So…Much…Music!

No doubt streaming has so many benefits and I listen to music exclusively with streaming. All the CDs and vinyl and associated gear has been sold, no looking back.

Being in my 70s, my audio journey started back in the 1960s with vinyl, a Lafayette receiver, and some Celestion Ditton 10 speakers. In addition to listening at my home base, what was really important to me was a portability that would allow me to have music travel with me. I’ve seen and lived it all, from 8 track tapes, to cassettes, to cds, mp3s on flash drives, and now streaming platforms.

So in addition to having access to so much new music, one of the biggest benefits of streaming for me, is to have access to all "my favourite" music as well as  many playlists curated for my tastes populated with both familiar and new music, with consistent high quality, impervious to physical breakdown, weather I’m on a plane, with my earbuds, on the beach with my Audeze headphones, in my kitchen system while making dinner, and in my car when I am driving. We have never had that combination of durability, access, portability, and superior sound quality until now with streaming.

@alvinnir2 

+1

Like you, I too am in my 70’s and share your journey keeping up with the changing of music mediums. Last year I added streaming to my home system and also love, as you and others have stated, the convenience of carrying the music wherever I go via my smartphone. With good quality headphones or good quality earbuds (I have both) I’m able and do what I think is most important, ie; “Listening to the music!” Never-mind that every method of listening isn’t superior, that’s what my home system is for, it’s about engaging in listening to the talented people who have dedicated their time and sometimes their lives to creating music. As an old bass guitar player and drummer in my youth I have a great respect and appreciation for musicians. I feel privileged to be able have the equipment that allows me listen to the results of musician’s artistic expressions. 
 

I concur with you that NOW is the best time to take advantage of listening however you want. Unlike you though, I’m a collector. My vinyl and cd’s stay and get used based on my mood and energy level. So I setup my home system in order of my preference, streamer 1st, cd player 2nd and turntable 3rd (even though it’s the most expensive component in my system - it can be viewed in Systems). Dropping vinyl takes more effort than I want to do some days, so streaming from my listening chair is a great alternative…

Happy listening!!

@nogaps 

Drop $15+ on a similar CD and hope for the best.   

I use Spotify and YouTube specifically to identify music I may want to buy on CD.

Some may take pride in thumping their chest about plenty of variety in their vinyl/CD collections and therefore have no use for streaming, and that may be true, for them, but from the viewpoint of all music produced throughout the world over the last 100 years, they're dancing on the head of a pin. It's like living in the movie The Truman Show. 

Sounds like you haven't been on this forum very long. There has been (and continues to be) far, far, more "chest thumping" on the part of the streaming cult than those who are content with vinyl and/or CD. 

I don’t stream. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. Every thing I play is either on vinyl or a CD. I grew up in the generation that had actual new hits every week. After the 90’s music has all been downhill. Get off my lawn. 

Some people seem to be confusing quality with quantity.  Both have their merits, but in the long run I know which one I would rather have.

If you have a 1,000+ CD/vinyl/tape collection and it's not one of the best collections of music you've ever heard, in your humble opinion.  Then is getting potential access to 100 million song sreally going to help you?

A music collection is no different than system building.  Some people know how to do it better than others.