MQA scam exposed

[Macca]

You can buy CDs for a fiver delivered, that's an album a week for the same cost as the streaming provider.

You get to choose which mastering you want, like the original release instead of whatever overly-compressed re-master they they foist on you. Or one that MQA has mangled up as per the O/P.

Internet goes down you still have music.

Streaming service goes broke, you still have music.

Artist withdraws their material from the service, you still have all their albums.

One new album a week is plenty if you like to get properly acquainted with a record rather than just try to consume as much music as you can. And 90% of music is rubbish anyway.

But everyone - stick with streaming music it's keeping the price of CD down for the rest of us

[Barry]

+1 to all of the above! You can't beat having a physical hard copy - the only drawback is finding enough storage space.

[willbewill]

+1 to all of the above! You can't beat having a physical hard copy - the only drawback is finding enough storage space.

Plus the artists get a bit more dosh, especially if they are self releasing

[Silent]

You can buy CDs for a fiver delivered, that's an album a week for the same cost as the streaming provider.

You get to choose which mastering you want, like the original release instead of whatever overly-compressed re-master they they foist on you. Or one that MQA has mangled up as per the O/P.

Internet goes down you still have music.

Streaming service goes broke, you still have music.

Artist withdraws their material from the service, you still have all their albums.

One new album a week is plenty if you like to get properly acquainted with a record rather than just try to consume as much music as you can. And 90% of music is rubbish anyway.

But everyone - stick with streaming music it's keeping the price of CD down for the rest of us

I fully agree. I've been bolstering my collection for the last few years and it's impossible to deny the quality difference. I also like having the physical copy, something about opening it and having the CD in your hands and in your collection. I'm no luddite, I've tried and tested all the streamer services, currently use a Zen streamer and Spotify on my mobile constantly, but CD wins every time for me.

I've noticed several songs and albums over time being removed from Spotify and multiple Tidal exclusives, it just starts to rub against the grain after a while.

I know what you mean about an album a week, I feel much more of a connection and responsibility to listen to the whole record as opposed to only streaming the single from it and that has its own rewards, you're more than likely going to find a gem of a track you wouldn't have heard otherwise.

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[AJSki2fly]

I fully agree. I've been bolstering my collection for the last few years and it's impossible to deny the quality difference. I also like having the physical copy, something about opening it and having the CD in your hands and in your collection. I'm no luddite, I've tried and tested all the streamer services, currently use a Zen streamer and Spotify on my mobile constantly, but CD wins every time for me.

I've noticed several songs and albums over time being removed from Spotify and multiple Tidal exclusives, it just starts to rub against the grain after a while.

I know what you mean about an album a week, I feel much more of a connection and responsibility to listen to the whole record as opposed to only streaming the single from it and that has its own rewards, you're more than likely going to find a gem of a track you wouldn't have heard otherwise.

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

Completely agree, been to digital and back again from early CD days. If I am listening properly it is LP, then CD and general casual listening is streaming. Occasionally I come across a good SQ streaming track, but not that often, possibly too much noise and external infrastructure issues as it is today, may explain why those that are happy with streaming end up spending lots on it, theoretically it should not need to be that way. Why is that I wonder?


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[Lawrence001]

Good job I bought a Meridian 508 the other week as I was down to an Arcam Alpha 7SE on the CDP front

[AJSki2fly]

Good job I bought a Meridian 508 the other week as I was down to an Arcam Alpha 7SE on the CDP front

Great choice, I sold mine to upgrade speakers as I wasn’t using it much (probably a silly mistake).

In case you don’t know they can be prone to laser mech locking up and getting read errors, this is usually caused by the grease on the laser guide going hard around 10-15 years. Sometimes no damage is done and simply removing the laser mechanism and regressing with the right grease sorts. However my advice would be to hunt out a replacement laser mechanism for it and keep as backup in the draw, they were around £30-40

[PRYML]

I fully agree. I've been bolstering my collection for the last few years and it's impossible to deny the quality difference. I also like having the physical copy, something about opening it and having the CD in your hands and in your collection. I'm no luddite, I've tried and tested all the streamer services, currently use a Zen streamer and Spotify on my mobile constantly, but CD wins every time for me.

I've noticed several songs and albums over time being removed from Spotify and multiple Tidal exclusives, it just starts to rub against the grain after a while.

I know what you mean about an album a week, I feel much more of a connection and responsibility to listen to the whole record as opposed to only streaming the single from it and that has its own rewards, you're more than likely going to find a gem of a track you wouldn't have heard otherwise.

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

I concur. I'm basically using streaming to discover more music and once I've decided what I'd like long-term, I hunt for the CD, if not the SACD; recently got a new Marantz SACD 30n to play with.

With Qobuz, I can buy "Hi-Res" downloads to use without restriction as well.

[Silent]

I concur. I'm basically using streaming to discover more music and once I've decided what I'd like long-term, I hunt for the CD, if not the SACD; recently got a new Marantz SACD 30n to play with.

With Qobuz, I can buy "Hi-Res" downloads to use without restriction as well.

I do the exact same thing, I've used Spotify to find about 25% of my collection tbh.

Just out of interest, how much do you pay for your average SACD? And where would you suggest getting them?

My Sony UHD player plays them as it turns out but I refuse to pay £30 for a CD I already have and have ripped to uncompressed WAV...

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[Macca]

Before buying the SACD check the DR database. Many rock/pop SACD masterings have far less dynamic range than the CD issue. Although you still might prefer the mastering for SACD despite that I suppose.