cds

Amazon lets rip with AutoRip music service

As expected, Amazon has launched a service called AutoRip designed to store consumers' CD music tracks in the cloud.

The AutoRip service debuted this morning. When consumers buy an AutoRip-enabled CD, they automatically get the MP3 version for free, and those MP3 versions will be available for streaming or downloading from Amazon's Cloud Player. The MP3 tracks are available immediately, even before the buyer receives the CD.

CNET's Greg Sandoval had first reported on the likely launch, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the plan. "This is the most significant initiative involving the CD in years," … Read more

The perfect-sound myth

I remember just before the CD was introduced 30 years ago thinking that digital audio would be a giant leap forward in fidelity, but as soon as I heard a few CDs I knew digital wouldn't do a thing to make music sound more realistic. The CD was vastly better than LPs and cassettes in terms of noise and distortion, but voices still didn't sound like they do in real life, and pianos didn't sound as big and powerful as they do in Carnegie Hall. That mystified me; those early digital recordings were compression-free, and I was … Read more

It was 30 years ago today the CD began to play

The Compact Disc format changed the way we listened to music in the 1980s. Sony's first player, the CDP-101, went on sale on October 1, 1982, in Japan, and six months later here in the U.S. At $1,000 it was pretty expensive, but supplies were limited, so every one sold for full price. Before the CD arrived, the mainstream music market was split between vinyl albums/singles and cassettes, and strangely enough, it wasn't just CD's sound that won over the masses, it was digital audio's no-wear durability and noise-free sound that drew raves. … Read more

Kick the iTunes habit and celebrate Record Store Day

Kick the iTunes habit and stop streaming, it's time to get physical with music you can touch!

Record Store Day is a celebration of the joys of buying music in the real world, and brick and mortar stores all over the country are participating in the event on Saturday, April 21.

The first Record Store Day was in 2007, and every year more and more stores get involved. The Record Store Day Web site has this quote from author Nick Hornby:

"Yes, yes, I know. It's easier to download music, and probably cheaper. But what's playing … Read more

Amazon to take your old CDs for trade-in

Amazon today added used CDs to its trade-in program, which means that those old copies of Boyz II Men's "Cooleyhighharmony" or that first CD by the Strokes are finally almost as good as cash.

Don't have enough funds to get Mom something for Mother's Day? Better dig up your old Four Non Blondes and Spin Doctors collection if you know what's good for you. (Younger readers, please substitute Pink and Panic at the Disco for the artists in the previous sentence.)… Read more

Poll: What will you do with your old CDs?

I have around 3,000 CDs, and I don't plan on getting rid of them anytime soon, but I'm seeing more and more CDs in the garbage, and it makes me sad.

I remember the same sort of mass purging of LPs, back in CDs' golden age. Back then people were buying CDs as fast as they could, and luckily for me I had my pick of their LP collections. Back then it was clear (to me) that LPs sounded better than CDs, especially those first- and second-generation digital monstrosities. So it's like deja vu now that … Read more

Old CDs get new life as playful animal sculptures

With the prevalence of iPods and MP3 players, CDs are starting to go the way of vinyl as people shun physical media in favor of digital downloads. Some people are simply throwing their CD collection in the trash, while others are using the discs as coasters. One artist, however, has found a way to let the CDs play on in a completely different form.

Sean Avery, a children's book writer and illustrator from Perth, Australia, takes old CDs, as well as used circuit boards, and turns them into beautiful animal sculptures. Avery, who now lives in Ottawa, Canada, has been sculpting for nine years and finds old tech to be a great medium.

"I just think that old tech looks cool," Avery told Crave. "There's also a ton of it around, and I think it's great that I can turn unrecyclable crap into something interesting." … Read more

Does it still make sense to buy CDs?

Happy Valentine's Day, peeps! (Actually, shouldn't that be "cheeps"? Hey, I like that. From now on, you're all my cheeps.) I love you guys and gals--even when you accuse me of running scams, ha-ha.

I thought I'd switch things up today. Instead of my usual deal (see this early-morning Marketplace post if you still need your fix), let's talk about something a little more abstract.

Yesterday, I learned that music-on-demand service Spotify now streams at 320Kbps via its iOS app. That's CD-quality, which got me thinking: do we really need CDs anymore?… Read more

Are you finished with physical media?

It was just the other day when I had a conversation with CNET Senior Editor David Katzmaier about movies, and he told me he was getting rid of nearly all of his DVDs and Blu-rays. Whoa, that news hit me hard; Katzmaier has reviewed a gazillion TVs and loves movies, but he no longer feels a need to keep the discs.

I know it makes sense for a lot of folks, but not me. I like having my stuff around, and I like the process of selecting music from my huge collection. It's pretty organized, so I can find most titles in a few seconds, but I also like just randomly pulling up something, and holding the cover in my hands. I have a strong attachment to this stuff, and I don't want to ever let it all go.… Read more