HMV Reopening?

YoungKhalifa

Will HMV re-open?
This just made my day http://entertainment.ie/music/news/HMVs-UK-operation-comes-out-of-administration-Irish-store-to-re-open/175130.htm?fb_action_ids=10151512826036077&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=timeline_og&action_object_map={%2210151512826036077%22%3A462375593841611}&action_type_map={%2210151512826036077%22%3A%22og.recommends%22}&action_ref_map=[]

DEFTLEFTHAND

HMV never folded, they went into administration and have now been saved by the Hilco UK group as you quoted in your link. I'd expect the Grafton Street store to reopen, I don't think it will happen in Limerick though.

iDann

I hope and I'd say the one on Patricks's street,Cork will reopen too, it was very popular and busy.

simon0brien

YoungKhalifa wrote: »

Will HMV re-open?
This just made my day http://entertainment.ie/music/news/HMVs-UK-operation-comes-out-of-administration-Irish-store-to-re-open/175130.htm?fb_action_ids=10151512826036077&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=timeline_og&action_object_map={%2210151512826036077%22%3A462375593841611}&action_type_map={%2210151512826036077%22%3A%22og.recommends%22}&action_ref_map=[]

Who cares I can go elsewhere

dodderangler

Sure everyone just downloads sh1t now anyway
What's the point in music and video stores

hatrickpatrick

I still prefer CDs. You can rip music from them to your MP3 player anyway, but listening to music on a laptop is utter sh!te, there's no bass and the general quality is just rubbish. Give me any kind of hi-fi over a laptop speaker any day.

stek

will they accept vouchers previously bought?

cashback

dodderangler wrote: »

Sure everyone just downloads sh1t now anyway
What's the point in music and video stores

See I don't get this attitude. Yes people download stuff all the time now and that's grand. But what's wrong with people wanting to buy physical media too? If it's the same price to download an album on itunes or buy the cd, I'd rather buy the hard copy. I can rip it straight onto my laptop and then have the cd to listen to in the car or wherever. Plus if something happened my hard drive, I have some back-up.
Also I much prefer browsing around an actual shop than searching online.

But I'm probably in a minority these days.

hatrickpatrick

cashback wrote: »

See I don't get this attitude. Yes people download stuff all the time now and that's grand. But what's wrong with people wanting to buy physical media too? If it's the same price to download an album on itunes or buy the cd, I'd rather buy the hard copy. I can rip it straight onto my laptop and then have the cd to listen to in the car or wherever. Plus if something happened my hard drive, I have some back-up.
Also I much prefer browsing around an actual shop than searching online.

But I'm probably in a minority these days.

Among musicians you wouldn't be, or anyone who has the kind of hearing that notices subtle differences in quality. As I say, most songs just sound like utter sh!te coming out of today's laptop speakers (especially Macs, which is bizarre considering Macs are designed for media editing). There just isn't any bass, and whatever you're left with is compressed to hell.

It's kind of like listening to something through headphones, by turning the volume up incredibly loud and then putting the headphones beside you.

Of course, if someone manages to create a laptop that can give decent sound quality without having to plug in a bunch of external stuff, I may well change my mind, but for now anything that's worth listening to is going in the CD player for me.

debabyjesus

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Among musicians you wouldn't be, or anyone who has the kind of hearing that notices subtle differences in quality. As I say, most songs just sound like utter sh!te coming out of today's laptop speakers (especially Macs, which is bizarre considering Macs are designed for media editing). There just isn't any bass, and whatever you're left with is compressed to hell.

It's kind of like listening to something through headphones, by turning the volume up incredibly loud and then putting the headphones beside you.

Of course, if someone manages to create a laptop that can give decent sound quality without having to plug in a bunch of external stuff, I may well change my mind, but for now anything that's worth listening to is going in the CD player for me.

why do you keep mentioning laptops... what has laptops got to do with it?

I think you're a little confused.

combatrock

Definitely agree with this but even with the sound quality aspect aside, having a physical copy gives you so much more involvement in the album. The art/photography and style of an album is part of it.

