# Do you listen to classical more online or on cd's, etc.?



## DeanClassicalTchaikovsky (May 13, 2014)

I used to listen to mostly cd's, but now I listen mostly online.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

Majority of my listening is on my iPod classic, 160 gb. So far I have about 140 GB of music in my collection about 60-70% of that being classical music. I do listen to CDs as well, but honestly the iPod just works better for me, especially since I like to listen to music during my lunch at work. And with two toddlers....well it's impractical for me to have my full collection in CD form


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## DeanClassicalTchaikovsky (May 13, 2014)

Most of the music I have is in my email folder. I'm not well versed on putting music on cd's. However, I also have a massive cd collection from over the last 20 years. If classical were all I ever had to listen to, I wouldn't be sad at all.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I listen mostly to CDs (I still buy and collect my favourite works), but I use You Tube, Naxos Music Library, (free and trial) streaming, broadcast radio and whatever else is available in order to hear music that I am considering for purchase on CD, as well as for listening to pieces that I want to hear but not buy (yet or ever).

I purchased a relatively expensive amplifier, tower speakers/subwoofer and CD changer last winter, so I am committed to my collection for the long term. I like the better sound, compared to digital media. I have pretty good speakers for my computer, but not even close to my dedicated music system. I also like hard copies. I enjoy the convenience of digital media, but I prefer the security of physically owning my purchases.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

I also have a 160gb iPod that's practically bursting at the seams. About 75-80 gb are classical. I still have my old CDs but the only time I purchase CDs now is when they're cheaper than the digital download on Amazon, which seems to happen quite frequently. I still get the Mp3 versions too and mail the CDs to my father.


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## DeanClassicalTchaikovsky (May 13, 2014)

I'm addicted to youtube. I transfer the videos to my e-mail song folder. I'm not sure about gb but I have almost 400 vids in my song folder.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I go mostly with CDs; remainder is NML.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

I buy CDs, make lossless copies and save the files on an external hard drive. I store the original CDs in a secure place and never touch them again.


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

I have a sizeable collection of cd's & my old collection of LP's & cassettes but increasingly, I'm spending my time exploring Spotify.... it has to be the best thing since sliced bread in allowing one to expand one's appreciation of classical music & of the wealth of recordings that are stored in it's digital vaults. I'm continually adding to my list of albums to listen-to at one end & deleting a corresponding amount at the other! I do wonder how long it will remain available as a free service though.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

CDs and LPs, you-tube as a rarity. Was a member of e-music for some time, downloading some rare MP3s. Almost never on-line streaming (recently a few samples from the Moscow Conservatory website, some composer students there).


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I have a media server that streams anything I want to listen to all over the house. I rarely listen to anything else, except for videos.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

I like to own my music, so I still buy downloads and the occasional CD. Most listening is done thru the computer. I use Rdio and Spotify to check things out but rarely use them for serious listening.


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## Winterreisender (Jul 13, 2013)

Never downloaded a CD before. I buy all my CDs, upload them all to my computer, and then put the highlights on my 160GB iPod on a rotational basis.


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## Gangwolf (Apr 26, 2014)

I only listen to CD's. Well, that's not exactly true: I do spend some time listening to classical music on iTunes, emusic and spotify, but only to find music to buy as downloads or CD's.

Surely, I can see the advantage of having all my music on a server, but given the time, money and effort I have spent building up my collection, I think it's nice to see the result in my CD shelves.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Well, you can buy the physical copy and then copy it to a server or hard drive.


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## Wood (Feb 21, 2013)

DeanClassicalTchaikovsky said:


> *Most of the music I have is in my email folder.* I'm not well versed on putting music on cd's. However, I also have a massive cd collection from over the last 20 years. If classical were all I ever had to listen to, I wouldn't be sad at all.


Excuse my technical ignorance here Dean, but how does that work for you, keeping your music with your emails?


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## cjvinthechair (Aug 6, 2012)

Lope de Aguirre said:


> I buy CDs, make lossless copies and save the files on an external hard drive. I store the original CDs in a secure place and never touch them again.


