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The age of vinyl, CD, cassette, digital download & streaming are over make way for SD


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Old 18-12-2016, 19:31
starry_rune
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Make way for SD

https://youtu.be/GbGDPFVjvVU (6 minutes explaining the new media)

Looks interesting and makes so much sense.

1. takes up minimal space, much less than Vinyl, CD, cassette
2. can store thousands of songs on one depending on size, certainly more than cassette CD and vinyl
3. works even when wifi goes down, itunes etc goes bust
4. SD readers are already on these car stereos, hifis and most pc & laptop and many mobiles.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Radio-...cAAOSwcLxYK9P6

http://www.tesco.com/direct/pure-sir...k/215-1872.prd
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Old 18-12-2016, 20:34
koantemplation
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Its MQS SD rather than just SD

but it is basically just Hi res 24bit FLAC files on a micro sd card.

I have plenty of 128gb sd cards with hi res files on. I have a Fiio X5ii player which can take 2 microsd cards and play hi res flac files.

You certainly wouldn't want a £300 (Beatles colletion) microSD card flying out of the card holder across the room.
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Old 18-12-2016, 20:45
anthony david
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Like many cars mine has a USB socket. I somehow think that the chances of my hearing any difference between Hi Res and mp3 on a motorway at 70mph are nil, like the chances of this being a commercial success.
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Old 18-12-2016, 21:02
Chris Frost
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Er.... No.

Just... no. Thank you.
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Old 18-12-2016, 21:16
koantemplation
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Like many cars mine has a USB socket. I somehow think that the chances of my hearing any difference between Hi Res and mp3 on a motorway at 70mph are nil, like the chances of this being a commercial success.
24bit files are best listened to on a Hi Res player with good quality headphones IMO.

I use a Fiio X5ii with Sennheiser HD 558 (£60 to Amazon Prime members at the moment) and can tell the difference in quality.
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Old 19-12-2016, 11:34
anthony david
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24bit files are best listened to on a Hi Res player with good quality headphones IMO.

I use a Fiio X5ii with Sennheiser HD 558 (£60 to Amazon Prime members at the moment) and can tell the difference in quality.
My local JL had a Sony demo of HiRes versus mp3 some time ago, using very expensive headphones and even my old ears could hear the difference although to me, at my age, it was small. It didn't take off, largely due to the high cost of the equipment and source material but also on speakers it is likely that few people could hear any difference. It is also likely that the demo, like current 4K demos, was loaded towards HiRes, the HiRes material would have been the very best available, the mp3 bit rate probably not very high.
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Old 19-12-2016, 12:25
emptybox
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I think the market for 24 bit FLAC music files is certainly growing, but at the moment it's difficult to find (legitimate) sites to buy and download mainstream (or rock, as I like to listen to) music.
But I think it's more likely that Amazon will start offering 24 bit FLAC downloads, rather than selling the music on micro SD cards.

At the moment I buy CDs and rip them to my computer as FLAC files. But obviously they can never be more than CD quality, so I might be tempted to buy better quality on SD card, provided it wasn't much more expensive, and provided there wasn't some copy protection on them stopping you moving and using the fLAC files how you chose.

But I'd still prefer to download than wait for something in the post.

There could be more of a demand for them for HD and 4K movies, where the download size is still unmanageable for most home broadband connections.
But I should imagine that the content providers would want to try to cripple the format with copy protection.
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Old 20-12-2016, 06:39
koantemplation
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My local JL had a Sony demo of HiRes versus mp3 some time ago, using very expensive headphones and even my old ears could hear the difference although to me, at my age, it was small. It didn't take off, largely due to the high cost of the equipment and source material but also on speakers it is likely that few people could hear any difference. It is also likely that the demo, like current 4K demos, was loaded towards HiRes, the HiRes material would have been the very best available, the mp3 bit rate probably not very high.
I have the hearing equivalent of 20/20 vision. So can hear differences in sound that other people might not be able to.

I find that 24bit music has a fuller sound and is less tinny than most mp3s or even 16bit cd sound.

