Going to the dark side (Music streaming) ... suggestions?

[logdrum]

I bought a 96k/24 bit copy of Abbey Road at HD Tracks and was appalled at how much the sound of the original LP had been changed. I wrote about this at length in another thread a while ago. Yes, it sounded very open and detailed but it sounded completely different and the bass was way down in the mix. It would be nice to be able to just have someone remaster from the original analog mixes and getting it to sound as close to the vinyl as possible.

Spotify is weird in how albums can just disappear overnight. As a Captain Beefheart fan I was appalled to find out recently that Trout Mask Replica is no longer on Spotify but the rest of his catalog for Warner Brothers is still in print. There are playlists out there made by users that try to recreate albums that Spotify no longer has by locating each track on some other album. Then there are albums that are present but with one or more tracks missing. Early on I created a playlist of the four albums by Gryphon but a few months later when I went to listen to it again the albums were gone. Then a couple of years later, they were back. In some cases the same album may be available in multiple versions, each remastered at a different time so each sounds different.

To be totally honest I keep a lot of bootleg recordings stored on my NAS. These were downloaded from blogs, usually copied from rare old LPs rather than recent CDs, the majority are not in print anywhere on CD or LP and most of the downloads were done before streaming services were in existence. Most bloggers included scans of the original jackets (so you can read the liner notes) and text files of the personnel as well, something not available on Spotify for sure.

I was able to download many Dead, Phish and Soul Live recording from the Internet Archive and I still think you can. They are usually zip, usually FLAC or wave PCM. I sue Linux or Homebrew port of LAME utilities to do all the transcoding and yes I have tons od bootlegged and ripped files on our home NAS and streamed via upNP on either Mac Minis or NUC Linux boxes

 

[brianrost]

All streaming services massively devalue music. There's no way around it. Think about it like this: if you spend $20 for a CD with 12 songs on it, that's like $1.60 a song. That's already pretty slim pickings for an artist.

The artists doesn't get the whole amount anyway unless it's self released. Some artists never see a penny from album sales, only from music publishing because record company bookkeeping manages to show that they haven't sold enough to recoup advances or management has cooked the books in their favor.

One person told me that even though multiple major label albums he was on are still in print over 50 years after initial release he hasn't seen a penny in royalties from the label (which after multiple mergers is Universal Music) and unfortunately he had no writing credits so publishing money went to bandmates.

Hot tip to younguns getting signed: make sure all the writing credit is shared jointly among the band members. U2 still does this, the Doors did at first but after the first three albums the credits went to the actual writers, in most cases just Jim Morrison and/or Robbie Krieger. That way they got more of the publishing money.

P.S. money for radio airplay also only goes to the writers, there are no performance royalties.

P.S. #2 Most streaming deals are between the label and streaming service so the label gets all the money and then gets to decide whether or not to share it with the artists. For older recordings there are no clauses about royalty rates for streams, some are old enough so CD royalties aren't in the contract either. Guess what that means

 

[brianrost]

Stick to the Node. Don't look at other streamers. It's a very slippery slope!

All but the Nano cost more than my stereo receiver that has wi-fi streaming with built-in support for Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, TuneIn Radio and support for AirPlay and Bluetooth for all other services. That's true of most other streaming boxes.

If you don't need the highest fidelity, it's hard to find a receiver these days that doesn't at least support Bluetooth so that plus a phone or computer is all you need after you download the streaming apps. Back when phones still had headphone jacks you could tether one to any stereo system and install streaming apps on it…I used an iPod Touch like that until Spotify stopped working because I couldn't install the latest versions of their app.

 

[brianrost]

YouTube Premium works best for me. Videos without ads + music streaming in the same package. Plus, I can build band playlists including live performances not available as albums - indicating "That's the version we are going to play".

I'm tired of bandmates pointing me to YT playlists. Luckily I have an app that rips the audio from YT videos minus the ads so I can have an actual audio file to use with my transcription software. I find YT's looping and speed tools not good enough for learning songs.