Sounds a good idea, but can't master lossless creation/downloads/anything (!) at all. Anyone with idiot-proof guide most welcome !


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I still listen mostly to CDs. I listen a lot in my car, and it's easier to grab a CD than to preplan a listening session and load it on a thumb drive for the drive.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

I listen mainly to LPs but have several thousand CDs so am not a complete Luddite. 

LPs work less well in the car though.


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## opus55 (Nov 9, 2010)

Also have 160gb ipod. Already downgraded to lossy format but cannot fit everything in it. I listen online more often now that I have access to Naxos Music Library. Still, good chunk of my listening is by CD at home.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

Manxfeeder said:


> I still listen mostly to CDs. I listen a lot in my car, and it's easier to grab a CD than to preplan a listening session and load it on a thumb drive for the drive.


Unless I'm driving longer than an hour, I don't even bring my 160gb iPod in the car. It takes nearly 20 minutes to index all the contents before they can be accessed fully, and about 2 minutes before I can play anything. I have an 8gb iPod that I keep in the car and change its contents every few days. I always stash a few CDs away in the glovebox for "emergency listening" if my iPod goes on the fritz (unfortunately quite often).


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

My car's CD player plays MP3s and my SatNav plays music on SD cards but I've so far only managed a few CDs of MP3s and a 32GB SD card. 

20 minutes to index the contents of a player is a lifetime when you're old and I'd rather listen than die before I'm indexed, filed, stamped, briefed, debriefed or numbered.

8GB sounds like a lot of contents to change every few days unless you're a long distance lorry driver in which case swapping gloveboxed CDs is a really bad idea.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

RudyKens said:


> My car's CD player plays MP3s and my SatNav plays music on SD cards but I've so far only managed a few CDs of MP3s and a 32GB SD card.
> 
> 20 minutes to index the contents of a player is a lifetime when you're old and I'd rather listen than die before I'm indexed, filed, stamped, briefed, debriefed or numbered.
> 
> 8GB sounds like a lot of contents to change every few days unless you're a long distance lorry driver in which case swapping gloveboxed CDs is a really bad idea.


The 8gb is really pretty easy, as I do blanket loads. Beethoven and Schubert alone damn near fill the thing but I usually just select 6-10 composers and load all that I own. For example, it currently contains Glazunov, Sibelius, Glass, Mendelssohn, Albinoni, and Bruckner. Needless to say, quite often I'll load a composer and never get around to listening to them.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

cjvinthechair said:


> Sounds a good idea, but can't master lossless creation/downloads/anything (!) at all. Anyone with idiot-proof guide most welcome !


Unless you have some ultra-modern equipment, I don't think lossless formats are supported by car stereos or many portable players, so it is likely mostly for home use (playback on a computer), but it is slowly gaining ground.

Open your CD ripping program and see if you can select the output file type. There will be a mp3 setting (lossy), probably wav (same format as stored on the CD, hence lossless, but huge file) and FLAC (a compressed lossless file type).

There is another program, ffmpeg, that is free to download and use, that also rips/converts, but you will need to run it from the command line (probably a bit more tech-savvy).


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

Spotify all day! I'm just a broke college kid. I can't afford the tens of thousands of dollars in music that I listen to. I used to be a loyal iTunes paying customer but that'll break the bank quick. $10 a month I can handle.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

CDs for me (an occasionally LPs and even cassettes and at times, Youtube). The sound is generally more fuller and richer than the digital MP3 and related stuff (which can sound thinner and distorted at tuttis). Plus the physical handling of them, reading the notes, and seeing the artworks have that intimacy quality in it that I don't get utilizing MP3s and what not.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

There's really no way to generalize about what MP3s sound like. Older codecs like Frauenhofer at low bit rates can sound awful. Newer ones like AAC or LAME at 320 are indistinguishable from CD quality. My entire music server (over a year and a half's worth of music) is based on AAC 256 VBR and it has exactly the same sound as CDs, but with all of the flexibility and convenience of digital files.


