EB now takes CD's in trade. Huh.

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 2:36 pm

Just got off the phone with my local EB, which by the way will have Fight Night tonight by 8:00 for pre-sale orders, very cool. The girl told me that as of a week ago they now take music CD's for trade credit. With my IPOD this is huge as all of my CD's are on there. And in her words, "as long as it's the CD and the book, in the case, there are NONE that we won't take." Fight Night, ESPN, FSW, come to papa.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 2:47 pm

What's a CD?

I haven't bought or sold a CD in a little over 5 years. Ever since the MP3 revolution...I haven't even seen a CD outside of Best Buy or Tower Records. Guess I won't be benefitting from this exchange program.

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 2:53 pm

HA!
Maybe i should have placed a disclaimer on the subject that this is for the older crowd who, like me, probably has stacks of old CD's rotting away in a rack somewhere. Anyway, sorry db, you'll just have to keep spending that hard earned cash this spring while i trade in my Jimmy Buffett, Grateful Dead, etc for the $.25 that i'll probably get for them.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 2:58 pm

It's not about not having CDs...I gave all mine away. No need to keep them when you've got them in MP3 format. I've got them backed up in about 3 different places (about 60 gig worth). I had about 400 CD's at one time, now I've got zero.

No need to keep them around, along with the bulk that goes along with them. I've got an external hd with all of them on it, my internal drive, and all of the MP3 CD's I've burned (about 150 of them with around 10 albums on each). Just bring my Case Logic cd case with me in the car (I've got an MP3 deck installed of course) that holds 64 cd's and I've got around 600 full albums with me.

So basically I've just streamlined my collection. I'm gonna have a field day when they get a car stereo that'll play MP3's off of a DVD. Can't wait for that day. Just carry about 10 or 20 dvd's and you can have your entire 1500 album collection with ya...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 3:20 pm

I sold all of my CD's on half.com or secondspin.com when I joined the MP3 revolution two years ago. Ripped them to MP3 and sold them, getting a LOT more money than I'm sure EB will give for credit.

Highly recommened secondspin.com.

Take care,
PK

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 5:06 pm

I've got around 40 I'm going to trade in either towards a game or for credit. Probably not EB Games, but another gaming store that specializes in used cds and video games. Thanks for the heads up though Rally.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 5:39 pm

Meh, I can't bear to part with them. Call me old fashioned but I still need something physical to hang onto, even though I use MP3s a lot. In fact, I just bought some new CDs off of Amazon today.

Still, I can't imagine how EB is going to sell them? They have no room in many of their stores for all the games they have.

BBReBozo · Post by **BBReBozo** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 6:20 pm

BTW, has anyone else discovered the joy of going to your local library, taking out a CD or five and then ripping them to your PC? Ever since I resurrected my home PC, I've been taking advantage of all the FREE music at my local branch. While the selection isn't always that great, you can find some gems.

Just today I found a Tragically Hip CD I don't have and two Tom Waits CD I've been meaning to check out for ages.

Let's just hope Gov. Ahhnuld doesn't decide that reading ISN'T fundamental after all and to terminate local library funding. At least not until I've completed raiding their collections.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 6:20 pm

EB will probably rape you on the trade in.

There used to be so many local chains which took trade-ins and gave you decent value. Now even Tower is in bankruptcy.

I'm in no hurry to get rid of CDs. A good stereo will show the difficiencies of any lossy format so while I accept the convenience of compressed digital audio, I can't see myself being totally dependent on compressed digital audio.

I would definitely get CDs from one of those music clubs, get their intro deal and fulfill my obligations, before I pay to download music. Even tho someone did give me a gift certificate for the iTunes music store...

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:26 pm

Just a follow up. First, it appears as though they are NOT selling the CD's in the retail stores. What they are doing is a mystery, or at least was to the guy at my EB.
As far as the total. I traded six CD's, all fairly recent (last two years), and i got $26 for them. Per PK i checked out secondspin.com and they would have given me $29 for the same six CD's. The three dollar difference was made up by the fact that Fight Night is in my possession tonight. Thanks for the advice though PK, i can definitely see secondspin coming in handy on some of my older discs though.

TheFormerBrett44 · Post by **TheFormerBrett44** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:51 pm

I guess I'm an audiophile because MP3 just doesn't do it for me. I have about $2,000 invested in my home system and there's no way I'm switching to MP3. I wish that SACD and DVD-AUDIO would catch on more however, because discs like Dark Side Of The Moon and even Toys In The Attic are outstanding in the format.

I have about 600 official cds and almost 2,000 cds of live concerts and studio outtakes/alternate mixes, etc., and I'm keeping them all. As a matter of fact, I'm listening to The Who live at the Silverdome on 12/7/79 right now.

I download MP3s to listen to on the computer, but when I'm listening to my home system I don't care for the downgrade in quality with MP3.

Brett

The_Sir · Post by **The_Sir** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 9:17 pm

I don't know about y'all but I get attached to me CDs, there's some CDs I could just never trade in ever for any reason. Even having them in MP3 format and with the ability to burn them onto a CD-R. Certain CDs, like Common Sense - Resurrection, I could just never trade in.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 9:24 pm

I used to have a big expensive system but I stopped sitting down to listen to music. So MP3s are okay for me, particularly since they can be searched for and accessed in a far more convenient manner than media.

