The excitement of buying albums...

beauf

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

A lot of people (me included) prefer the sound of early CDs. Flat transfers, no compression or brickwalling. Plenty of dynamic range. There have been a lot of terrible remasters (particularly in the 2000s). The Loudness Wars have a lot of answer for.

Probably depends on the CD. A lot of my early CDs were heavily compressed. My cassettes were much closer to the original if noisy

Also I had an early Discman with a clean output. Most of the latter ones had small buffers for anti slip which again reduced quality. Once it broke I never found another one as good. I dropped CDs and went back to cassettes for many years. Then Mini Disc and HiMD Atrac was better than early MP3.

Realising how bad CD were and going back to other formats made me get back into music again.

beauf

Keyzer wrote: »

Cool thread, really nostalgic.

....

Head Fi to used to be like this. They've lost the run of themselves theses days. It's all about super high end stuff these days

It's all being recorded digitally anyway..

beauf

Montage of Feck wrote: »

Golden discs is a fairly depressing place these days, ripoff vinyl, DVD's and 3 for 2 greatest hits cd's.

I'm not sure it was hugely different back in the day.

Anyone else remember the shop beside the only McDonald's in Ireland in Grafton Street. Used to be the first stop for Xmas presents.

Incidentally I remember the whole fuss about McDs opening. Seems weird to think there used to be none here.

beauf

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's all being recorded digitally anyway..

Much of it now sounds better than ever. I've gone all digital for many years. The CDs are gathering dust in a box in the shed. My offline backup.

Beasty

Albums (vinyl) were old hat when I started. Cassettes all the way, until the album made a comeback. Then CDs kicked off....

beauf

I find a lot of new music these days in youtube bands who most will never of heard of never make the charts but you can generally find them all on Deezer. I can find most of my obscure 80s metal bands also.

Which is great because much of my favourite love albums I can finally hear in decent quality after years of listening to bad versions.

I actually digitised my cassettes collection before dumping them.

Ger Roe

mvl wrote: »

Have to say, for me first love was buying cassettes in my teenage years - maybe cause of the location (eastern europe) and time I grew up, or how the cassette players were more accessible for my parents ...
--> weren't they trying to revive the audio cassettes too ?

Cassettes.. the first personally recordable and portable media we had. It was a game changer.

There were 'reel to reel' tape recorders previously, but they could not be carried with you. The first small portable cassette recorder I saw was as a ten year old in 1974 and it blew my mind that music could be taken with you. This was a small flat rectangular unit with keyboard like button controls - the revolutionary Walkman unit that was just a bit bigger than the actual cassette itself, came later in the 80's.

Although the cassette had the portable advantage over vinyl, I always thought that vinyl had superior sound quality and the physical feel and reveal factor of a vinyl album was always greater than that of a cassette.

The big advantage of the cassette though was being able to record your own material ... in my case, early medium wave (AM) pirate radio stations.

I still have some cassettes with radio recordings dating over 40 years old (now also transferred to digital and stored on hard disc).

Conor Bourke

simongurnick wrote: »

The access to music now on youtube and spotify etc is amazing but the beautiful art of listening to an entire album is going by the wayside

I used to love buying a much anticipated album and carving time out to lie down on my bed and really *listen* to it from open to close. I’d then have it on repeat for a while, getting to properly know the whole thing. Once I started to drive this was even more the case, with albums on in the car on long drives. It meant I would know the album inside out, even the songs I didn’t like as much as others.

Now with music being so much more accessible I am thrilled by the ease with which I can explore and discover new (or old) artists but I definitely wasn’t giving entire albums a good listen in the way I used to so I’ve been making an effort to do that more these days. It’s almost like a little bit of self care, taking time to do something so indulgent and pleasurable.

beauf

Problem with cassette is the tapes wear and stretch also the decks themselves have rubber drive belts witch stretch and fail. So after a while it sounds nothing like the original.

For a while I reverted back to a high end cassette deck separates but it didn't last long.

Also apparently no one makes the high end mechanisms anymore. Most of the current decks are all based around the same cheap budget mechanism churned out by a small Chinese factory.

beauf

Cornelius Crow wrote: »

I used to love buying a much anticipated album and carving time out to lie down on my bed and really *listen* to it from open to close. I’d then have it on repeat for a while, getting to properly know the whole thing. Once I started to drive this was even more the case, with albums on in the car on long drives. It meant I would know the album inside out, even the songs I didn’t like as much as others.