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## Sudonim (Feb 28, 2013)

I resisted downloading for a while but now it's almost the only way I get music. I'll buy a CD only if it isn't available as a download. I have two 160gb iPods that are both around 30gb from being full, and that is with nearly everything at 128kbps. (And even at that lossy level it still sounds quite good to my ears, because I created my own EQ level - see *here*. To me this is absolutely essential for anyone with an iPod. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the difference it can make.)

I (seriously) listen mostly in the car - I have a 30-minute drive to and from work each day. I listen in my office too, but it's not really serious listening - I never play anything there that I'm not already pretty familiar with. I also walk for exercise in my housing addition, about 3-4 times per week, for about an hour each time and listen then.

Nearly the only listening I do online is to sample things. Sometimes if I'm on the computer I will play something from my iTunes library. (Lately it's been a Sibelius or Bruckner symphony.)


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

RudyKens said:


> I listen mainly to LPs but have several thousand CDs so am not a complete Luddite.
> 
> LPs work less well in the car though.


AH yes but 45's work in-car


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## cwarchc (Apr 28, 2012)

I listen to mostly cd's; as somebody has already mentioned, they can be very cheap if you're patient and shop around
I have a 1 to 2 hour commute (traffic dependent) every day, hence the cd's
I have some vinyl, ans some streaming.
Cd's still rule for me


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

bigshot said:


> There's really no way to generalize about what MP3s sound like. Older codecs like Frauenhofer at low bit rates can sound awful. Newer ones like AAC or LAME at 320 are indistinguishable from CD quality. My entire music server (over a year and a half's worth of music) is based on AAC 256 VBR and it has exactly the same sound as CDs, but with all of the flexibility and convenience of digital files.


<Ping!>

I still buy cd's to always have a back-up hard copy of my favorite music in case anything ever happens to my computer; well, because of that and also because of the fact that I love holding opera libretti in my hand. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.


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## Muse Wanderer (Feb 16, 2014)

My music is stored almost exclusively on external portable harddrives with backup.
I avoid lossy formats like the plague and have most of my music as flac files. 

I used to put high bitrate lossy files in my portable system and as soon as I started to use lossless the difference, although small, was immediately obvious especially on headphones. 

The music was more spacious for lack of a better word. I started to hear fine details that were muddled in lossy formats especially in complex music I was very familiar with. 

Youtube quality is too low for dedicated listening but good enough for a casual listen. Car listening is easily achieved via bluetooth connection.

My main problem is finding the time to listen to music, but that's another story.


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

Quick side note: A lot of people here are talking about listening to classical in the car. This is a really hard thing for me to enjoy. All the excess noise is toxic to classical music. Some things works such as classical and baroque pieces with less dynamic variety but for the most part I stick to non-classical in the car.


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## Muse Wanderer (Feb 16, 2014)

Dustin said:


> Quick side note: A lot of people here are talking about listening to classical in the car. This is a really hard thing for me to enjoy. All the excess noise is toxic to classical music. Some things works such as classical and baroque pieces with less dynamic variety but for the most part I stick to non-classical in the car.


You're right on that one. For me it's no problem as half my listening time is dedicated to Bach. 
In my older car baroque was also not easily appreciated without noise isolating in-ear headphones. These just eliminate everything and all you hear is just wonderful music irrespective of the noise outside. 
Don't know how safe it is to drive with no sense of hearing though.
I still use earphones to listen to music with wide-dynamic range on my newer car such as my recent listening session of Sibelius symphony cycle by Vanska / Lahti.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Marschallin Blair said:


> <Ping!>
> 
> I still buy cd's to always have a back-up hard copy of my favorite music in case anything ever happens to my computer; well, because of that and also because of the fact that I love holding opera libretti in my hand. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.


Exactly. And MP3s don't even have libretti in pdf format.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

bigshot said:


> There's really no way to generalize about what MP3s sound like. Older codecs like Frauenhofer at low bit rates can sound awful. Newer ones like AAC or LAME at 320 are indistinguishable from CD quality. My entire music server (over a year and a half's worth of music) is based on AAC 256 VBR and it has exactly the same sound as CDs, but with all of the flexibility and convenience of digital files.


