Or you could just buy a CD/DVD player or audio file player and have the same ad-free experience but with modern signal quality and for a fraction of the cost. Heck a saved library on a laptop running some kind of audio player like WinAMP and disconnected from the internet would also give you that experience. Could even use Windows XP or a classic Linux for that nostalgia since it wouldn’t be internet connected.
I also have that set-up. Which is likely why there is something to enjoy from a purely analog sound system: I enjoy how the technology works, which isn’t necessarily a sound quality experience.
Every time I try to watch a show that was originally a analog broadcast on network television with a 4K television, I cringe at how bad the video quality is. It’s painful to me now. Even DVDs from the early days of HDTV don’t look very good any more.
I’ve seen a few retro horror films that try to catch that 1970s/80s feel, and they’re just missing the suck levels.
The crushed blacks is really frustrating to me. I don’t know how much is because of the way Netflix et al. compress their video, but it drives me bonkers to see a heavily shadowed scene where the shadows look chunky, with clear demarcations between the different shades.
What you are looking for here is something from the OG iPod line. There are some guides out there on how to build something similar with a raspberry pi.
CDs are digital media, not analog. I actually mentioned them in a reply to this guy, that they are both cheaper and better audio quality because they are digital.
I highly recommend MusicBee for windows. It works well out of the box and has tools to organize your library for you and do other tasks. It’s all local and free. (You need to bring your own music files)
I got 20+ years of harddrives on my local server. I use an old rig in the main room with fubar2000 and milkdrop plugin, all hard wired on LAN. It works just fine for when I am not in my office.
But separately I have my dad’s old phonograph and some records for when I’m working in the garage. Unfortunately that setup suffers on the speaker end more than anything. Poor things been through a dozen moves across cities and states.
For me it is less about the sound and more about playing music in a way that is devoid of any real software or internet connection.
I don’t have to worry about ads, updates, connections, etc. Just other analog things like a bent needle or dust on the record.
It’s like camping. No I don’t like sleeping on the ground specifically but sometimes it is worth doing so to be somewhere else: disconnected.
Or you could just buy a CD/DVD player or audio file player and have the same ad-free experience but with modern signal quality and for a fraction of the cost. Heck a saved library on a laptop running some kind of audio player like WinAMP and disconnected from the internet would also give you that experience. Could even use Windows XP or a classic Linux for that nostalgia since it wouldn’t be internet connected.
Yeah, or have a meticulously organized multi-terabyte flac collection in your NAS you stream your music from…
I also have that set-up. Which is likely why there is something to enjoy from a purely analog sound system: I enjoy how the technology works, which isn’t necessarily a sound quality experience.
I’m with ya. I watched Arachnophobia on VHS the other day, just because.
It looked like shit, sounded like shit, but the VHS nostalgia was worth it.
It also made appreciate the hell out of Dune 2 in 4K… sometimes old tech reminds me how good current tech is.
Every time I try to watch a show that was originally a analog broadcast on network television with a 4K television, I cringe at how bad the video quality is. It’s painful to me now. Even DVDs from the early days of HDTV don’t look very good any more.
I’ve seen a few retro horror films that try to catch that 1970s/80s feel, and they’re just missing the suck levels.
You’re not wrong, broadcast compression, especially in the 480p era, was & is abysmal.
Even today, with 4K compression, I see digital artifacts, crushed blacks, & loss of detail.
I grew up with it & worked in broadcast television, so I guess I’ve developed a bit of a fondness for the crappy quality we see at home.
The crushed blacks is really frustrating to me. I don’t know how much is because of the way Netflix et al. compress their video, but it drives me bonkers to see a heavily shadowed scene where the shadows look chunky, with clear demarcations between the different shades.
Just download SoulSeek and download your songs in .flac. You literally only have to do it once and keep them forever.
I think you are replying to the wrong guy here, but thanks for the advice anyway. Maybe I will replace my Spotify with it.
Oh you’re right, sorry. lol
What you are looking for here is something from the OG iPod line. There are some guides out there on how to build something similar with a raspberry pi.
Z U N E
I am probably not the right person to reply to. I am quite happy with Spotify, but for people like this guy this is the way.
I really like the comparison of analog media with camping!
Since owning a CD player i use my CDs more now than i did in 2010. Unfortunately Discogs shipping fees mean i can’t buy most of the things i want
CDs are digital media, not analog. I actually mentioned them in a reply to this guy, that they are both cheaper and better audio quality because they are digital.
You are technically correct. I should have said physical media
I highly recommend MusicBee for windows. It works well out of the box and has tools to organize your library for you and do other tasks. It’s all local and free. (You need to bring your own music files)
I got 20+ years of harddrives on my local server. I use an old rig in the main room with fubar2000 and milkdrop plugin, all hard wired on LAN. It works just fine for when I am not in my office.
But separately I have my dad’s old phonograph and some records for when I’m working in the garage. Unfortunately that setup suffers on the speaker end more than anything. Poor things been through a dozen moves across cities and states.