beolife:

Convenience 

I would like to see you carry your system around to listen to it

 

Yeah thats my point really.....why would I want to carry my music around with me..??

I am not a student or a teenager...

When I am home I listen to music through a high quality system & speakers ; when I am 'on the move' I have CD-players in my vehicles....

I sure dont wanna walk along the street with earphones in... thats for teenagers and well, morons really!etc.

I just dont do public transport at all!!

I remember the 80's when I was a teenager, I had the Sony Walkman, then the Discman. But you soon grow out of it - well, I did anyway. Now I listen to my music in a more convenional and mature manner I believe. I simply cannot imagine messing about with headphones, earphones etc. nowadays at the age of 37!!

Bentleyman:

A 30something year old dinosaur I may well be....

Can anyone convince me that I'm really missing out big-time..?

 

Old huh?  I don't think you are missing anything.  Its sounds like you have everything you need to enjoy music or television.  However those of us who are older or younger may have different requirements.  The last 10 books I read were electronic on an iPad.  Reading electronic books works fine for me.  I like the convenience.  Turning paper pages may be fun for others but that is their choice.  Music on portable players using iTunes works for me also but not for others.  I know of many older people who are past 40 who have iPhones or iPods and really enjoy it.

I also have vinyl records which I love.  I did notice a portable player that will be available soon for vinyl.  I guess sometimes technology can go in directions not anticipated.  I hope it is okay to post this.  http://www.crosleyradio.com/Product.aspx?pid=1869

I would remind you that a CD or DVD player are digital equipment and were radical changes in technology when introduced.

 

j0hnbarker:

dilznik:

I ride public transportation an hour to and from work every day. If I didn't have music on my iPhone and earbuds in my ears I'd be forced to listen to the inane ramblings of complete idiots the whole way.

If you used a Sony Walkman and a C90 cassette though you'd surely understand where the OP was coming from, wouldn't you?

Why the eff would I do that? Heck, a few months ago I saw a girl pull a CD player out and change the disc. I was wondering WTF museum she robbed.

dilznik:

j0hnbarker:

dilznik:

I ride public transportation an hour to and from work every day. If I didn't have music on my iPhone and earbuds in my ears I'd be forced to listen to the inane ramblings of complete idiots the whole way.

If you used a Sony Walkman and a C90 cassette though you'd surely understand where the OP was coming from, wouldn't you?

Why the eff would I do that? Heck, a few months ago I saw a girl pull a CD player out and change the disc. I was wondering WTF museum she robbed.

People were saying similar things about vinyl 15 years ago. The cassette revival has already begun here in the UK. Sales of tapes increased last year for the first time in about a decade, and collectors are snapping up the more desirable Walkman models.

There's a sucker born every minute apparently.

dilznik:

There's a sucker born every minute apparently.

The polite term is enthusiast. I take it you're not a man who would appreciate listening to AM radio on an old valve set, or a regular visitor to the Vintage Products or Workbench section on this (enthusiast) site either then!?

making lots of money

..

something apple are very good at and bno aren't

I think back in the days of yore artists released albums that were ment to be listened to in one go. Nowadays an album is just a collection of random songs. I doubt Jedwards latest album will contain any sort of story/meaning/anything else running through the whole disc.

Also I would say that the days of albums are very limited. People (well younger ones) want instant gratification and if there is a bad song they just skip it. Gone are the days of songs slowly growing on you, if you dont like it you skip it.

beaker:

Also I would say that the days of albums are very limited. People (well younger ones) want instant gratification and if there is a bad song they just skip it. Gone are the days of songs slowly growing on you, if you dont like it you skip it.

 

I agree, but I will also add, that even on cd-players we were allowed to skip a song easily. In fact, that is one feature a lot of people seem to request from the BS5: CD-player functionality (i.e. skip to next song, scrub song etc.).