It's also very difficult to know when you are not hearing a sound you might have heard with better quality files.

For instance in a song you might not hear an instrument in the mp3 version that you do in the 24bit version.

The Mosquito device that only teens can hear but older people can not is a prime example of how some people might not perceive a sound.
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Old 20-12-2016, 09:35
David_Flett1
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I think the market for 24 bit FLAC music files is certainly growing, but at the moment it's difficult to find (legitimate) sites to buy and download mainstream (or rock, as I like to listen to) music.
But I think it's more likely that Amazon will start offering 24 bit FLAC downloads, rather than selling the music on micro SD cards.

At the moment I buy CDs and rip them to my computer as FLAC files. But obviously they can never be more than CD quality, so I might be tempted to buy better quality on SD card, provided it wasn't much more expensive, and provided there wasn't some copy protection on them stopping you moving and using the fLAC files how you chose.

But I'd still prefer to download than wait for something in the post.

There could be more of a demand for them for HD and 4K movies, where the download size is still unmanageable for most home broadband connections.
But I should imagine that the content providers would want to try to cripple the format with copy protection.
Qobuz is a very good service for both downloads and streaming hi res and if you prefer to build your own library then they offer a great discount plan. My friend uses Qobuz because he continues to buy a lot of music whereas I use Tidal as I already have an extensive library of around 5,000 cd's which I have ripped to my Nas and as there is so much available I tend to not buy that much nowadays pay a higher premium for higher quality streaming.
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Old 20-12-2016, 23:08
emptybox
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Qobuz is a very good service for both downloads and streaming hi res and if you prefer to build your own library then they offer a great discount plan. My friend uses Qobuz because he continues to buy a lot of music whereas I use Tidal as I already have an extensive library of around 5,000 cd's which I have ripped to my Nas and as there is so much available I tend to not buy that much nowadays pay a higher premium for higher quality streaming.
Thanks, I had a look at it. It has some of the stuff I like, but by no means all.
But worth a look every now and again.
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Old 20-12-2016, 23:18
Night Crawler
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Thanks, I had a look at it. It has some of the stuff I like, but by no means all.
But worth a look every now and again.
A couple more that are worth a look.

https://www.onkyomusic.com/GB/releases/chart

http://www.hdtracks.co.uk/
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Old 20-12-2016, 23:26
emptybox
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Old 21-12-2016, 06:52
ney
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Somehow I don't think this new MQS SD format will take on it will last a few years maybe then just fade away like the mini disc did.
I had at the time thought about buying a mini disc player but I'm glad I never.
I still use CDs but not as much as I used to a few years ago.
I most in the last 7 or 8 months been using Spotify premium.
I still got loads of music cassettes in the house but it's been a good few years since I last played them.

Darren
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Old 21-12-2016, 14:22
Glawster2002
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Like many cars mine has a USB socket. I somehow think that the chances of my hearing any difference between Hi Res and mp3 on a motorway at 70mph are nil, like the chances of this being a commercial success.
My car has the same. I rip CDs for my USB stick for the car @ 192 kbit/s for that very reason. The lower resolution takes up less space so, obviously, I can load more tracks on the USB stick and, because of the external noise from the road, engine, wind, etc, it has no effect on the perceived lower quality of the audio.

I have the hearing equivalent of 20/20 vision. So can hear differences in sound that other people might not be able to.

I find that 24bit music has a fuller sound and is less tinny than most mp3s or even 16bit cd sound.

It's also very difficult to know when you are not hearing a sound you might have heard with better quality files.

For instance in a song you might not hear an instrument in the mp3 version that you do in the 24bit version.

The Mosquito device that only teens can hear but older people can not is a prime example of how some people might not perceive a sound.
You might find this interesting...