Now with music being so much more accessible I am thrilled by the ease with which I can explore and discover new (or old) artists but I definitely wasn’t giving entire albums a good listen in the way I used to so I’ve been making an effort to do that more these days. It’s almost like a little bit of self care, taking time to do something so indulgent and pleasurable.

I'm the same. I set the family up with a streaming account. So worth it.

beauf

If anyone's really interested in older audio formats checkout techmoan in you tube. Go through his old videos. So much cool stuff there.

beauf

Finally loved my old high end Sony midi system cd (twin tapes) etc. Into storage before Xmas. Hardly ever used it in recent years. Even with a Bluetooth reciever. I'm close to getting rid of it. Can't see me ever using it again.

Took me a summer to save for that bought it in a hi fi shop on Liffey street. (remember those, shops just settling audio gear)

adox

I was never a fan of cassettes I have to admit. I just didn’t get on with them.

I had a brief flirtation with them when the Sony Walkman first came out. That was unbelievable technology at the time!

I still have the first CD I ever bought when I finally switched from vinyl.
It still has the price tag and date on it. £14.99 old money. Bought in 1987.
Dokken - Under Lock And Key

Still work perfectly to this day.

adox

beauf wrote: »

Finally loved my old high end Sony midi system cd (twin tapes) etc. Into storage before Xmas. Hardly ever used it in recent years. Even with a Bluetooth reciever. I'm close to getting rid of it. Can't see me ever using it again.

Took me a summer to save for that bought it in a hi fi shop on Liffey street. (remember those, shops just settling audio gear)

My first system with a CD player was a Sony as well. Separate CD player and turntable that sat on the main unit. Bought it on credit. £549 punts which was probably around 6 weeks wages at the time!!

beauf

Berties_Horse wrote: »

....People harp on about mp3/mp4, give me the panoramic sound of vinyl any day over tinny compression. ...

The tangible is one thing. But a well encoded digital compressed file is indistinguishable from the original. I did a lot of A-B testing many years ago and my ears can only hear a difference under 256 and 356 on acoustic and classical stuff.

A bigger issue is the poor quality of the headphones and players like phones that people use. Even if expensive they often sound terrible. iPods had woeful audio for many years.

Also I really listen to music in a quiet environment it's usually at work or when commuting. Just can't hear better quality there.

If you are doing a lot of listening in quiet space with top notch gear and have young excellent ears. Then maybe you can hear a difference. I know I definitely have lost some frequencies over the years.

beauf

Strumms wrote: »

Every month I’d buy Uncut, Mojo, Q and The Word... pouring over articles and reviews in particular... I’d buy about minimum about 3-4 new albums a week, the odd time double that... I could be in Tower records on Wicklow St for 45 minutes...

...

Anyone remember sound cellar bottom of Grafton Street. Is it still there. Tommy was it? He still there? Never in city center three days. I see they have an online presence so still going. Used to order more obscure stuff there.

NewbridgeIR

beauf wrote: »

Anyone remember sound cellar bottom of Grafton Street. Is it still there. Tommy was it? He still there? Never in city center three days. I see they have an online presence so still going. Used to order more obscure stuff there.

Still going strong. No prices on anything - some things never change.

Raconteuse

Aw tapes... dust receptacles, and when the spool got all stretched or tangled it was gutting, but they were handy. And of course the walkman.

Panthro

I still buy cds of bands I like.
And I keep the receipts in the sleeve.

Nerrrrrd!

Greyfox

Raconteuse wrote: »

Remember it?

Bought a good few albums over the years but never felt the excitement that some people do, most of the stuff i really liked like Eminem and Michael Jackson my brothers were already playing non stop. Getting Spotify for the first time was almost life changing, discovering endless amounts of great music. I've free data so love YouTube too. With so much great music out there for free or as good as I don't see any point of ever buying a CD or vinyl.

whomenonotme

beauf wrote: »

Anyone remember sound cellar bottom of Grafton Street. Is it still there. Tommy was it? He still there? Never in city center three days. I see they have an online presence so still going. Used to order more obscure stuff there.

Sound Cellar is still there - popped in for a look last month for the first time in years and the first CD I noticed was "Little Angels", that brought back memories... I didn't buy it though!


I spent Saturday afternoons in Borderline records in Temple Bar, Derek, Motley and Elaine worked there. Then it was into the Rock Garden for the free afternoon gig.



What was name of the basement shop on Wicklow St that had a great selection of bootleg tapes? I remember reading an interview with Adam Duritz from Counting Crows at the time, he loved that he could play a show here and get the bootleg the next day (quality was often rubbish though). There was a guy who sold bootleg tapes on O'Connell Bridge too.



