[SYRFox]

I don't like burned CDs. I have no problems with downloading and listening albums as MP3s. I have a lot of them on my computer, and I always end up buying them one day or the other. But I don't like burning my downloaded albums on CD-Rs, even if they're out of print or whatever. I can't really explain why - I just feel strange about it. And I know that I won't ever listen to a burned CD - whereas I often listen to MP3 albums.

I think that's because the MP3 is totally decontextualised from the whole packaging: that's just a MP3 folder - even if it has the cover art on it. With the burned CD, you have an object - but I feel like it's not the real thing. I prefer having the whole packaging when I have an object.

Do you get my point? Do you feel the same about burned CDs (or asked differently: am I a psychomaniac)? Or more generally, what is your relation to packaging?

[Pookie]

Twat.

you speak from the bottom of my heart. I hate them and I tread them like shit. I only burn them to listen on my stereo, but if I like the music I will buy it, and if I dont like it I will trash them, anyway.
hate cdrs!!!! love originals love vinyls even more

[SuperCreep]

I don't care too much. It's all music in the end.

[This Is Not Here]

Hmm, I personally can't listen to an album on a computer unless I have it on a physical format, even if it is just a CD-R. For me a CD-R is just an inbetween compromise, between deciding I need to hear it and actually getting around to buying it. I don't agree that a collection of MP3s feels more like the real thing than a CD-R, I always print off artwork to go with my CD-Rs though...

I cant say why self printed cover artworks and self burned cdrs doesnt satisfy me, but they just dont. and yes somehow I want to pay the artist for what he did. especially when it comes to smaller releases.

[SYRFox]

Originally Posted by This Is Not Here

I don't agree that a collection of MP3s feels more like the real thing than a CD-R, I always print off artwork to go with my CD-Rs though...

That's somewhat my point: a collection of MP3s does not feel at all like the real thing. You just have the music and when you buy the CD you truly have more. I've bought CDs that I already had as CD-R in the past, and it's nearly as if I had the album twice...

[Glice]

My experience has been that CD-R releases tend to be on lowest-quality CDs, and although you get the odd masterpiece, lower-quality artwork. I haven't, in principle, got a problem, but in practice a CD burnt on low-quality software (which may well be top-spec for home users) doesn't seem to stand up very long in Glice Towers. This is largely to do with my shocking disregard for CDs, but I find a professional pressing will just need a bit of a clean to make it not completely fucked.

but when it comes to quality than some labels compress the fuck out of their releases just for volume.
quality>volume
then I prefer the self burned (from the artist) albums, which is indeed another story

[Glice]

I'd be surprised if many of the over-compressing labels were the sort of labels that people here were into. Assuming you mean the mastering wars thing?

Interesting thing on that. Last year, I was able to listen to CDs as I worked. I listened to Merzbow at half-volume. Immediately afterwards, I put on Avril Lavigne's second, and I nearly deafened myself. Far too loud. Great, but far too loud.

no I think thats more the case for the majors.
same goes for me as I was struggling to reach the same loudness of some independent myspace artist. I thought that I should at least reach his loudness...then Ive compared my track to a boards of canada (warp) track by accident and I was already louder...it was a good moment for realising NOT to overrate loudness. and I think BoC are a good comparison, if somebody cares about output quality it must be the guys from boards of canada

[king_buzzo]

yes i feel the same way. when i burn discs i always use the same ones and the same sleeves so they all look the same. that bothers me a little. i dont want to bother printing out the cover and everything.

[pbradley]

I really don't care much about aesthetics of music packaging. CD-Rs are a quick and efficient way to be able to play music that I have in MP3 on a CD player if I do not have the CD release. They are also greater for burning mixes as well as sharing my own tunes. I don't have any hook ups on some notion of "real."

I really prefer the good ol tape over the cdr for mixes, it got more charm and the recording process is something completeley different then puttin a tracklist in 5 minutes together

[gmku]

My only CD-Rs are of things that are extremely rare or impossible to find in a "real" format, like certain VU bootlegs and Pussy Galore's Exile on Main St. In any case, they're only a substitute for the "real thing" until the day I find it on LP or CD.

[pbradley]

OH NO. CD-Rs are less "charming" and don't take as much effort. They obviously suck.

^^
exactly

[Cantankerous]

just listen to the music and quit bitching. nerds.

^
tssssss

[gmku]

CD-Rs suck. It's as simple as that. Case closed.