Agreed on the low bitrate stuff but not on the 320 indistinguishability as my ears tell me different but ears vary with age and maybe mine are newer.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

cwarchc said:


> AH yes but 45's work in-car


Absolutely brilliant and I remember Zephyrs and Zodiacs and Z cars but not that.

If only the world was flat with flat roads and no corners.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

I still buy CDs and them put them on my iPod. At work I listen to my iPod, it's much easier than choosing CDs in the morning to take to work. At home I listen to CDs on my 20 year old stereo. I can't be bothered to sit in front of a screen on my desktop computer to watch YouTube.


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## jtbell (Oct 4, 2012)

I buy my music as CDs or lossless downloads. I've never used a streaming service. For one thing, my "DSL Lite" Internet connection is really slow: 0.75 Mbps. When I download a CD as FLAC or lossless MP4 files, it takes about an hour to download an hour's worth of music. I usually set up the downloads and then let them proceed while I'm away from my computer.

When I buy CDs, I rip them to lossless MP4 (ALAC) using the freeware XLD software on my Mac. Likewise when I want to listen to CDs that are already in my collection. When I buy downloads, they're usually in FLAC format, which I convert to lossless MP4 using the freeware Max software. 

I back up all my CD rips and purchased downloads to an external hard disk and to burned DVD-R's.


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## JasonBrenkert (Aug 13, 2013)

I listen to online radio and streaming services to discover new music and artists. When I buy, I purchase high bitrate MP3s and download to my portable devices. I have only rarely been able to tell the difference between high bitrates and lossless files. Most pieces just don't sound appreciably different. I backup all files to multiple external hard drives. I need to listen on portable devices with headphones as most of my listening occurs at night with headphones either in bed or on the couch after my daughter is asleep. I have a nice stereo, but only rarely get to listen to music on it.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

I listen mostly to CDs and Spotify with the occasional YouTube. Spotify is just so inexpensive and their library is so large I could never exhaust it in my lifetime. It's also a very good resource that has saved me a lot of money on CDs that I may or may not like. It's been an invaluable tool in helping me buy CDs of works I really want to add to my collection. The premium version of Spotify is near CD quality and I really enjoy exploring little known works and composers on it.

Kevin


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## Donata (Dec 28, 2013)

Mostly on my computer and iphone. I don't think I've listened to a CD since around 2005.


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## Fratello (May 14, 2014)

Dustin said:


> Quick side note: A lot of people here are talking about listening to classical in the car. This is a really hard thing for me to enjoy. All the excess noise is toxic to classical music. Some things works such as classical and baroque pieces with less dynamic variety but for the most part I stick to non-classical in the car.


I just can hope that they dont hit some thing while listening to music and deriving ! may they hear the music instead of listening to it ?
___________________________________

Mp3 , I also have a huge back up on my external HDD .


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

RudyKens said:


> Agreed on the low bitrate stuff but not on the 320 indistinguishability as my ears tell me different but ears vary with age and maybe mine are newer.


Or your comparison wasn't properly controlled and expectation bias threw off the results. I did a line level matched direct A/B switched comparison using several different rigs and couldn't discern any difference at all on a wide range of music. Codec matter. Frauenhofer MP3 doesn't hold a candle to AAC.

The difference, if the bitrate is low enough for a difference to exist, involves momentary artifacting. Sometimes the bitrate can cover it, and sometimes it smears over the sound. It isn't a consistent overall thing. If you think you hear an overall consistent difference in sound quality, not momentary glitches, you can be sure that you are being fooled by expectation bias. Do a blind test and the difference will disappear.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

bigshot said:


> Or your comparison wasn't properly controlled and expectation bias threw off the results. I did a line level matched direct A/B switched comparison using several different rigs and couldn't discern any difference at all on a wide range of music. Codec matter. Frauenhofer MP3 doesn't hold a candle to AAC.


Mine were properly controlled and also with several blind tests as a control in case I was just assuming that bigger bitrate must be better. As I said maybe it's just newer ears.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

bigshot said:


> Do a blind test and the difference will disappear.


