How do you listen to music these days? (Page 1 of 3)

**Phil Bishop** · 2012-04-09 17:16:43

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Topic: How do you listen to music these days?

Over the last couple of days I have "rediscovered" Spotify. I have the premium subscription as the kids use it for their iPods meaning I seldom buy music for them.

I went off Spotify a year or so ago when streaming to the ATV I had at the time resulted in some distortion which I never resolved. However, I now have a simpler set up streaming to an AEX and this sounds fine. In fact it sounds so good and there is so much music available I am wondering if I really need anything else?

The rediscovery of Spotify coupled with a big on-going house sort out with boxes of CDs and records everywhere makes me wonder is there really any point these days in holding on to physical media such as records, CDs, etc.

Just wondering if anyone else has made the leap yet into ditching all the physical media?

Cheers

Phil

**mclog** · 2012-04-09 17:23:58

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Don't you need to keep the physical media to be "legit"?

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**dBerriff** · 2012-04-09 17:25:50

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Charity shops in Douglas still like CDs as they tell me they sell well; however, some CDs with rarity value are listed at quite high prices on Amazon, for instance, so it might be worth checking before you give them away.

There is of course the (even more) dubious legal position regarding any rips if you have sold the source CDs. I have, for the time being, bought some cheap storage from B&Q and put the ones I value up in the loft. The weight does add up, but nothing like LPs.

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**nick21** · 2012-04-09 17:28:42

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Phil we use Cd's,Spotify(free)and streaming from my iPod Touch. Jackie is still to learn how to stream (she can't be bothered).

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**steve_1979** · 2012-04-09 17:48:25

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

My music listening time is split about 40% on my Walkman and 60% on the Neutrons.

At home I mostly listen to my own music collection (about 2800 tracks ripped from CD's) but I still use Spotify occasionally. When I'm out and about I have my entire music collection stored as 320kbps MP3's on my Walkman.

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**Phil Bishop** · 2012-04-09 17:55:30

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

mclog wrote:

Don't you need to keep the physical media to be "legit"?

mclog,

Not if you are using Spotify as your sole source (as far as I understand it). The thing is Spotify seems to have almost everything these days.

Phil

Last edited by Phil Bishop (2012-04-09 17:55:52)

**T.B. Hansen** · 2012-04-09 17:59:14

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

My wife, who was very reluctant to throw away the CD player a few years ago, now only use iTunes wireless from her Mac. She tried out Spotify, but like me she found it awkward.

Myself I use iTunes mostly, but after buying a new turntable I also play old LPs, and even singles occasionally — but I really can't stand neither the handling of records nor the sound.

I would probably have gone through the CD shelves to see what's still un-ripped, but the disc lot on my MBP is warped after a the big airport escalator accident some years ago...

As I find Spotify awkward, I mostly use YouTube for checking out new (and old) music.

Streaming to ADMs via Apple TV, or my bedroom Mackies via AirPort Express, or using headphones plugged into the Mac. My plans for getting a good pair of closed headphones for use with the Matrix in the living room, are postponed...

My wife find headphones annoying, so for the occasional listening to samples from YouTube or iTunes Music Store, she just use the speakers in her laptop...

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**WinterRacer** · 2012-04-09 18:11:24

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Accidental post...

Last edited by WinterRacer (2012-04-09 18:19:00)

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**Ashley James** · 2012-04-09 18:15:19

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

I didn't find it very nice to use either so deleted it.

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**dave97** · 2012-04-09 18:17:52

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

All CDs in carrier bags upstairs ripped to iTunes played via the mac to ADMs, or streamed to the two other systems. Use Spotify to check out new music. New music via the iTunes store or, very occasionally, second hand via amazon (but I find that deeply frustrating!)

Still can't make up my mind if it is worth me paying for Spotify premium

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**WinterRacer** · 2012-04-09 18:18:34

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

I have a free spotify account, but rarely use it. I've avoided going premium as I think I might cancel the subscription one day and then wish I'd used all the money spent at Spotify buying music I could keep.

Most of my listening is to music I own via my Squeezebox in the lounge, sat at the computer, my iPod Touch or to BBC 6 music (at home or in the car).

CDs all ripped, cases thrown away and the disks stored in cases in the loft.

Last edited by WinterRacer (2012-04-09 18:20:05)

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**fr0g** · 2012-04-09 18:19:14

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

80% Spotify through Squeezebox or PC or phone, the rest, my collection and internet radio (thanks to whoever suggested Radio Paradise...it's excellent). I listen to Spotify even if I own the album. Worth the tenner, no problem, I would pay double if that's what it cost.
Before I signed up I bought around 4 or 5 CDs a month. Say £30-£40
Now it's no more than 1.
There are 100's of CDs in my collection that have been listened to less than once, once or twice, or maybe 3 or 4 times. I would say most albums get forgotten after a few weeks.
Now I do that listen and forget through Spotify (and briefly WiMP). Saves me a fortune.
Every now and then I buy a CD, or a FLAC download from Boomkat or similar.

Every now and then I fire up the CD player and do it old-skool for a bit of relaxation, booklet in hand
I may even buy a record player at some point for the 20 or so chunks of vinyl I still own...nothing esoteric mind, a £50 usb one would do.

Last edited by fr0g (2012-04-09 18:20:52)

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**Ashley James** · 2012-04-09 18:42:43

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Apple TV and the Cloud almost exclusively.

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**Darren** · 2012-04-09 18:45:44

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

I only use Spotify when sat at a desktop.

In the main I play from a Mac Mini using Remote App on iPad or iPhone.

The girlfriend streams direct from iPad to AEX.