BTW, The DuckDuck Go browser plays YT videos without ads and it's free It also blocks trackers and can anonymize your email.

 

[mambo4]

Stream from your band camp page, where the streaming button is right next to the purchase/ donate button , and your share is actually favorable

 

[tIANcI]

All but the Nano cost more than my stereo receiver that has wi-fi streaming with built-in support for Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal, TuneIn Radio and support for AirPlay and Bluetooth for all other services. That's true of most other streaming boxes.

Well … it's all about relieving us of our hard earned cash to grease the economy lol

Heard streamers costing like $25k, it's very good but the price is nuts. Way too crazy.

I still got a Yamaha RN803 for the bedroom. A receiver with everything needed built in.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

I own about 6,000 Lps and Cds

SALUTE!

And SALUD!

 

[834federal]

I stream lossless on Apple music to a Andover D/A converter that is plugged into my stereo. VERY Happy!

Amazon.com: Andover Audio Songbird HR 24/192 Internet Music Streamer - ESS SABRE32 DAC, Delivers to Any Music System with Line Input, Tidal & Internet Radio Streaming - White : Electronics

Buy Andover Audio Songbird HR 24/192 Internet Music Streamer - ESS SABRE32 DAC, Delivers to Any Music System with Line Input, Tidal & Internet Radio Streaming - White: Streaming Media Players - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

I recently subscribed to Spotify to create and maintain an ad-free 125 song setlist for a project I'm putting together. It's a tool to learn the music, recruit new musicians and let venues sample what we will play (assisted living/nursing homes). In my home studio I stream from PC to the bluetooth input of an Electro-Voice EVOLVE 50M column speaker (PA), which also is my "bass rig." Settings are on "very high" streaming quality. The setup sounds like the real bands are playing in front of me. I'm happy.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I'm ok with Apple Music. I use for listening but also for learning songs, so… tax write off!!

 

[brianrost]

I stream lossless on Apple music to a Andover D/A converter that is plugged into my stereo. VERY Happy!

Amazon.com: Andover Audio Songbird HR 24/192 Internet Music Streamer - ESS SABRE32 DAC, Delivers to Any Music System with Line Input, Tidal & Internet Radio Streaming - White : Electronics

Buy Andover Audio Songbird HR 24/192 Internet Music Streamer - ESS SABRE32 DAC, Delivers to Any Music System with Line Input, Tidal & Internet Radio Streaming - White: Streaming Media Players - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

What's the source for your Apple Music stream? Hardwired to the D/A or are you using AirPlay or Bluetooth?

In my neighborhood, there's so much nearby traffic on both the 2.4G and 5G bands that AirPlay drops out all the time. I've been fussing with it for a long time(years) and still don't have a fix. If I want to stream Apple Music it's Bluetooth (lossy) or hardwiring my laptop (cumbersome).

I wish Apple would just license Apple Music to be embedded in home audio hardware like most of the competition has. Until then, I'm just not interested.

 

[jTrolt]

Another one for YouTube Premium here. Again, ad free music and videos is a huge consideration. I too, was a naysayer for the longest time.
First, I bought albums as a kid in the 80's, then had to replace all I could find when CD's were introduced. I have a digital music vault of many hundreds of albums I ripped from CD's. Only been a year or so since I gave in, and have no regrets.

So much music now available. And the obscure stuff is showing up as well

So much music info in video format. Not a day that goes by without some reference back to YT for a reference here.
I love that I can make a playlist, throw the occasional live video in, and YT delivers just the audio when I'm streaming . Very cool.

Clearly, we cannot solve the problem of the starving artist, and I've simply had no choice but to get over it, realize I am not a part of the problem, and yes,
I still buy the occasional CD in support of my absolute all time favorite artists, just so I can sleep a little bit better at night.