I'd also like to add, that it sounds fine to listen to entire albums, but many times I don't have the time, nor the mood to listen to the entire album, especially if I have  listened to it many times before. I know the album, and I often select an aria, passage, or song I like straight off, because I'm in the mood for that particular moment in the "album story".  Most of the operas and musicals I have are excellent as whole pieces, but I seldomly have the time to listen to Der ring des Nibelungen in it's entirety.

Besides the above, I have a lot of PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Dead Kennedy's, Primus and so on, and let's just say that there are tracks on each and every album that you really have to be in a special mood to listen to.

 

 

I off on holiday in a week or so - can't imagine what I'd do without a good read and my iPod!

j0hnbarker:

People were saying similar things about vinyl 15 years ago. The cassette revival has already begun here in the UK. Sales of tapes increased last year for the first time in about a decade, and collectors are snapping up the more desirable Walkman models.

I think cassettes are brilliant... near vinyl warmth w/ near CD convenience.

burantek:

j0hnbarker:

People were saying similar things about vinyl 15 years ago. The cassette revival has already begun here in the UK. Sales of tapes increased last year for the first time in about a decade, and collectors are snapping up the more desirable Walkman models.

I think cassettes are brilliant... near vinyl warmth w/ near CD convenience.

You can't beat a bit of wow and flutter Jeff!!!

Never liked them despite having many hundreds! They hiss, they snag, they are always at the wrong place, they have horrid Dolby pumping, they wear and lose magnetism, - need I go on! Vinyl, I understand, and reel to reel I can almost get my head around. But cassette tape is a compromise. It was designed as a recording medium for dictation and needed to squeeze every last iota of performance to achieve even moderate performance. With metal tape and Dolby C along with HX-Pro, a reasonable standard can be achieved but will still suffer the Dolby pumping and wow and flutter endemic to all tapes. Recordable CD for me every time.

I can understand the technical appeal of the walkmans as so much has to be fitted into a very small box and the good Sony models are stunning feats of engineering. But a sold state digital player with a lossless format will run rings around a normal tape player.

burantek:

j0hnbarker:

People were saying similar things about vinyl 15 years ago. The cassette revival has already begun here in the UK. Sales of tapes increased last year for the first time in about a decade, and collectors are snapping up the more desirable Walkman models.

I think cassettes are brilliant... near vinyl warmth w/ near CD convenience.

 

Tape is reknowned for it's compressing/saturating effect to the extent that a lot of stuff is recorded to tape before being digitised for mixing/production/mastering etc. Most DAW's include a tape saturation plugin or effect to attempt to simulate the tape compression effect!

My issue with tape is non-random access - MP3 players win hands down for convienience (and power consumption among other things)

I suppose that is why I used the term "near" in both instances!

Not perfect... agreed.

And to kill it even further is the seeming demands of maintenance on players, B&o or otherwise. I will say though -that a good tape in a good player is a nice alternative. Considering the prices of BeoCords today (as well as tapes)... I think they represent a fun, though perhaps not fantastic media to consider.

j0hnbarker:

The polite term is enthusiast. I take it you're not a man who would appreciate listening to AM radio on an old valve set, or a regular visitor to the Vintage Products or Workbench section on this (enthusiast) site either then!?

No. I'm not one to try and relive parts of the past that serve no benefit to me, like bell bottoms, big hair, flannel, or Windows 95. I guess I'm too busy sitting on public transport with my headphones on. Valve amps, however, are another story. My next project is to build an all tube guitar amp. But I don't have to carry it in my bag with me.

dilznik:

No. I'm not one to try and relive parts of the past that serve no benefit to me, like bell bottoms, big hair, flannel, or Windows 95. I guess I'm too busy sitting on public transport with my headphones on. Valve amps, however, are another story. My next project is to build an all tube guitar amp. But I don't have to carry it in my bag with me.

But what goes around comes around! Transistorised amps were the next big thing once, brushing aside antiquated technology such as valves. The same thing is happening with tapes. You don't have to buy into the trend to acknowledge that the pattern is repeating itself!

burantek:

j0hnbarker:

People were saying similar things about vinyl 15 years ago. The cassette revival has already begun here in the UK. Sales of tapes increased last year for the first time in about a decade, and collectors are snapping up the more desirable Walkman models.

