High Bandwith Generation
Discussion
Me and a mate were discussing the other day about how we think that the High-Bandwith age we live in has devalued our music and photography experiences. For instance, on a night out my mate might take 50-60 photos, the next day I'll be sent them over MSN and barely look at them, had they been "real" I would really have enjoyed them.
The same goes for music, I have 8 days worth of music on my PC and its usually on all the time im in my room, had it been on CD I would have been interested in it and enjoyed it more.
Anyone else think so too?
Ben
The same goes for music, I have 8 days worth of music on my PC and its usually on all the time im in my room, had it been on CD I would have been interested in it and enjoyed it more.
Anyone else think so too?
Ben
I find the same with digital photos, i've lost a whole holidays worth somewhere (no idea how) - such a shame because i have all 35mm snaps. Which is why my next camera will probably be 35mm again, i'm too lazy to store them on DVD or something and don't want to lose them. If you're not so lazy it's not a problem.
For instance i have over 3000 tracks on iTunes but i still get excited by new music and go and buy CDs when i can afford them, because i'm so into music i make the effort of listening to whole albums and buying new albums etc so iTunes doesn't dilute my enjoyment - it adds to it.
TBH i think music/photo managment on PCs has a fair way to go and as it gets better frustration with it will lessen.
Cheers,
Rob.
For instance i have over 3000 tracks on iTunes but i still get excited by new music and go and buy CDs when i can afford them, because i'm so into music i make the effort of listening to whole albums and buying new albums etc so iTunes doesn't dilute my enjoyment - it adds to it.
TBH i think music/photo managment on PCs has a fair way to go and as it gets better frustration with it will lessen.
Cheers,
Rob.
It's easier to find media like music or pictures on a computer, than physically somewhere in the house.
I don't buy music online, because I don't like the limitations involved. But I buy CDs which I rip to the harddisk, and then store them in the loft. Compressed music is easier to manage, especially when the collection comprises 750 albums.
I have a small 3MP camera, which I always carry with me. I take around 400 shots per month, which I collect on my computer. They're easy to explore, since they have a description information and date in their EXIF tag. It's like a picture diary.
Years ago, I only used a 35mm SLR camera with which I barely made 30 pictures per month, and another three month to develop them. I nearly never shared them, because it was too much hassle involved.
I don't buy music online, because I don't like the limitations involved. But I buy CDs which I rip to the harddisk, and then store them in the loft. Compressed music is easier to manage, especially when the collection comprises 750 albums.
I have a small 3MP camera, which I always carry with me. I take around 400 shots per month, which I collect on my computer. They're easy to explore, since they have a description information and date in their EXIF tag. It's like a picture diary.
Years ago, I only used a 35mm SLR camera with which I barely made 30 pictures per month, and another three month to develop them. I nearly never shared them, because it was too much hassle involved.
I guess its relative, how many old people do you hear complaining about modern life.
I wonder how they felt when polaroid brought out their first instant camera, or when television was invented (devaluating theatre i guess).
I reckon our kids are going to scoff at our gigabytes of mp3s and 1mb internet connections.
You are right though, media is everywhere now, in almost every possible form, however, most of it is crap and has little value (just look at how many watchable channels there are on sky for instance). If anything being saturated like this just increases our a standards.
I wonder how they felt when polaroid brought out their first instant camera, or when television was invented (devaluating theatre i guess).
I reckon our kids are going to scoff at our gigabytes of mp3s and 1mb internet connections.
You are right though, media is everywhere now, in almost every possible form, however, most of it is crap and has little value (just look at how many watchable channels there are on sky for instance). If anything being saturated like this just increases our a standards.
Tactility is half the pleasure. I don't download much music because I can't hold it in my hand and look at the artwork, or read the liner notes.
Also, my CD player is nicely styled and unobtrusive. My computer is a sodding ugly great big silver box. I know which one I like my music to come out of.