People with a huge collection of CDs would benefit from a media server. There are probably expensive custom systems capable of storing thousands of CDs and loading them at will.

But for people with ordinary income, they would have to settle for MP3 jukeboxes.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 10:09 pm

I'm in the same ship as WCO. With kids, life on the go, etc., I hardly ever sit down to listen to tunes. In fact, my computer speakers in my office -- either through songs on the hard drive or when patched into my Archos -- get more play time than any speakers in my house.

So MP3's are way more convenient for me. With my Archos, I have 3,500 songs at my fingertips to play at my office desk, on my home stereo, and through any radio in the house, the yard or either of our cars with the IRock transmitter. Oh, and I can do the old-fashioned thing and actually use the Archos with headphones while walking, in airports, etc.

For an audiophile like Brett, MP3's don't cut it. Completely understandable. But for someone like me, MP3's at 192 kbps sound just fine through my stereo or good computer speakers, and they're just so damn convenient.

Oh, and there's one other catch: The tunes are free.

Take care,
PK

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 10:17 pm

The 3 EB's in my area have NO knowledge of taking in CD's for trade !?!?!?!

Too bad too, I had a bunch to trade in.

TheFormerBrett44 · Post by **TheFormerBrett44** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 11:14 pm

pk500 wrote: Oh, and there's one other catch: The tunes are free.

You have a point there, no doubt about it.

The thing about cds is I hardly ever buy a new release. I just bought the new Aerosmith blues cd and it's the first new release I've purchased in probably two years. I buy alot of old cds that have been remastered and/or reissued with bonus tracks, etc. I buy stuff I already have that's been remixed in SACD. But I dislike just about every band and singer that surfaced since about 1994 or so.

Most of the stuff I buy is music from the 1960's and 1970's. I'm also a big fan of the music I grew up with, Motley Crue, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, Aerosmith, Kiss, and a huge fan of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. The only official cds from those are reissues or new live discs. I'm on a major Johnny Cash kick lately, picked up official releases of Live at Folsom Prison, Live At San Quentin, and Live at MSG '69. All great releases with bonus tracks, an awesome booklet, etc. That's another reason why I'm sticking with cds, I love booklets and artwork.

But mostly I trade and download in lossless formats live concerts and studio outtakes. Ever hear Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley jamming in the Sun Studios? It's interesting to say the least.

Brett

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 11:17 pm

Is SACD really necessary for rock and roll?

Anyways, it would be interesting if one of the newer formats did better. Then someone will surely find a way to rip the new media. But it doesnt' sound like SACD and DVDA have content that haven't already been released on CDs.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 11:53 pm

Brett:

I'm just starting to explore lossless formats. What's the best lossless format, in your opinion? .SHN? .APE?

Thanks,
PK

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 12:10 am

<The 3 EB's in my area have NO knowledge of taking in CD's for trade !?!?!?!
Too bad too, I had a bunch to trade in>

Spooky,
Funny you say that. Sport73, he's in FL, went to his and they said the same thing. I'm up in MA so i wonder if we're in a trial area or something. I called three of the local stores and they all were doing it. Hope it comes your way soon.

TheFormerBrett44 · Post by **TheFormerBrett44** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 10:48 am

pk500 wrote:Brett:

I'm just starting to explore lossless formats. What's the best lossless format, in your opinion? .SHN? .APE?

Thanks,
PK

They are all basically the same. I prefer FLAC to both SHN and APE but am happy with all 3 formats. They all basically do the same thing, and even if one if slightly more efficient at compression the end result is the same...an exact lossless copy of the original. I suggest being capable of using all three because there's always something only available in one format or another.

As for SACD, I don't know if it's really needed for Rock and Roll or not. I can say that Dark Side Of The Moon is outstanding in the format. The SACD stereo layer blows away the remaster, and the SACD 5.1 mix is almost like a new recording.

Brett

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 11:14 am

Is there a lot of file sharing in the lossless formats?

How much compression efficiency do you get? How much better than AIFF?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 11:54 am

WCO:

I never saw much lossless-format stuff using more traditional file sharing interfaces, such as Kazaa Lite, Soulseek, Blubster, WinMX and the like.

But now that I'm getting into BitTorrent, I'm finding a lot of lossless files. BitTorrent kicks major ass.

A lot of the jam band trading sites -- the Dead, Widespread Panic, Phish, etc. -- offer many lossless-format files of live shows.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 11:55 am

Brett:

Thanks for the info, man!

Out,
PK

TheFormerBrett44 · Post by **TheFormerBrett44** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 12:18 pm

wco81 wrote:Is there a lot of file sharing in the lossless formats?

How much compression efficiency do you get? How much better than AIFF?

There is a ton of lossless file sharing happening, mostly with bit torrent. One of the best sites for BT sharing is Sharingthegroove.org where you can find stuff from just about any band, not just jam-based bands. MP3 isn't allowed at STG, and most sites that host BT seriously frown on MP3 if it's not banned outright.

I guess the average compression efficiency for most lossless formats is about 50%, give or take. The files are much bigger than MP3, but then again that should be expected since it's lossless compression.

Brett