CD Production Plants closing...

Sony To Lay Off Nearly 250 In Plant Closure
CD Distribution Facility To Close

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Sony CD distribution facility will close later this year in Hamilton County, leaving about 250 people without jobs.

The wheels of technology keep turning, and the closure is further evidence that the compact disc is on the way out.

"Due to the continued challenges posed by economic conditions and the current competitive landscape, Sony … has been forced to make the difficult decision," the company said in a statement.

Demand for CDs has fallen dramatically in recent years, as digital files have taken over physical product.

A Best Buy CD and DVD distribution facility that once employed 300 people closed earlier this year.

Another aspect of people "stealing" music online having a detrimental effect on society. The digital file format in itself wasn't the death of the cd but the "covenience" of clicking a mouse and leaving the wallet/purse closed at the same time was.

Maybe I am dinosaur but I like having something tangible in my hands, I grew up playing vinyl records and spent hours reading liner notes, actually listening to the entire album and when CD's came along, I loved both the convince and the sound.

I have nothing against the digital format, its not for me personally.

But having a file on my PC I donot feel is owning something, I like the fact I can go into my living room and see a wall to wall of CD's.

All I can say is thank God for used record stores.
Even if I downloaded something from amazon it gets burned onto a cd.

brokentulsa wrote:

All I can say is thank God for used record stores.
Even if I downloaded something from amazon it gets burned onto a cd.

yeppers

Maybe there really is something to those rumors about major labels phasing out the CD format entirely by the end of this year. Yikes.

manny wrote:

Maybe I am dinosaur but I like having something tangible in my hands, I grew up playing vinyl records and spent hours reading liner notes, actually listening to the entire album and when CD's came along, I loved both the convince and the sound.

I have nothing against the digital format, its not for me personally.

But having a file on my PC I donot feel is owning something, I like the fact I can go into my living room and see a wall to wall of CD's.

I am a fellow dinsaur myself then. That's exactly the way I feel about this too. I'll fight this til the inevitable conclusion.

(Crosses arms, stands firm)

I REFUSE to go all-digital dammit!!! Ain't gonna do it! Nope nope nope!

but.......................vinyl is making a comeback......always sounded better than cds (IMHO) and the vinyl they are slinging nowadays sounds better than the old vinyl. and..................the bands that are not putting out new stuff on vinyl are bands I have no interest in buying anything by anyways.

I love the cd format but honestly, I can afford more music because of downloads. ( the legal type) Some, like 'Deth I want the whole package but some just the music is enough.

James B. wrote:

but.......................vinyl is making a comeback......always sounded better than cds (IMHO) and the vinyl they are slinging nowadays sounds better than the old vinyl. and..................the bands that are not putting out new stuff on vinyl are bands I have no interest in buying anything by anyways.

Nah - CD's sound better, IMHO! I've played vinyl and CD back to back and except in one case, the CD always wins! That case was Death Magnetic, btw........

Vinyl is fun and nostalgic for me and I've been adding more lately and may have to drag the kids down to the big yearly record flea market in DC on Sunday. CD's seem to have more range to me and the sound clearer (if that makes sense to you!) or I guess I should say "Sound Clarity"

I think we have the same turntable - was that you or Wargod that picked up the Audio-Technica recently?


BTW - I don't want CD's to end! That would SUCK!!! I love the physical product!!!!! I have bought digital music from time to time, but I make sure it is the highest bit-rate so I don't get a loss of quality.

I'm sure CD's will just go underground. I doubt they'll go away completely... Just mass production. As long as there's people to buy them, i'm sure someone will keep making them.

I read something about this again the other day from a friend. I don't think it will ever completely go away at least for music by the bands most of us are listening to. A major part will be the radio friendly bands......hopefully. Vinyl has never left completely so I doubt the cd will either.