There's something sterile about computers for some reason - and everything that happens on them is somehow subject to that sterility. Same goes for cars stuffed to the gunwhales with computers for everything.
Also, my CD player is nicely styled and unobtrusive. My computer is a sodding ugly great big silver box. I know which one I like my music to come out of.
There's something sterile about computers for some reason - and everything that happens on them is somehow subject to that sterility. Same goes for cars stuffed to the gunwhales with computers for everything.
Twincam16 said:
Tactility is half the pleasure. I don't download much music because I can't hold it in my hand and look at the artwork, or read the liner notes.
Also, my CD player is nicely styled and unobtrusive. My computer is a sodding ugly great big silver box. I know which one I like my music to come out of.
There's something sterile about computers for some reason - and everything that happens on them is somehow subject to that sterility. Same goes for cars stuffed to the gunwhales with computers for everything.
Reminds of when people used to (and still) claim vinyl is some how better than CD, when in reality it is not (A CD can perfectly replicate that authentic vinyl "sound"
Computers are very good at hiding work from you, they do lots and lots of work, but it isnt really tangible is it (can't see moving parts, it seems to do everything nearly instantly, etc) Thus we lose the feeling of interaction we get from say, a mechanical device, were we can appreciate it working, because we can see it.
or quite possibly im talking out of my arse, and drinking too much coffee.
>> Edited by scorp on Thursday 9th June 19:13
scorp said:
Reminds of when people used to (and still) claim vinyl is some how better than CD, when in reality it is not (A CD can perfectly replicate that authentic vinyl "sound"
Nope, if you had a perfect record deck/needle and a perfect record the sound would be better than CD as it has the full range of sounds and is fully analogue as opposed to sampled. I obviously appreciate that this is invariably not the case but the few times i've heard vinyl out of a really good deck i'm convinced i can tell the difference and it is a better, "fuller" sound. They say that CD only takes away those frequencies that the human ear can't pick up anyway, but i'm sure it makes a difference...
Cheers,
Rob.
Twincam16 said:
Tactility is half the pleasure. I don't download much music because I can't hold it in my hand and look at the artwork, or read the liner notes.
Also, my CD player is nicely styled and unobtrusive. My computer is a sodding ugly great big silver box. I know which one I like my music to come out of.
There's something sterile about computers for some reason - and everything that happens on them is somehow subject to that sterility. Same goes for cars stuffed to the gunwhales with computers for everything.
What if you're music is stored digitally but still comes out through a hi-fi?
I use my ipod to store all my tunes and play them through a Bose stereo system. You can't fault the quality and it's a superb way of accessing 1000's of songs at the touch of a button - plus everyone (except my gf) knows how to operate an ipod so when people are round they can just peruse my music and choose different music, if I allow them!
I listen to much more music and take far more photos and videos now that they are easily accessible and editable on the pc / ipod etc.
I never enjoyed walkmans, far too bulky and fiddly with making and changing tapes and cds all the time. Photos just ended up in the loft and forgotten about. Plus the fact that you never saw the picture unless you get it developed 3 weeks later.
As far as I'm concerned, all this new stuff is the dog's donuts.
I never enjoyed walkmans, far too bulky and fiddly with making and changing tapes and cds all the time. Photos just ended up in the loft and forgotten about. Plus the fact that you never saw the picture unless you get it developed 3 weeks later.
As far as I'm concerned, all this new stuff is the dog's donuts.
Having heard a few "high end" turntables and owning some "REAL" Hi-Fi i can honestly say that the sound of a good deck with a good recording is superb! The sound is enveloping and some have called it "creamy". A good CD spinner or Transport/DAC combo gets very close to that ideal but adds a cleaner "top end". As for BOSE systems. SOME of their speakers are well considered, but I'd be doubtful of the capabilities of a "lossy" system(MP3) even in a good Hi-Fi setup. As for Computer audio, Well good digital sound requires an RFI "free" environment, hence the use of Non-ferrous metals and shielded components in Hi end kit. A computer is not that environment. The various cables inside and steel chassis make it a RFI nightmare. The more RFI the "flatter" the sound becomes.
