Hi-Res at SXSW

There were a pair of High Resolution Audio Panels at South By Southwest this year, Hi-Res Audio in Every Earbud and the one shown here, Listening in High Definition: Future Music Consumption where David Chesky (pictured here), of Chesky Records, fought boredom with this panel as well as the good fight for HDTracks and all of high resolution audio. His comments on how streaming devalues music and musicians had a lot of heads in the room nodding in the affirmative. His explanation of what makes for high end audio were the best information given during this entire panel. He know'd of what he spoke. His fellow panelists, not the most distinguished nor well-informed group, talked much but said very little.

COMMENTS
OneOfSix's picture

I rediscovered vinyl after thirty some years of listening to CDs and streaming. I couldn't agree more and have registered support with current artists who have also rediscovered the vinyl medium and high resolution dowloads. The simple act of sitting down listening to the lyrics and musicianship has opened my teen and twenty-somethings to what they have been missing listening to mp3s and streaming. They are asking me at family meals to play something from my ever growing collection. I plan to give all of them USB DACs for their birthdays and $100 to start their own collections.

crenca's picture

Of course, I stream Tidal (16/44) most of the time, but even when I am on the road and using cellular (and thus streaming compressed) I still enjoy and discover music (even though I can hear the compression). Of course, I use hi-fi quality gear also. I think it is a mistake to blame "streaming" per se, as it is the only way I discover music (and can). The record stores are gone, good local broadcast is gone, and streaming has a variety and depth that neither of these old sources ever had...

crenca's picture

So I am a bit perplexed when I hear things like this:

"His comments on how streaming devalues music and musicians had a lot of heads in the room nodding in the affirmative"

With the demise of broadcast radio (and MTV), just how do these musicians think I am going to hear their music?!? If I can't hear it, how do I know it exists and how then do I $purchase$ it?!? Where is the "value" in anonymity, which is apparently what these musicians are going for, or something...

X