Your 18:37 update on your 18:31 post obviously didn't read my response before being applied.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

Almost exclusively vinyl, I buy new and "serious" secondhand and thriftstoresecondhand elpees. A bit of youtube-streaming through iPod to try out new things or different renditions.
Gave away my cd-player and most of my cd's except a few for in the car (Atm. Carmignola playing late Vivaldi concerto's. Wonderful stuff for driving)
The terabyte of downloads sit on my old Windows-computer, unplayed, probably forever. Used to use "foobar" mediaplayer, they are all lossless or 320bitrate)

Cheers,
Jos


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

I rather listen to music from my computer hard drive as a MP3's,as for online i do not feel to safe doing it.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Mostly listen on my mp3 player, but also get about 2 hours a week while driving by myself. I normally always rip and burn a copy for playback so as to avoid possible damage to the original CD.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I mostly listen to CDs (I also still burn music to CD); that's because I listen to a lot of music in the car and my car-stereo doesn't take mp3, USB or SD card (grrr!).
At home, I also play CDs but also listen to music online - mostly from Youtube or online radio (usually BBCR3).


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

I'd rather die than listen online


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

poisoniv said:


> i'd rather die than listen online


it can not be that bad now!!!


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## samurai (Apr 22, 2011)

Mostly CDS {thru the computer and in my car CD player}, with occasional forays into *Spotify,* to sample the great music of all genres, which I'll never be able to acquire in one lifetime, even if I had the money for it.


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## Jeff W (Jan 20, 2014)

For me, CDs at home and MP3s through my iPod Classic in the car and at work.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

When I'm in my studio room, at my computer, I listen to CD files I've downloaded into i-tunes (uncompressed AIFF files, 1411 kbps). This is done either through headphones (late at night so's not to disturb my sweet thing) or through speakers. I have a radio tuner in there as well.

I also have my main surround TV system w/speakers in the main listening room.

The main room has subwoofers, so if it's something I want to really 'kick' with, like Varese or a hi-rez multi-channel SACD or DVD, I go there.

I also have another smaller computer in the main room for listening to files.

I also have a CD player in my truck, but usually always it's on the radio.

For portable listening and travel, I have several I-shuffles, and several I-pods.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I never listen to classical radio anymore; very rarely, a YouTube video. 99.9% of the time I listen to something from my extensive CD collection or 0.1% of the time, watch an opera from my DVD collection.


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

I went through a period when I was listening to a lot of music through streaming, but it doesn't beay the lossless quality of CDs. I listen to my music in lossless files ripped from CDs the majority of the time (through my computer, such as on iTunes).


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

Always from computer (iTunes) or iPod. 50% ripped from my CD collection. 50% bought from iTunes store. Unfortunately I live in a country that importation taxes are outrageous and it is hard to buy cheap classical music CD's.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Mostly CDs, at home and in car. :tiphat:


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

scratchgolf said:


> Unless I'm driving longer than an hour, I don't even bring my 160gb iPod in the car. It takes nearly 20 minutes to index all the contents before they can be accessed fully, and about 2 minutes before I can play anything. I have an 8gb iPod that I keep in the car and change its contents every few days. I always stash a few CDs away in the glovebox for "emergency listening" if my iPod goes on the fritz (unfortunately quite often).


I have a 160 gig iPod as well. However, in my iTunes library, I have made about 50 playlists. classical and sub categories, pop and pop sub categories such as hits, mellow, night BBQ, sleep, my personal "ultimate" playlists, "Best of" different artists/composers, etc, etc. I have over 350 gigs of music on my computer, so obviously I can't fit everything on my iPod.

However, unless I am adding a bunch of new music onto the iPod, I update my iPod almost every day (There are podcasts that I subscribe to so I listen to them the next day), and it takes only two or three minutes to update.

I still have a tape deck in my truck, so I have the tape adapter that connects to the earphone plug of my iPod. That's how I listen to it while driving, and it's instantaneous playback with no lag.

I buy all my classical on CD, but I download most pop music unless I can get the CD shipped to me cheaper than the download.

Unfortunately I didn't know anything about "lossless" uploading (I'm a computer moron) until I downloaded about 90% of my classical collection. And I just don't have the time to go through and RE-upload all of those CDs.