I don't think Joker has listened to the right LPs yet. A good vinyl pressing can smoke the CD counterparts...especially if it's an all-analog recording to begin with. Run a high end turntable through a vacuum tube amplifier and you'll see what I mean.

I don't think CDs are going away completely either, but I think at some point in the not-too-distant future there will be much less available for new releases.

I purchase all these formats, CD's, LP's and downloads (providing they are lossless, I will not purchase MP3s any longer).

S.D. wrote:

I don't think Joker has listened to the right LPs yet. A good vinyl pressing can smoke the CD counterparts...especially if it's an all-analog recording to begin with. Run a high end turntable through a vacuum tube amplifier and you'll see what I mean.

I don't think CDs are going away completely either, but I think at some point in the not-too-distant future there will be much less available for new releases.

I purchase all these formats, CD's, LP's and downloads (providing they are lossless, I will not purchase MP3s any longer).

Where I live in Tampa, there is only one major chain left open, in 40 mile radius between our three counties in the Tampa Bay area, that is an FYE in Brandon, which is about 20 miles away, the other CD store is an independent CD store that has two locations. Walmart and Target in my are have reduced their stock, so no surprise that plants that manufacturing plants for CD's are closing, nowhere to physically buy them.

I'm slowly moving into the digital realm even though I was one of those hardcore physical product is the only way to go guys up until recently. Besides the convenience and cost, I realized I don't really care too much about packaging or reading linear notes because the music is either gonna move me or it's not, and I could care less these days about photos and thank you lists and who produced what in whatever studio, etc. I wouldn't have said any of this 5 years ago, but I'm moving on and slowly I'm gonna sell-off all my CD's little by little because I'm not gonna have any use for them pretty soon.

S.D. wrote:

I don't think Joker has listened to the right LPs yet. A good vinyl pressing can smoke the CD counterparts...especially if it's an all-analog recording to begin with. Run a high end turntable through a vacuum tube amplifier and you'll see what I mean.

Yeah, yeah..... I still disagree! LOL!!!!!!

Agreed, good quality vinyl beats CDs and MP3s any day. Regarding new vinyl; I have heard from several sources that some pressing plants require that the music for all new records be emailed to them as MP3s. What's the point? Yes, it may be more convenient for them, but it completely compromises the sound quality- one of the main reasons why people buy the bleedin' things!

static wrote:

I have heard from several sources that some pressing plants require that the music for all new records be emailed to them as MP3s. What's the point? Yes, it may be more convenient for them, but it completely compromises the sound quality- one of the main reasons why people buy the bleedin' things!

That's false, doesn't and wouldn't happen.

I've heard it from people getting stuff pressed that the plant requested MP3s.

I can't think of a reputable pressing plant that would do that, but dumber things have happened. If your friend has the contact information I'd like to call them, PM me if you get their contact info.

I found the plant. They used to be called totalvinyl.net and changed their name. You can see under the 'Mastering' header that they request files.

http://only-vinyl.com/

There is another plant that accepts files but advises against them. The name escapes me at the moment but I'll have another poke around later.

The problem with vinyl making a comeback is that it costs even more than cd's do! Seriously i was at best buy and saw a GNR vinyl for $20. At least with CDs you can still rip them to an mp3 player.

manny wrote:

Maybe I am dinosaur but I like having something tangible in my hands, I grew up playing vinyl records and spent hours reading liner notes, actually listening to the entire album and when CD's came along, I loved both the convince and the sound.

I have nothing against the digital format, its not for me personally.

But having a file on my PC I donot feel is owning something, I like the fact I can go into my living room and see a wall to wall of CD's.

well said. Those are my feelings.

Hadley wrote:

The problem with vinyl making a comeback is that it costs even more than cd's do! Seriously i was at best buy and saw a GNR vinyl for $20. At least with CDs you can still rip them to an mp3 player.

Almost all new vinyl albums come with a free download card for the .mp3 tracks.

They are more expensive because there are very few manufacturing plants left and the material is pricier than CDs.