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CDs versus Downloads: Compare & Contrast

If its Tuesday, then we are talking about Tunes.

The following is a result of a discussion with a friend who has decided to go all digital -- no more polycarbonate discs (CDs). Here's what we nded up with:

Downloads (paid, of course)

Bad
- Inferior quality to CDs
- Little album art or liner notes (iTunes provides a cover shot)
- No disc for permanent storage (but can be burned)
- Online service dictates where the music can be played

Good
- Online CDs cost as much as those purchased in a retail store
- Buy only the wanted tracks
- Make purchase without leaving the house
- MP3 players are small, easy to carry
- 10,000 songs in your pocket

CDs (those polycarbonate discs)

Good
- High-quality, uncompressed tracks
- Play them anywhere, on any CD player
- Can be copied to a PC and duplicated for playing in the car, office, etc.

Bad
- Forced to buy unwanted tracks
- Price fixing by manufacturers leads to limited retail competition
- Expensive, with over-priced unit cost 

Rentals

Good
- Lower upfront costs - $14.95 a month
- Enormous and ever changing selection of music

Bad
- Have to pay forever
- Limited as to what devices can play the tracks

>

Sources:

The Big Picture
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/

THE online REPORTER
February 19-25, 2005 - Issue 432
Published weekly by Rider Research

Tuesday, March 01, 2005 | 07:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments

The download era is fortunate to come along at a point when audio playback quality is not as highly prized as it once was. Portability,ease of access,price, and storability have trumped the quest for the perfect sound. Friends who are still into high end sound systems have no interest in compressed digital media. The tiny headphone based technology is a perfect fit for the relatively poor sound quality of streams. Long Linn speakers, Leavinson front end, and California Audio Labs C D transport.

Posted by: rob hone | Mar 1, 2005 9:27:00 AM

Hi-fi was never a mass market, though. I love listening to great music on a good system, but I would rather spend (for that matter I have spent) all my spare cash on records and played them on the bare minimum system than vice-versa.

Speaking of CDs, for all that mp3s sound like dirt I never have been excited about how CDs sound. Have you given SACDs a whirl?

Posted by: wcw | Mar 1, 2005 10:33:18 AM

Rob -- nice set up!

I don't like the pod in-the-ear headphones --
Instead, I prefer to use my B&O headphones with my iPod

WCW -- I haven't heard SACD yet --

What I always loved about CDs was the ease of handling them --
as opposed to LPs, which required tender care. The sound quality was better than a scratchy LP, but not as good as a perfect one.

CDs are (mostly) Barry-proof . . .

Posted by: Barry Ritholtz | Mar 1, 2005 10:41:28 AM

Regarding the rental model, another drawback is the risk of negative changes in service over the long term.

Not only do you have to keep paying forever, but you're somewhat at the mercy of the service provider, if they later tighten the screws and raise prices. Or if they reduce music selection to cut hosting costs. Or if they are bought and the new owner wrecks the service.

I think it's quite likely that the service will change at some point, and not in the customer's favor.

Posted by: Jon H | Mar 1, 2005 11:24:15 AM

MP3 format is not necessarily worse quality than CDs (.aiff, known as PCM in signal processing). For all practical purposes, only very sensitive people can tell the difference between MP3 vs PCM under an "A-B" test.

Also, downloading albums are cheaper than buying CDs at a store.

Posted by: Stephen | Mar 4, 2005 8:19:40 PM

Does anyone know the technical difference between a store bought cd and downloaded music?

Posted by: marcy | Mar 30, 2005 1:35:06 PM

How would you factor in buying used CDs on Amazon for 7-8 dollars? Maybe:

Good:
- All the same 'goods' as CDs plus:
- 1/2 the price

Bad:
- Liner notes that someone else has looked at before.

...seems like a killer value proposition. And then you sell the thing again and recoop much of the investment. Any comments? -JD

Posted by: JD | Sep 4, 2005 5:43:20 PM