DEFTLEFTHAND

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I still prefer CDs. You can rip music from them to your MP3 player anyway, but listening to music on a laptop is utter sh!te, there's no bass and the general quality is just rubbish. Give me any kind of hi-fi over a laptop speaker any day.

I agree, physical copies have the best sound whether on record or CD.

Tigger

flac?

IceFjoem

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I still prefer CDs. You can rip music from them to your MP3 player anyway, but listening to music on a laptop is utter sh!te, there's no bass and the general quality is just rubbish. Give me any kind of hi-fi over a laptop speaker any day.

Listening to music on laptop speakers has less than f**k all to do with the difference between CDs and MP3s.

blatantrereg

You should get one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Impact-15-Watt-Portable-Amplifier/dp/B00009W44B

Awesome amp. Used to sell them for a tenner. Normal 3.5" audio jack in and outputs to proper analogue speakers. Music on a laptop sounds great if you put it out through this and a decent pair of speakers.

eviltimeban

I went through a long phase of downloading stuff, but I found I wasn't connecting with the music as much as when I bought the physical CD. In the last year all the new albums I've gotten have been CDs and I have listened to them constantly. In the past I've downloaded stuff and never even listened to it!

Anyway, as for HMV, the main issue is price - Amazon are always going to wipe the floor with them, and Tower is often cheaper... For me Tower is a more satisfying music-shopping experience, as it has the feel of an independent store (which of course it is) and more like a "music" shop.

But ambience aside, HMV need to charge less for CDs. Might seem absurd for a company trying to make money, but its the only way they can compete and they were always very expensive. €21.99 for a new release? I don't think so. That can't work anymore.

Geomy

The sound from an mp3 is too shallow,I have some CDs from the 90s and they have more depth and life in them.

I have the original Prodigy albums on CD and lots of 90s stuff,there's no comparison with quality.

aSligoDub

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Of course, if someone manages to create a laptop that can give decent sound quality without having to plug in a bunch of external stuff, I may well change my mind, but for now anything that's worth listening to is going in the CD player for me.

http://www.sonos.com/shop/products/play5

schnitzelEater

What about the vouchers?

Custardpi

Hilco, has turned around the HMV Canada business it bought in 2011.

Has anyone ever been to a HMV in Canada, anything majorly different? Interesting also to note their plan to

halt the sale of other devices to "reclaim the space for an enhanced music and visual range"

, presumably this means the end of large amounts of floor space being taken up by iPads & Beats headphones, wonder if they'll start having a decent vinyl selection as a replacement.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0405/379808-hmv-in-the-uk-may-be-rescued-in-a-new-deal/

Gunmonkey

Saw a news report about this a few days ago, they are apparantly going to remove the "tablet sections" and increase the size of the music (heard rumours of vinyl being brought back ages ago, before HMV went under) and games sections (which was rumoured to be cut to make room for the vinyl).

DEFTLEFTHAND

Is there any realistic hope for the physical copy in this day and age though? I'm only 24 but I still do vinyl and CD's, my father has an extensive collection of both. The music industry has changed greatly in the last decade. The arts of songwriting and musicianship have died a death in popular chart music. These days you've got silly women and boys sprouting processed pop.

blatantrereg

Is there much of a market for vinyl? I would have thought of it as a niche.
I would have also thought that they would be making a good bit of their revenue from selling console games. If they really are removing the games for vinyl then it strikes me as something based on branding/image rather than raw sales figures. I very much doubt that rumour is true though.

krudler

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I still prefer CDs. You can rip music from them to your MP3 player anyway, but listening to music on a laptop is utter sh!te, there's no bass and the general quality is just rubbish. Give me any kind of hi-fi over a laptop speaker any day.

I literally don't know a single person who listens to music on their laptop speakers, FLAC on decent headphones sounds great.