**nik** · 2012-04-09 18:52:02

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

iTunes via apple tv or an iPod of some sort through a doc

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**Phil Bishop** · 2012-04-09 19:05:36

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

fr0g's post is interesting. If you can detach yourself from the aspect of owning the physical media, there is no reason why Spotify cannot do it all. I think Spotify Premium is 300-400 kbps (or whatever it is) and I can't fault the SQ. The selection is amazing and the search facility gives you so many other ideas. For a completely clutter-free set up ADMs plus Spotify Premium must be the best solution out there?

Phil

Last edited by Phil Bishop (2012-04-09 21:19:29)

**Bialykot** · 2012-04-09 19:27:06

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Similar to fr0g, used to buy one or two CDs per month, but ripped 700 or 800 of these onto a NAS (lossless), subscribed to the HQ Spotify service and bought a Sonos. My listening is about 20% NAS, 50% Spotify and 30% radio broadcasts (eg BBC 3 HD, Radio Mozart, Linn Radio, Bartok Radio or Bar Legend). I do think the monthly tenner spent on Spotify is well worth it.

**Bull.ed** · 2012-04-09 19:33:53

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Vinyl for the old stuff not available by other means, and iTunes downloads and rips for the rest. I have very, very few CD's and use optical disc mainly for moving stuff around, sharing between friends and archiving. I do Borrow & Burn a lot though.

I also have some old 1/2"master tapes from work, mainly recorded on a portable Nagra IV-S and Studer gear. Don't know where they are stored at the moment though.

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iTunes = 1,534 albums (407.4MB)

Phil,

Is the frUg thing a subtle reference to Joe's Garage, i.e. "Fruging too hard on meeeeeee", or a reference to the dance craze of the 60's?

**Darren** · 2012-04-09 19:35:51

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Phil Bishop wrote:

For a completely clutter-free set up ADMs plus Spotify Premium must be the best solution out there?

It depends.

For many Spotify is a keyboard/mouse interface, so not suitable for the living room, although Spotify does now integrate with Sonos and Squeezebox.

**Bull.ed** · 2012-04-09 19:36:45

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Oh, just to add, radio is frequent and random, especially in the car - I like to hunt the airwaves - pot luck is great fun - it's an old habit which is hard to kick. Internet radio is a big part of it.

**nick21** · 2012-04-09 19:48:47

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

I also use Internet radio mostly Radio Paradise and ShoutCast for a few stations (Blues,Jazz and Avro Klassiek Film) to name a few.

Nick

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**steve_1979** · 2012-04-09 20:33:01

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Bialykot wrote:

Radio Mozart

I didn't know that this one existed.

What a great find. Thanks Bialykot.

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**Phil Bishop** · 2012-04-09 21:22:24

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Bull.ed wrote:

Phil,
Is the frUg thing a subtle reference to Joe's Garage, i.e. "Fruging too hard on meeeeeee", or a reference to the dance craze of the 60's?

Sorry Bull.ed, It's a subtle reference to my failing eyesight Without my reading glasses (or the font set bigger on my iMac) fr0g looks like frug (the "u" with an umlaut). So apologies to fr0g for that too!

Cheers

Phil

**fr0g** · 2012-04-10 04:32:08

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

Phil Bishop wrote:

Bull.ed wrote:
Phil,
Is the frUg thing a subtle reference to Joe's Garage, i.e. "Fruging too hard on meeeeeee", or a reference to the dance craze of the 60's?
Sorry Bull.ed, It's a subtle reference to my failing eyesight Without my reading glasses (or the font set bigger on my iMac) fr0g looks like frug (the "u" with an umlaut). So apologies to fr0g for that too!
Cheers
Phil

That's okay Phil, I kind of like it anyway

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**downbeat** · 2012-04-10 08:30:27

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Re: How do you listen to music these days?

i don't seem able to get on with spotify for some reason, not sure why. even if i did i wouldn't get rid of my cds, what if spotify lose the support of the record labels and go tits up? 99% of my listening is cds ripped to itunes, 1% internet radio.

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How do you listen to music these days? (Page 1 of 3)

Posts [ 1 to 25 of 57 ]

1 Topic by Phil Bishop 2012-04-09 17:16:43

Topic: How do you listen to music these days?

2 Reply by mclog 2012-04-09 17:23:58

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

3 Reply by dBerriff 2012-04-09 17:25:50

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

4 Reply by nick21 2012-04-09 17:28:42

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

5 Reply by steve_1979 2012-04-09 17:48:25

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

6 Reply by Phil Bishop 2012-04-09 17:55:30

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

7 Reply by T.B. Hansen 2012-04-09 17:59:14

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

8 Reply by WinterRacer 2012-04-09 18:11:24

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

9 Reply by Ashley James 2012-04-09 18:15:19

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

10 Reply by dave97 2012-04-09 18:17:52

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

11 Reply by WinterRacer 2012-04-09 18:18:34

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

12 Reply by fr0g 2012-04-09 18:19:14

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

13 Reply by Ashley James 2012-04-09 18:42:43

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

14 Reply by Darren 2012-04-09 18:45:44

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

15 Reply by nik 2012-04-09 18:52:02

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

16 Reply by Phil Bishop 2012-04-09 19:05:36

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

17 Reply by Bialykot 2012-04-09 19:27:06

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

18 Reply by Bull.ed 2012-04-09 19:33:53

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

19 Reply by Darren 2012-04-09 19:35:51

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

20 Reply by Bull.ed 2012-04-09 19:36:45

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

21 Reply by nick21 2012-04-09 19:48:47

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

22 Reply by steve_1979 2012-04-09 20:33:01

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

23 Reply by Phil Bishop 2012-04-09 21:22:24

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

24 Reply by fr0g 2012-04-10 04:32:08

Re: How do you listen to music these days?

That's okay Phil, I kind of like it anyway

25 Reply by downbeat 2012-04-10 08:30:27

Re: How do you listen to music these days?