I think cassettes are brilliant... near vinyl warmth w/ near CD convenience.

So near yet so far...

Dave:

So near yet so far...

OH! You young iGeneration!

When this thread started... I was against the thoughts of the OP... now, not so much!

I think beyond all the convenience and efficiency that modern technology offers, there has been a near equal loss of charm and personality... just look at our favorite brand! Gone are the days of carburetors and cassettes! Are we any happier? I think that the tactility (is that a word?) of the now "old school" technology is something that is seemingly lost forever, and I find it was a big part of the satisfaction involved.

It reminds me of an old magazine article from my biking days in the early 90's when Ducati started to be taken notice of again. How relevant it is... I don't know -but I like it anyway!

Now this is from memory, so no quote...

The Japanese manufacturers would never build a Ducati, because they can't build a Ducati. All of their engineering and accounting committees would disect it, redesign it, make it economic to manufacture. They would end up with a motorcycle vastly superior in every regard to a Ducati but no where near as good... they would have removed its soul.

burantek:

The Japanese manufacturers would never build a Ducati, because they can't build a Ducati. All of their engineering and accounting committees would disect it, redesign it, make it economic to manufacture. They would end up with a motorcycle vastly superior in every regard to a Ducati but no where near as good... they would have removed its soul.

See this is funny because it works the other way, too. Ducati (specifically, their designer Pierre Terblanche) attempted to make a bunch of Ducatis that were basically v-twin Japanese bikes. Other than the Monster, it didn't work out for them. Japanese bikes are Japanese bikes and Ducs are Ducs. Each is their own thing.

j0hnbarker:

But what goes around comes around! Transistorised amps were the next big thing once, brushing aside antiquated technology such as valves. The same thing is happening with tapes. You don't have to buy into the trend to acknowledge that the pattern is repeating itself!

True. I'm hoping acid washed, pegged Levis come back. I liked that.

burantek:

The Japanese manufacturers would never build a Ducati, because they can't build a Ducati. All of their engineering and accounting committees would disect it, redesign it, make it economic to manufacture. They would end up with a motorcycle vastly superior in every regard to a Ducati but no where near as good... they would have removed its soul.

Bang on Jeff. The most pleasurable cars I have owned have been my 1960s or 70s British sports cars (1969 Triumph TR6, 1972 MG BGT & 1973 MG BGT V8). Half the fun was had in the garage tinkering away and spending time getting to know what was under the bonnet and how it all worked. My current car (VW Beetle V5 Sport) is great and beats the classics hands down on most specs, but open the bonnet and all you can do service-wise is top up the levels and perhaps polish the huge engine cover that prevents the user from doing anything without the VAG service computer to hook it up to!

Progress eh?

Agree! My GT6 broke down the other week and I had to push it 200yds down a dual carriage way to a bus stop. I then worked out where the fault was by a process of elimination - no petrol to the carbs but was getting to the fuel pump. I stripped down the pump, freed the blockage and it started and got me home (the small petrol fire afterwards was merely a small detail!). If the Prius broke down, I would have no chance!

LOVE IT!

 

With my old series Land Rovers... in no particular order...

1.) Drove ~20 miles home w/ a pair of hemostats holding the carb's [broken] cable together.

2.) Drove ~10 miles home w/ a blown clutch master cylinder -that was fun!

3.) Drove an entire winter using the crank handle inserted to start -always drew a crowd!

 

I am throwing my iPod in the garbage!

burantek:

LOVE IT!

 

With my old series Land Rovers... in no particular order...

1.) Drove ~20 miles home w/ a pair of hemostats holding the carb's [broken] cable together.

2.) Drove ~10 miles home w/ a blown clutch master cylinder -that was fun!

3.) Drove an entire winter using the crank handle inserted to start -always drew a crowd!

 

I am throwing my iPod in the garbage!

OK, Mister GD & BM, what pray-tell were you doing with a pair of hemostats 20 miles from home?