big john

I would think any decent recording would sound great to my unsophisticated ear on a high end system like my friend has. But if some can hear the subtleties and are willing to pay for them I'm all for it.

Velo Vol 

None of my bicycles require a key to operate.
This afternoon I stopped by the Cedar Bluff Knox County office, where they accept passport applications, and the woman at the door told me the next available scheduled appointment is in May.

I then went to the main post office, without an appointment, and 15 minutes later I was done. Crazy. #WorldTraveler

Velo Vol 

I asked this weeks ago and got pooh-poohed.

Bah Humbug

Never was exactly that for me.

However, vinyls records have a specific retro appeal that is not matched by anything that came after. No one is (seriously) nostalgic about cassette tapes, and CDs aren't likely to get that either. Both are just swamped, yes, by streaming, which is fine for most purposes.

Eric F 

Just data. Data is neither dumb, nor intelligent.

BillyD

I was noticing just yesterday that some instruments on a couple of my favorite CDs were sounding a little disappointing. I blame the Onkyo, my backup receiver. Need to find me an audio shop to get some work done on my preferred Yamaha receiver.

ummed

It could, since people generally put pressure on the bars when they pedal.

Eric F 

I like to think I can hear a difference between vinyl and streamed music being played through my system, but I could just be fooling myself.

For me, a big part of the "vinyl experience" is the ritual of pulling out a record, cleaning it, spinning it, and enjoying a full side of an album, start to finish. The current digital music format has changed how people buy and listen to music. People tend to buy songs, not albums. They find a song they like, and are likely to listen to just that song from that artist. Vinyl invites you to listen to the artist, not just your favorite song.

datlas 

This. So if you have a “BB” creak with each pedal stroke, first see if it still happens with either hands free or minimal “touch” on front bars. If still happens, that means front end (bars/stem/headset/front axle/skewer) are very unlikely culprits.

Velo Vol 

I'm nostalgic about the cassette tape-listening era. I don't actively use one now, though

abshipp 

The vast majority of my music listening has been full albums, regardless of format. How it usually goes is I will listen to a streaming playlist until I land on an artist I'm in the mood for, then start one of their albums from the beginning.

Before streaming services I would do the same thing, but with my digital library either on my computer or iPod (RIP).

I like my small vinyl collection because since it's played through a discrete system I don't listen to all the time, albums can sound quite a bit different.

Plus I have a lot of cool colored ones

Eric F 

I should have clarified...Younger folks tend to buy and listen to individual songs. I tend to listen to albums in digital format, too. However, I do enjoy the ability to pick a genre or an artist and get a mix of similar music. I've been introduced to a lot of stuff I really like that way.

Mojo31

I have a master recording set of Jethro Tull's Aqualung that has vinyl, CD and DVD versions of the album. I have played the album and CD back to back and can here a noticable difference. That's with mid-level receiver/amp, a tube preamp for the turntable, and some very good speakers. I found the vinyl to sound richer and more nuanced, and the CD was brighter sounding.

Mojo31

It's like the differences between a Domane, Madone and Emonda. If each were set up the same, the average rider likely wouldn't know the difference.

ummed

I've had creaks from pretty much everywhere imaginable on the bike, and some that aren't. The one that took the longest to find was my nipples were failing.

Mojo31

Albums used to be produced so there was a progression from one song to another.

genejockey 

Though there was, or course, the era of 45s, where you'd buy a song, and get a B-side with it.

big john

I hate it when my nipples fail.

On that note, I have a chirp on the mountain bike. It sounds like a spoke on the rear wheel but I haven't been able to duplicate it when I'm off the bike. I forget after I ride it until the next time I take it out.

big john

I was thinking of various bike analogies earlier but I'm not super picky about bikes, either. I don't think about my own cars so much but I can drive customer's cars and hone in on how they are running. Of course this is now a useless skill to me.

LesterOfPuppets

I do that all the time. Mental notes just don't work for me anymore, so I try to add things to the to-do list on my phone while the thought is still fresh.

Bah Humbug

The era, or the technology?

You can be nostalgic about the era, of course. I doubt that in 20 years you'll be hunting down old cassette tapes in quirky stores, or that artists will be releasing albums on premium cassettes, or that anyone with a serious audio system will be using cassettes. However, in 20 years people will still be using vinyl. CDs may be even less popular as they lose any infrastructure even for cars.

Mojo31

Can you even buy a descent new cassette player?

genejockey 

Cassettes were never a high fidelity medium, anyway. Mostly, they were for use in cars, or standing out under your girlfriend's window...

Bah Humbug

Eft if I know. Which is kinda the point.

When I was growing up, the purpose of cassettes had fallen to mix tapes (cd writers were rare) and cars, many of which lacked CD players. New music was bought on CD.

big john

My C.R.S. is getting worse. I used to have a good memory. Sometimes I feel like maybe I don't care enough to try and remember something.