Should Sound Quality of Computer Audio be improved

Pettyofficer,

Just wanted to add on to what Mapman said and your concern over the 10,000 out of print cds. If downloads are the future, I would think the copy rights owners of those 10,000 cds would be very tempted to rerelease many of these as downloads if there is enough demand. And these downloads may be higher resolution than the original cds depending on how the master was recorded. I'm not saying this will definitely happen but I think the financial incentive may be too strong to resist in many cases.

Hope this eases some of your concerns

Guys, it is simple math! How can you possibly get it wrong? At one time ( Prior to Computer Audio becoming popular ) you could get just about anything on CD. Today it is very questionable getting it on CD, and any question at all about not being available as download. What has changed? Access to our Music Archive is now being strangled when before it wasn't. Coincidence this happens when Computer Audio starts replacing CD? That is the problem: Computer Audio ISN'T keeping up with the job of replacing Music Archive of CD. It is NOT even close!
All of you even admit as much and offer nothing as a solution. "Just suck it up, and live without your Music" -
THAT IS NOT A SOLUTION! It is pathetic, not to mention the pathetic performance of Computer Audio Downloading to produce an available Music Archive. What little is available remains hidden being splintered across the Internet.
"I am not sure that this will definitely happen...", so why risk even permanently losing more Musical Archive than we already currently have lost? We didn't used to have to "Track Down" anything. Why now are we being forced to? Why this particular interference with this particular audio Format of Computer Audio Downloads? This is "CONVENIENCE" being blocked from our Music? Sane people don't drastically execute current access to existing Music Archive for a few "scraps" of Music Selection in a New Format. Tens of thousands of LP Releases didn't suddenly become "Out of Print" when the first few dozen CD selections first came out. CD was tasked to provide a decent selection BEFORE we started switching over.
Just as an observation: I think you Guys are afraid
that Computer Audio Downloads will not be able to live up to the task of providing a decent Musical Archive- not now, not in the next 10 years. "I am not saying this will definitely happen...", I am supposed to risk all of my future access to Music Archive on this??? This doesn't benefit me, who does it benefit? Give up my Music on a permanent basis to save you a few seconds to access your own? We are now in the business of sacrificing our Music on a permanent basis instead of collecting it? This is what you are selling me, and you can't understand why I am not buying it? If I were to "Buy it", I would like to be able to
"Buy it", and not have it "Unavailable as Download"! None of your suggestions gets anyone any closer to being there.
All of your responses rely on persuading someone who simply
"Cannot Add". Unfortunately I can! You can dance around it, and insult me all you want: "Soon all New Music will only be available as Music Downloads" simply means a whole hell of a lot less Music available to everyone than previously.
Your Audio Format means the exact same thing. Call me stupid for being aware of what your forcing me to give up- THAT IS THE REAL BOTTOM LINE!!! I wouldn't put up with you Guys one more second, and wade thru the mud flinging, if I didn't really care about Music evaporating on a permanent basis- with nothing physically replacing it except "Snake Oil", "Hot air", and "Fantasy". Real CONVENIENT, just not that RELIABLE in producing Music Selection. I guess the silence of a vacuum can be convenient- unless you really love Music! Are you a Music Lover, or a Computer lover to the exclusion of Music? If not, then what are you? I am simply a Music Lover first when it comes to my Computer requiring me to exclude Music. Sorry if it offends everyone.
Don't flatter yourselves, you make very poor "Used Car" Salesmen. Maybe you should sell shoes instead of Audio Formats. You would make more money that way!

Petty, we're not trying to sell you anything, nor are we trying to restrict your choices of music or format. You're the one who came here asking questions and not listening to the answers.

To put in plain and simple: you're wrong.

Hope you can understand that.

" In fact I would add that many rare 78 recordings have been saved by being digitized!"

I can vouch for that. I've recorded all my family's old 78 RPM records from the 20's and 30's to CD and then ripped the CDs to my music server along with all the rest. I picked up an old Admiral ceramic cart table that plays 78s for $10 at a yard sale to do it. Next best thing to having an authentic restored old Victrola to play these on. Maybe someday. I know of several local sources that restore and sell Victrolas.

Its all doable. Takes a little will and know how mainly. Tougher for old coots like PEtty and me in general, but I am fairly tech savoy for my age, so not a problem.

PO, the computer is a tool to empower you. If you cannot see that best go live in a cave. Yet again you have not paid any attention to the posts saying the opposite to you. I see no one else complaining like you. Haven't you noticed? The real bottom line? A real bottom more like.

Never before has a single device allowed you to play, copy, edit, restore, convert, archive, stream your music. Let alone across multiple formats and probably into formats not even thought of yet.

This is the part I don't understand. You go on about loss but I see no loss. If a CD was made then you can have it or find it. Probably the same for any record or tape of whatever too?

Name the music you cannot find. Tell me which CD you cannot lay your hands on? If you cannot find the download you will find the CD. As for really rare vinyl well no change there. Because if you could not find that record back then you still would have to search as you do today. What is different?