannot wait for the day of high quality, DRM free downloads (for both music and movies). I HATE the clutter of CDs and DVDs. I have not brought myself to ripping albums and then trashing the media, but I am coming closer and closer to it everyday. A recent cleaning spree made me realize how much space I could free up if I did not have hoards of DVDs and CDs lying around not so neatly organized. I do not even like CD books.
Could not agree more, I would instantly sell all my CD's and re-purchase everything on iTunes providing there was no DRM, it would mean so much to take it off, I could burn everything to discs (if i wanted to) and have the safety net of restoring them onto my future computers as many times as I wanted.

Apple are obviously doing something about the packaging issues with the iPods after seeing the new iPod Shuffle & Nano, so I really think this is the next step in reducing the massive amount of packaging that gets used for CDs and DVD's.

Find me on Twitter: @StevenMcLintock
  quote
Posting Rules Navigation
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Post Reply

Forum Jump
Thread Tools
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How do you get your music? InactionMan AppleOutsider 38 2006-12-02 01:58
Music Script laxxx8 General Discussion 4 2005-07-12 05:38
Buy digital music through satellite radio and iTunes? zeroaffinity Third-Party Products 0 2005-03-17 11:56
Debate: buy an iPod now or buy an iBook sooner? Wyatt Purchasing Advice 17 2005-03-11 22:35
iPod Evaluation Messiahtosh Apple Products 14 2005-01-18 13:36


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:43.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2024, AppleNova