24bit vs 16bit, the myth exploded!
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Old 21-12-2016, 14:33
David_Flett1
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Thanks, I had a look at it. It has some of the stuff I like, but by no means all.
But worth a look every now and again.
There is so many sites that you can look at, yes takes a little time exploring but sometimes that is fun in itself coming across someone who has appeared on something else you have. There is also one of the best and cheapest ways of building a library. Huge opportunities with Magpie Music, Amazon, Ebay and Gumtree and lots of indie record stores or even if you have an HMV branch near you. You can buy second hand or bargain cd's, rip then sell them again. I actually regret not taking advantage of an ad in gumtree locally he was selling 500 cd's for £50. My son sold 700 cd's through Music Magpie for £323, So I could have ripped the ones of interest and sold the rest for a handsome profit. I was just lazy.
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Old 21-12-2016, 14:47
Gilbertoo
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Nah, can't see SD cards replacing vinyl and streaming.
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Old 21-12-2016, 15:30
emptybox
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There is so many sites that you can look at, yes takes a little time exploring but sometimes that is fun in itself coming across someone who has appeared on something else you have. There is also one of the best and cheapest ways of building a library. Huge opportunities with Magpie Music, Amazon, Ebay and Gumtree and lots of indie record stores or even if you have an HMV branch near you. You can buy second hand or bargain cd's, rip then sell them again. I actually regret not taking advantage of an ad in gumtree locally he was selling 500 cd's for £50. My son sold 700 cd's through Music Magpie for £323, So I could have ripped the ones of interest and sold the rest for a handsome profit. I was just lazy.
If you're talking about 'hi-res'- FLAC downloads (or SD cards for that matter) though, you don't want to have to search loads of obscure sites to find what you like. You want the convenience and security of buying from the likes of Amazon.

For instance I'm getting two CDs for Xmas (bought from Amazon).
Robin Trower - Where You Are Going To
Marillion - FEAR

Now I can't find either on Qobuz or the other two linked sites. I can find older albums by those artists, but not those albums. And they're not brand new, both have been out for several months.
But, I'm sure the situation will improve if the demand is there.

TBH I can't tell any great difference in quality ibetween the tracks that I rip from a CD to FLAC, and the tracks that I ripped as 320 Kb/s MP3s.

But I bought one album as a 24bit FLAC download from the artists website (Fish - A Feast of Consequences), and I can definitely tell that it's a higher quality recording.
Whether that's because it's 24bit, or whether it's because it was a FLAC to start off with, rather than being ripped from a CD, I don't know.
But I think that format is the way to go.
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Old 21-12-2016, 17:17
Night Crawler
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If you're talking about 'hi-res'- FLAC downloads (or SD cards for that matter) though, you don't want to have to search loads of obscure sites to find what you like. You want the convenience and security of buying from the likes of Amazon.

For instance I'm getting two CDs for Xmas (bought from Amazon).
Robin Trower - Where You Are Going To
Marillion - FEAR

Now I can't find either on Qobuz or the other two linked sites.
I can find older albums by those artists, but not those albums. And they're not brand new, both have been out for several months.
But, I'm sure the situation will improve if the demand is there.

TBH I can't tell any great difference in quality ibetween the tracks that I rip from a CD to FLAC, and the tracks that I ripped as 320 Kb/s MP3s.

But I bought one album as a 24bit FLAC download from the artists website (Fish - A Feast of Consequences), and I can definitely tell that it's a higher quality recording.
Whether that's because it's 24bit, or whether it's because it was a FLAC to start off with, rather than being ripped from a CD, I don't know.
But I think that format is the way to go.
Marrillion - FEAR is on gobuz.

http://www.qobuz.com/es-en/album/f-e.../4029759114963

No luck with Robin Trower, surprised as they have 36 albums of their work available.
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Old 21-12-2016, 17:49
emptybox
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Marrillion - FEAR is on gobuz.

