CDs: Bridging The Gap

THE HINDERANCE OF QUALITY

I am very proud of my CD collection. I have been adding to it for years, perusing used catalogues to my hearts content. Although I am guilty of abusing them by leaving them, uncased, around my car and the like, I absolutely cherish them.

The only reasons I don't buy vinyl are obvious: they're expensive, and only recently have turntables of whatever quality been injected into the market.

(Now, I am no market expert, so take any technicalities I add with a grain of salt. Better yet, start on a salt lick while you're at it.)

As far as quality is concerned, I would go for vinyls all the way. Analog is natural, whereas digital is imitation. Digital as a concept deals with 1s and 0s--highs and lows. Digital, as a result, can only mimic the quality of analog to a point. It may sound the same, but I theorize the experience itself suffers for it.

But, hey: CDs are portable (love it), and, production quality aside, they aren't processed at so "mediocre" a bit-rate as digital songs you buy, where you can only blast the music so loud before the volume reveals the horrendous losses.

Again, maybe you can buy high-quality digital files. I don't know. Because I import my CDs to the best bit-rates possible, I'm sure others have done the same thing with more questionable intentions.

I love the hunt.

I love quality I can take anyway.

I love quality I can even downsize if I so desire it.

THE 80s

If you have read any of my other articles, its quite likely you have heard me mention my love for 80s music. Honestly, another reason I collect CDs I suppose is because I am a sucker for old tech, and--outside of vinyl--CDs were the way to go for marketing much of the music I adore.

I find myself so thankful I am living in this era, though, for numerous reasons.

1) I buy only used CDs (the worst you'll get is scuffed packaging, really), so all the old farts (just kidding--lmao) really don't dig or appreciate their CDs as much anymore, so Yahoo for Me!! \m/, <3 B'D

2) As I mentioned above, I have been on a journey of years now, hunting down CDs. Perhaps even a decade, as I consider the notion. That's probably a minimum. Fortune has favored me most of the time, too, so I have always found neat things to buy. And, because I go used, my cost is very minimal. I even shop thrift!!

3) I just have to say--WOW--thank God people ditch all the cool stuff!!!

CASSETTE TAPES

Speaking of thrift, I have dabbled in 10 or so cassettes. Of course, being analog technology, the years have worn them down, and the natural death of materials causes audio quality to hamper as a result. But it's always funny listening to "Awaken The Giant Within" and hearing Tony talking from a sound booth in Hell. XD

I do have a few that I bought that were reissues, though--like "1999", "Purple Rain", and a few others. So I'm looking forward to busting those out at some point.

I love music, I love analog, I appreciate digital (particularly CDs). I love high sound quality and basking even deeper and harder in the absolutely lovely experience of coloring my thoughts and conceptions in pictures and ideas and tunes.

[CONCLUSION]

I'll just say that, unless you are an audiophile, any way to listen to music is a worthwhile one. My biggest issue is that there are so many songs that don't play on the radio because the radio is, unfortunately, a more or less commercial affair.

Commercialism, for the artists, is beneficial. It allows them to earn from their work and gifts and live their lives in peace (which is still a day-by-day thing to live and aspire to, of course).

Commercialism, when it comes to current times, isn't able to show appreciate and respect for the albums as a whole. Because whole albums, in my eyes, are inherently worth something.

Maybe some albums are just chock full of manipulated, cookie-cutter hits. I'm not privy to that.

All I know is, in the 80s, where my heart lies, I have such an indelible love for albums, and an appreciation for the magic that they, collective, aspire to offer.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

THANK YOU FOR READING, AND GO LISTEN TO A NEW ALBUM (NO MATTER HOW OLD IT IS)!!! \m/, B']

\m/. ~ The Z-Man ~ .\m/