CD, LP or MP3?

I prefer CD overall for a few reasons the main reason is its durability and pleasing sound quality but I think the main reason is because I`m lazy and I don't look getting up after 22 minutes to flip the record over.  I like mp3's very much as well but for my sense of ownership I never feel like I own an Mp3 there's something temporary about them until I burn them to CD that is and gather artwork from the net ..  what I really like about Mp3's is editing them I often remaster recordings and bring them up to date with the sound you would expect from this century ..  easy to do and believe me very worth while. 


Edited by Yorkie X - December 06 2008 at 14:09

I use MP3s mostly. Like people before me have said, it's very practical and I don't have to keep switching things out a ton. That's not really a problem, but I really don't have very many CDs and have downloaded quite a bit of music. That, and my speaker system for my record player leaves tons to be desired (It's hooked up to the TV, and it's only mezzo-piano when the TV is turned all the way up). I really like my favorite bands' music to have a physical CD copy, but then there are the classic bands that I don't really care for but I want to listen to their music. And when it comes between supporting my favorite artists on a limited budget and getting a physical copy of a really big band's music, I'll most likely download the latter and buy the former.

Moatilliatta wrote: First and foremost, CD quality is the best. *.............. and listening to an album on vinyl can be fun sometimes, but they can never replace CDs**.

* Then you've clearly never heard a really good turntable!

I used to use CDs almost exclusively and own a very fine Naim CD player, though I also had several hundred LPs and a Rega deck. Then, my best friend died and left me his LP collection and his Pink Triangle Anniversary turntable with an SME arm and Lyra cartridge. I tried it out and was quite astonished by the results; now I no longer use CDs if I have the album on vinyl - the vinyl sound quality is so much more lifelike and realistic.

**I think it's truer to say that CDs can never replace vinyl!

Prefer to own the CD - but listen to 99% of the music as digital files. Ogg Vorbis is my chosen format though, think it's a better codec than mp3, especially for complicated music.

As I'm both an archivist and a semi-paranoid, I would choose the three formats AND THE CASSETTE.
MP3 for testing and lending to friends without fearing to lose your precious vinyle or CD;
LP for long lost gems unavailable on CD or only findable through the P2P network (that I don't use);
CD for it's pratical: small and easy to pack when moving;
K7 for being even smaller and esaier to pack, but also because I discovered a whole lot of material had been released on this format and is NOT available on CD or LP!

I'm growing increasingly fond of LPs. But in general I prefer CDs because they're easier to store, transport etc, and because of compatibility.

When Cd's first came out in the 80's I hated them and it took ages to actually start buying them but now it's my preffered choice though a good vinyl pressing is hard to beat. As for MP3's...no way will i ever pay for a download, I want a hard copy.

I grew up with CDs so CDs it is for me, i have listened to LPs or Vinyls since peopel say they are suposed to sound so good dident sound any good at all to my ears compered to my wonderfull litle disc's, CD by far for me. Altough i have started to listen more and more to MP3's so in some years it might be MP3 all the way, but for now its Compact Disc.

With some regret I vote for CD's. Having grown up in the LP era, there's nothing like an LP.  (Anyone want to see my Butcher cover Yesterday and Today, bought totally innocently?)  But unfortunately like many teenagers of the era I had sub-par turntables and was not necessarily caring of my LP's.  Hence scratches, skips, pops, cat food remnants, etc.

For pure sound quality, I still think nothing beats vinyl.