If I'm in my living room (which I prefer for classical), I only play CD's through my stereo. Otherwise, I either listen via my computer (like now) or via my iPod outside with headphones.

Can someone give me a "Reader's Digest" description of SPOTIFY that many have mentioned here? This sounds interesting. You select from a common library of music? Is it free? Can you download anything for a price? Inquiring minds want to know. Thx

V


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

More online. I rarely buy anything I haven't heard first


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

Varick said:


> Can someone give me a "Reader's Digest" description of SPOTIFY that many have mentioned here? This sounds interesting. You select from a common library of music? Is it free? Can you download anything for a price? Inquiring minds want to know. Thx
> 
> V


Spotify is a streaming music service. There is a free version that plays commercials at about 15% louder volume than the recordings you are listening to. I liked the service but couldn't stand the commericals. I tried the $4.99 a month commercial free subscription but it only streams at 198kb and only to your home PC (read NO MOBILE ACCESS). For only $9.99 a month you get near CD quality streaming to PC and mobile. It even allows you to have music downloaded for offline access to both PC and mobile devices now.

The best part of the service is the vast amount of music they have. They have entered into agreements with most major recording companies and many artists full catalogues are available to stream. Not like Pandora where you select an artist and they give you some songs by that artist and similar artists. I'm talking about full complete albums here! There classical selection is amazing but so is any other genre you may like. You like the Rolling Stones? Led Zepplin? Pink Floyd? Michael Jackson?... complete libraries of their music. You like Miles Davis, Stanley Turrentine, Louis Armstrong? Diana Krall?...complete libraries! You like Yawnnie...um I mean Yanni? John Tesh? Fourplay? Complete libraries! I could go on and on but honestly there is more music available to you than you could find in the best public library in the world. I have subscribed for over two years and have never once felt I was not getting my money's worth. The vast majority of my listening is to classical but it's nice to have the option to listen to other genres and without any annoying commercials. I would unsubscribe to Netflix before I would cancel my Spotify account!

Kevin


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Kevin Pearson said:


> For only $9.99 a month you get near CD quality streaming to PC and mobile. It even allows you to have music downloaded for offline access to both PC and mobile devices now.


Thanks Kevin.

So for $9.99/month I can download music into my iTunes Library on my computer, then download it into my iPod? I will then "own" that recording? Just want to clarify. This is anything in their library?

Also, the reason why I only buy classical in CD format is because of the sound quality. I want to be able to listen to it on my living room HiFi system with CD quality. You said "near" CD quality, but will that quality transfer from my iPod to my speakers with that quality or will there be loss?

Thanks again.

V


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

Varick said:


> Thanks Kevin.
> 
> So for $9.99/month I can download music into my iTunes Library on my computer, then download it into my iPod? I will then "own" that recording? Just want to clarify. This is anything in their library?
> 
> ...


Varick, No you won't own the music but you are basically licensing the right to listen to their online library without restrictions. They allow you to store albums, or tracks if you like, in your Spotify app for offline listening. That way you are not using up your bandwidth to stream the music. I have my PC's sound card connected to my Yamaha receiver through the digital optical output on my sound card. If you listen to an Ipod to listen to your music than you are not listening in a lossless format and actually at a lower bitrate than Spotify's stream. I would like a blindfold hearing test to see if you could tell whether you were listing to Spotify in high quality stream or your CDs or Ipod. Apples AAC is not lossless. You would have to stream Flac or Ogg to have a lossless version, which are formats Ipod does not support. I would say for sure that Spotify's stream is better than AAC on Apple products, which uses a 128kb stream. No matter what anyone says this is NOT CD quality. But neither is MP3 but at 320kb it sounds closure to CD quality than Apple's AAC encodes. At least to my ears.

Now let me say that even though I don't own the music I stream or archive from Spotify there is no way I would be happy on a $10.00 a month music purchase budget. Spotify gives me access to hundreds of thousands of complete albums with unlimited listening. I will also add that Spotify has really helped me with what CDs I do purchase because I can listen without commitment and if I find something I really really like then I buy myself a CD on Amazon. I do still prefer physical copies of my most favorite albums.