Custardpi

blatantrereg wrote: »

Is there much of a market for vinyl? I would have thought of it as a niche.
I would have also thought that they would be making a good bit of their revenue from selling console games. If they really are removing the games for vinyl then it strikes me as something based on branding/image rather than raw sales figures. I very much doubt that rumour is true though.

Vinyl, while still a niche has been growing rapidly in the last few years, more & more people are getting into it or back into it. CDs are likely to disappear from shelves long before vinyl does.

lil'bug

For me there is nothing like buying a cd, I want to be able to look at the artwork read the lyrics and have the cd in my collection, downloads just don't do it for me. It just seems a bit soulless to me.
It would be great if HMV opened up again, there are no record shops where I live now they closed

blatantrereg

They should sell Blu Ray audio players at a reasonable price, and release albums on Blu Ray with very high fidelity sound, again at a reasonable price. Of course people would still be able to download equivalent files, but at least the files would be bigger making it a little less practical to download them and store them.

I understand the resurgence of vinyl too. Improving that technology would be a good idea also really.

I think a lot of the woes in the music industry are from their blunt refusal to compete with piracy. The fact is that they aren't going to stamp it out, and it's not going to go away. They need to take a positive approach and provide better reasons for people to want to buy a physical copy rather than just get a pirate one.

Ando's Saggy Bottom

Would be nice to have somewhere to wander around when the missus is off shopping again.

cloud493

I will be very happy about this, since it means I can start avoiding gamestop again :pac:

Sulla Felix

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

HMV never folded, they went into administration and have now been saved by the Hilco UK group as you quoted in your link. I'd expect the Grafton Street store to reopen, I don't think it will happen in Limerick though.

Not if they can't shed that lease, I'd bet Henry St would be more likely. Even this Xmas it was busier than the Grafton branch.

McLoughlin

blatantrereg wrote: »

Is there much of a market for vinyl? I would have thought of it as a niche.
I would have also thought that they would be making a good bit of their revenue from selling console games. If they really are removing the games for vinyl then it strikes me as something based on branding/image rather than raw sales figures. I very much doubt that rumour is true though.

When you look at the Irish music scene there is a large amount of bands putting out albums on vinyl so there is a great demand for it.

Basil Fawlty

HMV Grafton Street was gutted over the last month. Its now a shell of a store awaiting a new tenant. For HMV to reopen there it would not be a turn key event. I would like to see it reopen but if they dont have low prices and a unique selling point like being a vinyl specialist they wont stand a chance.

aSligoDub

"Basil wrote:

if they dont have low prices and a unique selling point like being a vinyl specialist they wont stand a chance.

Do tower do vinyl? Trying to think of a vinyl specialist near there they'd have to compete with. Theres one in the Grafton Arcade.. couple in Temple Bar.

endacl

blatantrereg wrote: »

You should get one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Impact-15-Watt-Portable-Amplifier/dp/B00009W44B

Awesome amp. Used to sell them for a tenner. Normal 3.5" audio jack in and outputs to proper analogue speakers. Music on a laptop sounds great if you put it out through this and a decent pair of speakers.

No. This is an awesome amp. Re-check the definition of awesome!

http://www.jolida.com/product/tubeamp/jd202brc

Thinly veiled 'I have an awesome amp' post!

:D

Custardpi

aSligoDub wrote: »

Do tower do vinyl? Trying to think of a vinyl specialist near there they'd have to compete with. Theres one in the Grafton Arcade.. couple in Temple Bar.

Yep, they have a very good vinyl selection. Bit pricy though. If a company with better buying power & thus more ability to discount could offer a similarly wide range of vinyl they could take a good chunk of Tower's business away in that area.

Ruski

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I still prefer CDs. You can rip music from them to your MP3 player anyway, but listening to music on a laptop is utter sh!te, there's no bass and the general quality is just rubbish. Give me any kind of hi-fi over a laptop speaker any day.

If you look carefully at your laptop, you might be surprised to find an input for headphones.

hfallada

The HMV store on grafton street is to let with a Zara sister company in the lead to take over it.

