We often hear that CDs are dead, which is untrue, as the balance has been felt for some time now between digital files, streaming, or purchased music. While it’s true that fewer CDs are sold than originally, they possess the perfection of sound and the disadvantage of having too small album artwork. Streaming is enjoyable among friends or when listening to things one doesn’t necessarily want to buy.
Vinyl records have also evolved significantly, to the point where the mastering for vinyl pressing today is redone for vinyl versions of albums released on CD. This optimizes the sound, although it’s not as defined as on a CD but remains acceptable for Hi-Fi listening. The large album artwork is also appreciated, providing greater readability and more information if desired compared to a CD.
All these different formats—downloads, streaming, CDs, and vinyl—coexist and cater to different clienteles and needs, which can overlap based on preferences, desires, choices, and lifestyles. Therefore, one cannot specifically criticize one format or the other. For instance, at Bayou Blue Radio, we have long observed that creating our own digital files from CDs saves us 80% of the time compared to the WAV digital files we receive, where we have to label each file individually with titles, artist names, track numbers, etc., for each song. This is the reason we no longer accept downloaded files.
By creating our own digital audio reductions, we can control the quality of each file and avoid issues on air. Additionally, CDs will be used for live broadcasts on FM when we get there in a few months. The same applies to vinyl records; they are not only used for decoration but also for dedicated broadcasts.
Using CDs or vinyl records in broadcasts also allows for different atmospheres, each with its unique sound definition. This demonstrates that these various realms can coexist. Digital files will be heard during the night or off-air hours when there is no broadcast.
While these questions may have arisen a few years ago, it is evident today that all these techniques have found their place.
Thierry De Clemensat
Editor in Chief
Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News