>> Edited by telecat on Friday 10th June 09:22
>> Edited by telecat on Friday 10th June 09:22
telecat said:
As for BOSE systems. SOME of their speakers are well considered, but I'd be doubtful of the capabilities of a "lossy" system(MP3) even in a good Hi-Fi setup.
Luckliy for my wallet I'm not an audiophile. The Bose system sounds great (to me) and is so compact it doesn't take over the lounge.
Before I bought I chatted to a guy in a hifi shop and asked him to spec a system for the same money - he said it would sound miles better than the Bose (which I don't doubt) but the number of components and speakers would have turned my lounge into a recording studio which I wasn't keen on!
Horses for courses I guess.
Rob_F said:
They say that CD only takes away those frequencies that the human ear can't pick up anyway, but i'm sure it makes a difference...
Cheers,
Rob.
I hear people say this a lot, but I just can't get my head round it - if you ear can't pick it up, it won't affect your listening at all.
However, perhaps what CDs remove is the bits the average person can't hear, hence some people who have a greater range of hearing than the average can notice a difference? I'd love to hear a proper (scientific) explanation though.
I should also point out that my hearing is pretty bad, so I'm happy with MP3 over a reasonable quality amp/speakers - I honestly can't tell the difference between that and top end kit, but that I'm sure is due to my hearing
MP3 compressed audio played back through a hi-fi amplifier and speaker system is a big no-no. At anything less than 256kbit/s you simply can't listen to it because of the crippled dynamic range and quantisation noise / compression artifacts. 256kbit/s or above it's tolerable, but a well mastered CD blows it out the water. Then pull out a nice piece of well mastered vinyl and it'll stand the hairs up on the back of your neck with a depth, richness and smoothness that CD just cannot attain. I also have a DVD-Audio player (96kHz and 24bits per sample I think) - it's better than CD but it's not vinyl.
Listening to MP3 via PC speakers it invariably OK as they aren't that good. Even with a rather nice 5.1 system on my PC and an Audigy sound card (>100dB s/n) they sound OK. I think that's part of the reason they sound good on some Bose systems such as the lifestyle ones with the cube high-range and the hidden sub. Can't say these things sounds very good TBH. All highs, all lows - Must be Bose...!
Listening to MP3 via PC speakers it invariably OK as they aren't that good. Even with a rather nice 5.1 system on my PC and an Audigy sound card (>100dB s/n) they sound OK. I think that's part of the reason they sound good on some Bose systems such as the lifestyle ones with the cube high-range and the hidden sub. Can't say these things sounds very good TBH. All highs, all lows - Must be Bose...!
Rob_F said:
Reminds of when people used to (and still) claim vinyl is some how better than CD, when in reality it is not (A CD can perfectly replicate that authentic vinyl "sound"
Nope, if you had a perfect record deck/needle and a perfect record the sound would be better than CD as it has the full range of sounds and is fully analogue as opposed to sampled. I obviously appreciate that this is invariably not the case but the few times i've heard vinyl out of a really good deck i'm convinced i can tell the difference and it is a better, "fuller" sound. They say that CD only takes away those frequencies that the human ear can't pick up anyway, but i'm sure it makes a difference...
Cheers,
Rob.
Sorry to be a tech-nazi but the removal of frequencies is something MP3 does, CD sampling is 1-to-1 with no lossy conversion.
Digital music is still a compromise when it comes to analogue instruments. There will always be a point where your binary transition isn't quite right. With a high end deck, you are reproducing the original analogue, not recreating it as a binary expression. IMO a good turntable will sound better than the eqauivalent digital medium.
But, if the original music was produced electronically then I think a good DAC of whatever sort will sound better. A lot of it is down to the type of music you listen to.
But, if the original music was produced electronically then I think a good DAC of whatever sort will sound better. A lot of it is down to the type of music you listen to.
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