HMV even if it's saved is a sinking ship slowly going under. Amazon are so cheap, quick and easy with a bigger selection. But it's easier to download

winter soldier

hmv is crap. poor selection of dvds especially horror just mainstream titles only and everything is quite overpriced. i prefer to either buy music online where its cheaper or download off itunes.

WOCM4

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

I still prefer CDs. You can rip music from them to your MP3 player anyway, but listening to music on a laptop is utter sh!te, there's no bass and the general quality is just rubbish. Give me any kind of hi-fi over a laptop speaker any day.

You have not got a feeeking clue sonny Jim Bob, me old hearty.

Amirani

blatantrereg wrote: »

They should sell Blu Ray audio players at a reasonable price, and release albums on Blu Ray with very high fidelity sound, again at a reasonable price. Of course people would still be able to download equivalent files, but at least the files would be bigger making it a little less practical to download them and store them.

I understand the resurgence of vinyl too. Improving that technology would be a good idea also really.

I think a lot of the woes in the music industry are from their blunt refusal to compete with piracy. The fact is that they aren't going to stamp it out, and it's not going to go away. They need to take a positive approach and provide better reasons for people to want to buy a physical copy rather than just get a pirate one.

This is absolutely what they should be doing. Directly competing with downloads is silly. They should be offering high-quality flac disks or else vinyl.

I'm fairly sure the DVD market would be dead if it weren't for blu-ray.

YoungKhalifa

But ambience aside, HMV need to charge less for CDs. Might seem absurd for a company trying to make money, but its the only way they can compete and they were always very expensive. €21.99 for a new release? I don't think so. That can't work anymore.

I always found HMV to be relatively inexpensive. They always had great deals and offers, waaay better than Towers

YoungKhalifa

YoungKhalifa wrote: »

But ambience aside, HMV need to charge less for CDs. Might seem absurd for a company trying to make money, but its the only way they can compete and they were always very expensive. €21.99 for a new release? I don't think so. That can't work anymore.

I always found HMV to be relatively inexpensive. They always had great deals and offers, waaay better than Towers

stevek93

Blanchardstown as well has been gutted and turn into Boots. Cannot see any advantage to HMV coming back if people want to have a hard copy of there music you can always buy online.

RobbingBandit

stevek93 wrote: »

Blanchardstown as well has been gutted and turn into Boots. Cannot see any advantage to HMV coming back if people want to have a hard copy of there music you can always buy online.

Boots is next door to the HMV store in Blanch it used to be a clothes shop.

Faolchu

stevek93 wrote: »

Blanchardstown as well has been gutted and turn into Boots. Cannot see any advantage to HMV coming back if people want to have a hard copy of there music you can always buy online.

the one in dundrum still has shelving and tills etc in it

cloud493

The one in swords has all the insides still set up. Still has the poster in the window of that blue cross sale :P

Dravokivich

Ruski wrote: »

If you look carefully at your laptop, you might be surprised to find an input for headphones.

Yeah and when you've mates over and want to listen to your latest acquisition, go ahead and just pass'em around sure...

Hobbes

Dravokivich wrote: »

Yeah and when you've mates over and want to listen to your latest acquisition, go ahead and just pass'em around sure...

We have these things called speakers, which you can plug into the headphone slot. Some laptops have optical audio btw.

Uriel.

Or just get a Sonos.

Amazing Kit...

Have a great Sonos set up now and Home server with my music on it. Either download from itunes or if I like a full album I'll buy it and rip it at the highest possible quality...digital space not an issue these days...

Problem with Sonos is they are like rabbits.. you get one and a few weeks later you're saving for the next....

Dravokivich

Hobbes wrote: »

We have these things called speakers, which you can plug into the headphone slot. Some laptops have optical audio btw.

The argument the other guy was making was in regards to not buying extra gear to listen with.

Doctor Strange

Quite happy about this if it happens. I much, much prefer physical media, especially for movies. So if they keep their relatively cheap Blu-Ray boxsets, I'll be back buying.