Local vs Streaming Media

Don’t bother! Seriously, unless you need local files for use outside of Roon, or have such musical taste that isn’t on Tidal, just stream everything from a Tidal sub. Just rip the CDs that aren’t on Tidal.

Whether playing local or Tidal files you need an internet connection with Roon, so local files are fairly pointless to a large degree now.

The problem with relying solely on streaming platforms is that artists/labels can pull content on a whim, or geographical licensing arrangements can make it suddenly unavailable in a particular country. For albums that I really like, I either buy it on CD or pay for a >= CD quality download which goes into my local library.

20 Likes

Good idea! Pay a monthly fee to stream music that you have already paid for and is sitting there in your house on a cd.

1 Like

But, if you pay to stream the files you don’t own, then streaming the others is free.

Basically, I don’t own any files, don’t want to own any, and would not be heart broken to lose any of my 3000+ linked albums. There is more than enough to listen to over my remaining lifetime.

3 Likes

I re-evaluated my thoughts on streaming

While I like the idea of ‘owning’ a copy, I must confess I’ve wasted 1000s on LPs and CDs over the years that I rarely listen to. I must have 100s of CDs I bought, span once and never bothered with again

In that sense, streaming saves me money; rather than buying music that languishes, I can click on it and try it - if it sticks, great - if not, no loss

Now streaming quality is really good, that former obstacle has gone too - I’m a convert

In the event I lost access to a streamed only favourite - I’d just buy it, confident it’s already a fave

2 Likes

Ownership matters. My music archive is completely impervious to censorship, artist disputes and licensing squabbles. Collecting and ripping CDs is a fun hobby.

10 Likes

:beers:
I would say more than enough for 3 full lifetimes (that I wish for you).

And I would add that editing metadata is also a learning device (for years, collaborations, etc) so I would not cry over that.

The only thing that bothers me with streaming is the $ for the artists. That is why I try to buy (again after years of not listening to music)

9 Likes

What’s a cd?

:rofl:
Something used by early humans to store data.

4 Likes

Isn’t that part of the process? With some investment made, you also value the work of the artist in another way, and perhaps give your LP a second or third listen and discover aspects you wouldn’t have if it was just another “passer by” in the streaming flow?
I share the experience, but rarely regret a purchase.

Past vs. future. :wink:

CDs are obsolete. I buy downloads most of the time and get CDs for anything I don’t find otherwise. I like ownership (and I am using LMS btw, which works offline), but, as @Traian_Boldea said, it’s the artist I’m rewarding.

3 Likes

Exact same for me, including LMS, in addition to Roon.

So you switched wholesale then to LMS, how’s that going for you?

Pretty good actually, thanks for asking! I was able to use the exact same topology (core, Pi endpoints etc.) I never used fancy search; I either know what I want to listen to or (most often) just go to Qobuz’s new releases list. I listen mostly in the kitchen (ceiling speakers) and at my desk (small bookshelf speakers or headphones), so I don’t really need DSP for now. Most importantly, I’m using OpenVPN in my router, so I can access everything from everywhere. For a free product, it’s more than I could ask for.

4 Likes

People who argue against CDs, against Vinyl, etc etc, assume that people are (or ought to be) optimizing for cost and/or efficiency. Many people prioritize other things including the idea of owning media, the idea of shopping in person at a store for things, the act of selecting a disc from a shelf and spinning it in a machine to play sound. Sure it’s not “optimal” for those who prioritize cost/convenience but it may well be “optimal” for others (they just have a different cost function).

9 Likes

Moving away from analog media is mainly about quality. Moving away for all media is about reducing environmental impact. I think those are good enough reasons for saying people ought to do it.

It’s all good. Nothing is obsolete. Use whatever you want.

2 Likes

It’s a great free product for certain use cases. I had many years with it.

Plus 100 million or so tracks you don’t already own. You don’t discover new music by playing your old collection over and over and over.

2 Likes