This thread is jogging a lot of memories for me

Sardonicat

Berties_Horse wrote: »

You must go back a long way. Cassettes were taking over as I came of age. Never was comfortable with them, unraveled too easily. And then the CDs were prone to scratch and repeat. When vinyl started appearing on the shelves again, dusted down the old family player for a second lease of life. People harp on about mp3/mp4, give me the panoramic sound of vinyl any day over tinny compression. And as Raconteuse set out in OP, holding the gatefold sleeve in your hand enhances the listening experience somehow. Sure I've got a Deezer account, but it's not remotely comparable to something more tangible.

Jaysus! Am I the only one who remembers wax cylinders? #Fossil

Seriously, all my first musical purchases were on vinyl, including a few 45s. These were played on an old mono player (which was great for some of the really old records long since abandoned by older siblings/cousins that I found hidden around the house, dating from the late 60s /early 70s (sometimes having a mother who's a hoarder has a good side ). At the time I didn't really care about sound quality, I was just delighted to be listening to music that I loved. Depending on your tastes (and mine were refined, obs) you were relying on limited radio broadcasts to hear the stuff you loved on the radio (Dave Fanning or John Peel on the beeb on LW, fading in and out of tune ) so to actually have the albums and listen when I wanted was a joy. Sometimes you would be reading about a band or a release weeks before you got a chance to hear it never mind knowing what the acts looked like. Living in 2 channel land made this a particular strain. These days you can listen to what you want, when you want .

I loved the portability of tapes and 'borrowed' my older brother's Walkman (an actual Walkman, not one of the cheap portable players that ate your tapes) and that was me finished with vinyl. Never had the headpbones off my head for years after that and have tinnitus as a result.

Don't know if I'd bother getting a turntable and buying vinyl again but I do stilllove mooching through record stacks at fairs.

beauf

whomenonotme wrote: »

Sound Cellar is still there - popped in for a look last month for the first time in years and the first CD I noticed was "Little Angels", that brought back memories... I didn't buy it though!


I spent Saturday afternoons in Borderline records in Temple Bar, Derek, Motley and Elaine worked there. Then it was into the Rock Garden for the free afternoon gig.



What was name of the basement shop on Wicklow St that had a great selection of bootleg tapes? I remember reading an interview with Adam Duritz from Counting Crows at the time, he loved that he could play a show here and get the bootleg the next day (quality was often rubbish though). There was a guy who sold bootleg tapes on O'Connell Bridge too.



This thread is jogging a lot of memories for me

I remember those bootlegs places often terrible quality lol.

beauf

I never bought much vinyl.

We still have old 78s at home they are heavier than vinyl feel like they'll shatter not bend. No idea what they are made of.

We never had a proper turntable. It was some mono case thing. Still have it. Sibling won't Chuck it.

One of the few records I have is Iron Maiden seventh son of a seventh son. Won it in a competition. Not one of their better albums. I rarely listen to maiden though.

It’s been at least ten years since I bought a CD, and I am a total Spotify convert. However, a part of me does miss scouring NME every week, and traipsing over to Trax (there was no HMV in 90’s midlands!) to buy albums. That said, I don’t miss the amount of filler on 15-quid CDs

NewbridgeIR

whomenonotme wrote: »

What was name of the basement shop on Wicklow St that had a great selection of bootleg tapes?

Record Collector.


Borderline was great. Remember it was Razor Cuts and then DTK (Abbey Mall) beforehand.

beauf

I think it was filler on albums that led to so many mix tapes back in the day...and home taping from the radio.

I remember I learned some guitar from my tapes and I had detune to match the speed of the tape which was stretched. I never noticed till, I tried playing along with the CD many years later and had to tune up and it sounded wrong for ages.

Started collecting vinyl when i was 16 and still doing it. Have a huge collection and not much space left.
If anyone is thinking of getting into it i can recommend getting dome IKEA Kallax. Just the right size for records and keeps them looking smart.

Anesthetize

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Golden Discs has always been a terrible music shop.

I agree, their selection is bizarre. Lots of best-of compilations geared at old farts, the usual classic albums on over-priced vinyl, and then some Adele and Ed Sheeran albums aimed at people who only buy an album once a year.

Golden Discs is the only music shop left in my town, and I've gone in there many times to see if they stock a new release only to come out disappointed. Luckily we can still buy CDs online.