Vote Your Ranking -If you have an opinion on this digital subject

1, 4, 3 and 2

I do not understand why people find it such a hassle to walk on over to a high quality cd transport or player and insert a good old fashion cd. To me, all this hi res this and that is not needed and just complicates things. At some point, it does not matter the resolution, as a human is not going to hear the difference. Maybe if you have Bat-Like hearing you will detect any significant difference.. Most here are older and surely have some hearing loss as it Is part of the aging process. Also, what disturbs me about the whole streaming thing is the Fact that you do not really own anything. Owning something, in my opinion, requires not only the ability to listen, but also the ability to touch and see what you own. So, for me, streaming this or that will remain as a tool to find or discover new music both current and old. Lastly, I do not like having to pay a premium every month just to listen to something. Over many years, you could have saved all that money to actually purchase a hard copy of what you like. To me, being surrounded by actual physical copies (lp’s, cd’s, cassette tapes, etc..) is part of the lifestyle and decor of being an audiophile...maybe I’m old, who knows...I cannot envision a listening environment without my physical media at my finger tips, as I find it comforting to gaze at what I’ve ammased over my many many years of collecting. The last time I checked, a digital file or download has not increased in value and is deemed pretty worthless. However, some of my physical copies of music have done nothing but go up in value. Take a look at what some lp's are going for on ebay and discogs.....

Wow, not much of a consensus eh?

Two votes for #1

Two votes for #3

One vote for #2

One vote for #4

The only takeaway is that most people,

18 of 23 here, have no decided preference.

Thanks to the  respondents who felt able

to respond to this hypothetical comparison. 

The concept of blind testing seems get a lot people upset.

Read that on several forums.

"The original source cannot be improved only altered."

Winner winner, chicken dinner. 

Ya know, I really could care less if I actually own the file/LP/whatever that I want to play. If I can reliably keep what I want to hear at my beck 'n call, that's fine by me. I must say, too, that I'm totally in love with streaming classical. I feel like the king of the world. Hmmm, which artist/conductor/orchestra's  Brahms' Fourth do I wish to summon to my stereo tonight? It hearkens back to the moment in time when I worked at Tower Classical Records on the Sunset Strip. So many choices! And a machine in the back room to reseal the record in plastic wrap after I've finished listening to it...