Is buying music on CD, vinyl, cassette or via download best?

RJDG14 · 07-15-2016, 02:45 PM

I prefer CD out of all of these, but a lot of people now seem to download their albums, and many audiophiles claim that vinyl sounds best (which I disagree with). Below are the advantages and disadvantages I see of each format:

Advantages:
CD - Gives optimum sound quality for most people, is a widely supported format, and can be converted to download-quality MP3 format (in most cases)
Vinyl - May give superior sound quality if kept in good condition and played on the highest end equipment
Cassette - Can be easily recorded to
Download - Often the cheapest option (CD not far behind), no hassle of ripping

Disadvantages:
CD - In rare cases the audio data can become corrupted
Vinyl - Can become scratched or warped easily
Cassette - Is very easy to stretch or break the tape
Download - Can be infested with DRM, and typically distributed with fewer rights to the customer than a physical copy.

Which of the four would be the best in your opinion? And will CD and vinyl die off in the near future? I've never really understood why in 1985 a record was around $5 and a CD $15 ($10 and $30 today) yet today the record is nearer to $30 and the same CD only $10.

07-15-2016, 02:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
RJDG14 Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 157	Is buying music on CD, vinyl, cassette or via download best? I prefer CD out of all of these, but a lot of people now seem to download their albums, and many audiophiles claim that vinyl sounds best (which I disagree with). Below are the advantages and disadvantages I see of each format: Advantages: CD - Gives optimum sound quality for most people, is a widely supported format, and can be converted to download-quality MP3 format (in most cases) Vinyl - May give superior sound quality if kept in good condition and played on the highest end equipment Cassette - Can be easily recorded to Download - Often the cheapest option (CD not far behind), no hassle of ripping Disadvantages: CD - In rare cases the audio data can become corrupted Vinyl - Can become scratched or warped easily Cassette - Is very easy to stretch or break the tape Download - Can be infested with DRM, and typically distributed with fewer rights to the customer than a physical copy. Which of the four would be the best in your opinion? And will CD and vinyl die off in the near future? I've never really understood why in 1985 a record was around $5 and a CD $15 ($10 and $30 today) yet today the record is nearer to $30 and the same CD only $10. Last edited by RJDG14; 07-15-2016 at 03:39 PM.