http://www.qobuz.com/es-en/album/f-e.../4029759114963

No luck with Robin Trower, surprised as they have 36 albums of their work available.
Ah thanks.
It's not on the UK site, but I guess that's not so important for a download?
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Old 22-12-2016, 13:14
speigel
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I'm happy with vinyl, so no thank you.
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Old 22-12-2016, 15:18
emptybox
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I'm happy with vinyl, so no thank you.
I built a large vinyl collection in the 1970s and early 80s when it was all there was (cassettes excepted).
Don't see the point in buying it now?
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Old 22-12-2016, 15:21
Glawster2002
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I built a large vinyl collection in the 1970s and early 80s when it was all there was (cassettes excepted).
Don't see the point in buying it now?
A lot of people buy it today to collect rather than play. I kept all of my vinyl from the '70s and '80s as well, but still buy some occasionally today; mostly limited editions and signed copies.
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Old 23-12-2016, 12:31
Gilbertoo
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I built a large vinyl collection in the 1970s and early 80s when it was all there was (cassettes excepted).
Don't see the point in buying it now?
To DJ. To listen to at home. To collect.
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Old 23-12-2016, 12:44
David_Flett1
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If you're talking about 'hi-res'- FLAC downloads (or SD cards for that matter) though, you don't want to have to search loads of obscure sites to find what you like. You want the convenience and security of buying from the likes of Amazon.

For instance I'm getting two CDs for Xmas (bought from Amazon).
Robin Trower - Where You Are Going To
Marillion - FEAR

Now I can't find either on Qobuz or the other two linked sites. I can find older albums by those artists, but not those albums. And they're not brand new, both have been out for several months.
But, I'm sure the situation will improve if the demand is there.

TBH I can't tell any great difference in quality ibetween the tracks that I rip from a CD to FLAC, and the tracks that I ripped as 320 Kb/s MP3s.

But I bought one album as a 24bit FLAC download from the artists website (Fish - A Feast of Consequences), and I can definitely tell that it's a higher quality recording.
Whether that's because it's 24bit, or whether it's because it was a FLAC to start off with, rather than being ripped from a CD, I don't know.
But I think that format is the way to go.
Qobuz, HD Tracks and many others are every bit as secure as Amazon but even physical has faced many problems with fewer artists releasing physical music. Not every site is obscure, they may be less known than some of the majors but that has always been the caase in music. Many artists have chosen a different path from the old label system and use their own dedicated network to release albums, track exclus
ives etc. Some will appear only on Apple, others on Spotify, some on Deezer etc, etc. Nothing is perfect not even Amazon can fulfill all of what you want.

As for quality, one it is dependent on what software you use to rip your CD's and secondly what you play them on. If you use software such as Dbpoweramp for ripping and you have a good hi-fi set up especially using a dedicated DAC you will tell the difference.
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Old 23-12-2016, 15:30
emptybox
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To DJ. To listen to at home. To collect.
I meant, what's the point of buying on vinyl rather than on another format?

Perhaps for DJs vinyl is easier to cue up or rewind?
But for listening, CDs and high quality downloads beat vinyl into a cocked hat IMO.
I know some think vinyl has a warmer 'analogue' sound, but I've never bought into that.

For collection I can understand. I've never liked the plastic boxes and sparse booklets that come with CDs.
But a lot of the CDs that I've bought recently have cardboard sleeves and more extensive and imaginative liner notes and artwork.


Qobuz, HD Tracks and many others are every bit as secure as Amazon but even physical has faced many problems with fewer artists releasing physical music. Not every site is obscure, they may be less known than some of the majors but that has always been the caase in music. Many artists have chosen a different path from the old label system and use their own dedicated network to release albums, track exclus
ives etc. Some will appear only on Apple, others on Spotify, some on Deezer etc, etc. Nothing is perfect not even Amazon can fulfill all of what you want.

As for quality, one it is dependent on what software you use to rip your CD's and secondly what you play them on. If you use software such as Dbpoweramp for ripping and you have a good hi-fi set up especially using a dedicated DAC you will tell the difference.
BIB That's true. Amazon has always had any CD I wanted, but they only offer MP3 downloads at present.

I use the program 'MediaMonkey' on Windows to rip my CDs to FLAC. Not sure it does the best job, but I've only recently started to rip to FLAC anyway. Prior to that I used Windows Media Player to rip to 320Kb/s MP3.

For playback I connect the computer's audio card to my hi-fi system with analogue cable and connections.
Not the best I know, but I've a couple of reasonable but old systems (Denon and Marantz) so the sound isn't too bad, and I don't think they have digital options.
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