My advice is to try the service for a month and see what you think. There is no obligation to stay with them. You can cancel your subscription without hassle at any time.Google also has a similar service and there is another called MOG, which I have tried by the way, but I think Spotify has a better app and also more selection. Beats has also been advertising a service now but I have a feeling it caters more to the Rap/Hip Hop generation.

As I said in a previous post that if I had to cancel one of my subscription services Netflix would go before I would cancel Spotify. It is THAT good of a service. The only downside to Spotify is that sometimes the music is not well tagged and it takes a little work to find some albums. You might have to do a search by composer, or conductor, or artist, or even the title of a piece to find an album but I can usually track down most albums. They recently worked out a deal with Warner records, they have Universal and several other majors. My only disappointment is that they don't stream Hyperion, or Koch classical labels, but at one time they didn't have Chandos either so my hopes are high that they will eventually carry them as well.

I hope that helps.

Kevin


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Spotify is not supported by my Mac G5, so be aware of that potential problem.


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I listen to CDs 90% of the time: I own them, and enjoy reading the liner notes to refresh my memory of the times and circumstances of the pieces. The other 10% belongs to vinyl, for the same reasons. I do have a media server, and am capable of listening to internet radio. Oddly enough I use my first generation Playstation 3 for this. Not only can I watch YouTube Videos on it, it contains a SACD player on it that can automatically identify discs. Oh, and you can use the web browser to surf and post opinions on Talk Classical. Not exactly what Sony was aiming for when they designed the console.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

I use Youtube to evaluate a composer or piece I am not familiar with, in order to see if I want to buy it. 

But for serious listening, it is CD, lossless format or vinyl.

The vast majority of my music listening is done as a primary activity. I rarely listen to music as background while doing another activity, and it is done through a stereo system, not ear buds.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

I'm with you on this, 100%.


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

millionrainbows...I believe that a way round problems that can be encountered whenlistening to Spotify on a Mac, is to listen to it through the 'Browser Player' option...instead of downloading the software onto the computer itself. I read an article where this was suggested as a suitable answer to someone who owned a Mac & was experiencing difficulties with the service.
Spotify is absolutely the best thing since sliced bread, as I said last week. I use the free version & would recommend trying that out first to see what a fabulous resource it is...& then when/if you decide to pay for the Premium, you'll know why it was worth it...as by then you'll hate those Ads! Actually, I've learnt to live with them now & can ignore them so much better as a result of my enormous gratitude & appreciation for the free use of a humdinger of a website!


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## Le Beau Serge (May 17, 2014)

I am a new collector of music and not having had a computer or internet before now, I didn't have the chance to listen online. I do check things out on YouTube or Spotify et al. Those sites being great and all I find the "blind buy" part of the fun in learning. 

If I had stuck to only listening to what I thought I liked then I wouldn't have half the CDs in my small collection. Don't be afraid to take chances!

As for my listening it's done via computer but the CDs are copied to the computer and played via iTunes.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Kevin Pearson said:


> Varick, No you won't own the music but you are basically licensing the right to listen to their online library without restrictions. They allow you to store albums, or tracks if you like, in your Spotify app for offline listening. That way you are not using up your bandwidth to stream the music. I have my PC's sound card connected to my Yamaha receiver through the digital optical output on my sound card. If you listen to an Ipod to listen to your music than you are not listening in a lossless format and actually at a lower bitrate than Spotify's stream. I would like a blindfold hearing test to see if you could tell whether you were listing to Spotify in high quality stream or your CDs or Ipod. Apples AAC is not lossless. You would have to stream Flac or Ogg to have a lossless version, which are formats Ipod does not support. I would say for sure that Spotify's stream is better than AAC on Apple products, which uses a 128kb stream. No matter what anyone says this is NOT CD quality. But neither is MP3 but at 320kb it sounds closure to CD quality than Apple's AAC encodes. At least to my ears.
> 
> I hope that helps.
> 
> Kevin


It helps a lot.