 

[Luther]

I use Amazon Music HD and stream/download my playlist from / to older unused androids to Zen Blue Bluetooth DAC's into analog stereo systems. Still own vinyl and CDs. Got tired of chasing latest releases / remasters on CD. Now I use bluetooth audio on both stereo systems + vinyl on one. I also use bluetooth audio in the car and a bluetooth speaker for camping etc. I don't think it matters much as to which service pays artist better. If that's a major concern you can still purchase the music.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

I don't think it matters much as to which service pays artist better. If that's a major concern you can still purchase the music.

Frankly, it would be better to just send a check to the artist(s) of your liking. Does Taylor Swift have a "go fund me" account?

 

[834federal]

What's the source for your Apple Music stream? Hardwired to the D/A or are you using AirPlay or Bluetooth?

In my neighborhood, there's so much nearby traffic on both the 2.4G and 5G bands that AirPlay drops out all the time. I've been fussing with it for a long time(years) and still don't have a fix. If I want to stream Apple Music it's Bluetooth (lossy) or hardwiring my laptop (cumbersome).

I wish Apple would just license Apple Music to be embedded in home audio hardware like most of the competition has. Until then, I'm just not interested.

AirPlay. A/V converter is hardwired

 

[MultiScaleMale]

YouTube Premium works best for me. Videos without ads + music streaming in the same package. Plus, I can build band playlists including live performances not available as albums - indicating "That's the version we are going to play".

The videos without ads is definitely worth it. I tried to watch a video when I wasn't signed in and couldn't believe how many ads they have.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Frankly, it would be better to just send a check to the artist(s) of your liking. Does Taylor Swift have a "go fund me" account?

At least 90% of your streaming or physical media spend is going to the record company and the artist is getting very little. But every time I start feeling bad for an artist I look at concert ticket prices and get over it.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

At least 90% of your streaming or physical media spend is going to the record company and the artist is getting very little. But every time I start feeling bad for an artist I look at concert ticket prices and get over it.

The Taylor Swift comment was a lame joke. Big Ticket prices are for the "1%ers" in music, a very thin layer at the top. Unless you only buy live music from the music royalty, event ticket prices below quickly slide off -- and even then, from what I read, a relatively small percentage goes to the performer. I suspect being in this realm is the stratosphere for most performers, who are otherwise lucky to earn minimum wage for the hours it takes to put on a gig.

The most interesting thing I'm getting from this thread is an almost pervasive feeling of guilt for buying music through streaming. Even the thread title says it: "Dark Side" = streaming.

 

[klejst]

I joined Spotify when it basically first came out and just recently last year went to their paid subscription because the ads were getting too frequent and long. I like the ability to build playlists and listen to pretty much whatever whenever for what its' worth.

 

[friskinator]

Why so dark on this topic?

You can start with Spotify for free. I got off all of the other streaming services and moved to Spotify many years ago. We share band set lists, which makes it really easy to set up a set list. Share it with others and go through all the material it streams to any device, also supported on many car audio systems, and you can download content locally if traveling on a plane so you can still listen to your tunes.

Like many others I ripped hundreds of CDs years ago and have well over 10 gigs of MP3s that I used to manage and deal with and sync to my devices. Certainly back in those days there were limited options and that was the only way to deal with having your music locally available on digital devices.

I have several hard drives that are unplugged sitting in a closet that I have not touched in many years that contain all of the MP3's that I once worked so hard to rip and catalog and organize so it could be viewed on a PC or a Mac and then synced down to devices. All I could say is, wow what a hassle all of that was I'm glad I'm not wasting my precious time on that nonsense anymore.

Spotify, on all of my devices. iOS, Android, Mac, PC, and even on large screen smart TVs.

You have to be a paying member to download content. If you're a listener that frequently needs to stream without data, it's worth it.

I agree, though - no reason to be dark about it. Streaming services are the norm now, like it or not.