To clarify, I listen to classical music in my living room via my speakers ONLY with CDs. I asked if it would play "Near CD quality" via my iPod on the hypothetical that I could download via Spotify to my iPod, and THEN, through my living room stereo system. But you answered and explained how that scenario would HAVE TO play out if I were so inclined. Thank you once again.

V

PS: I gave up on Netflix last year. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I regularly watch movies (about 3 or 4 a month), and Netflix has a very crappy "Streaming" selection. I use Amazon (Prime member), and Vudu for that.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

Varick,

I would try the Spotify app and use a stereo adapter to bring the sound out of my headphone jack on the Ipod and into the RCA jacks or auxiliary input on your stereo receiver and see what you think about the sound. Trying the free version would at least allow you to see the vast library available and if you like it then subscribe. The free version is only 160kbs so it is only half the sound quality of the mobile version. Now to non-discriminating ears that may be just fine but honestly I think people spend much more money on things that are not very rewarding and $9.99 a month is a steal for the quality of service and the vast library you will have access to. I think that if you have the ability to modify the equalization on your stereo you could get pretty close to CD quality sound. Another option, and I don't know if it's available for Ipod, was a tribute version of the Winamp player that streams your Spotify playlist. Winamp has an equalizer and does a good job of adjusting sound quality. The limitation to using the Winamp version of Spotify is it only allows access to your playlists. You cannot search their library. Anyway, I think you would be pleasantly surprised at the quality and selection of music. More than you could ever listen to in one lifetime that's for sure!

Kevin


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I listen exclusively to my own CD collection and once in a while I watch an opera from my DVD collection.

Classical radio, never. Online, rarely.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I almost listen to CDs exclusively.


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## Svelte Silhouette (Nov 7, 2013)

I only do radio in the car. 

I prefer doing the choosing and hate hate hate Classic FM who can't even manage their choosing without it being a dose of pick'n'mix sweeties.

Even Radio 3 are doing the Bach's down 2 places this week shenanigans.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

In the car, my radio is pre-tuned to the oldies station-pop hits from the 1950's-1980's.

I LOVE that stuff!!!!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Folks, I haven't had a chance to read this entire thread, but I wanted to mention while I have a connection that I discovered a deal breaker for Spotify -- at least for me. 

I was listening to Shostakovich Symphony No. 2 "October" conducted by Gergiev. This is a continuous work in three movements without a break. The 1st and 2nd movement have a long held double bass note connecting them. While the gap between the movements on playback was minuscule, scarcely noticeable, there was a sudden and profound drop in volume in the double bass note between movements. This means Spotify is compressing or normalizing individual tracks so that the quiet gentle tracks will be just as loud as the more violent tracks. 

And that ain't cool, not even for non-classical. So no premium Spotify for me. I may use it to preview only.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

U mm. .. did you go into settings and turn on gapless playback? Because I don't hear what you're talking about. 

Kevin


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Look at this! A whole 6-page thread that went by while I was on vacation. 

I will subscribe to spotify almost the instant it becomes available in South Korea, and until then I'll listen to my CDs. In fact, I love my CDs!


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Kevin Pearson said:


> U mm. .. did you go into settings and turn on gapless playback? Because I don't hear what you're talking about.
> 
> Kevin


Gapless isn't the issue for me. They seem to be normalizing individual movements so it's not a smooth volume transition. I'll try listening again, but it seemed quite pronounced in that Shostakovich recording. This is the premium version that is supposed to be better sound quality if that makes a difference..


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## SARDiver (Jan 6, 2014)

To answer the OP's question:

I buy CDs then push them onto the iPhone and PC. The recent exception has been the "Rise of the Masters" MP3 collection on Amazon that I have in electronic form only. I like that CDs have no real compression, but I love the convenience of the iPhone. If I really want to do the music justice, it goes into the living room sound system in CD form.


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## marktaber (Jun 5, 2014)

Streaming for me now (pay for Beats...checking out the "curated" playlists, including classical), Spotify (far superior catalog in the US for classical), and considering Naxos streaming (thumbs up? thumbs down?). Subjected my aged ears to ABX testing, and I'm comfortable with good lossy encodes.


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