sound systems playing cds

[seanmd]

For me, its more about the music than the format, I consider myself a collecter of music rather than the format that it is in. I tend to try and get stuff of MP3 because I really dont have the room to store vinyl or CDs any more.

Also, maybe my hearing has been damaged through aural abuse over the years, but I really can't tell the difference anymore, and I've got some tunes in all 3 formats.

Having said that, the average reggae sound system looks more at home playing vinyl than it would anything else. We've all seen those pictures or seen the selecter peering over the turntable when its at head height with the 7" single spinning with the adapter in the middle. Somehow that looks how it should be.

[ital kemar]

thanks for your thoughts guys. reason for my question was i was reading an interview with tony matterhorn (ex- inter city, king addies)in a magazine and there was some pics of him at the decks. but sitting on the turntables were stacks of burned cds. got me thinking is this the future of sound systems. its true its the message/vibes etc that count, not the format, but i tend to agree with seanmd's last paragraph above. again, thanks for your thoughts on this. keep the music playing...

ital kemar

[selecta bing]

Well now it is SERATO !
So you still look like you are "DJing" when really it is just POINT and CLICK,
because it is all from your laptop !
But DJing is still a visual thing.
When people are dancing to a DJ they are still looking at the SELECTA.

I liked the old disco days when the DJ was in a booth, out of sight
and people just danced with each other.
"DJs ARE NOT ROCK STARS"

[rasdragon]

I think one thing that is overlooked in this discussion is that like soul most of reggae is not reissued on cd & the better part of it I dont ever see being reissued. So how then could you get the sound killers to play out....
I collect mainly 7" format for this exact reason, it is the only way to get these songs.

[Nohay Bma]

I've seen a french sound system (called "stickman family sound"); these young bwoys played some hardcore dancehall (Elephant man, Bounty, etc) in CD. I saw them downloaded MP3 on the afternoon, burned CD and played that in a pub in the evening. The selection was very bad, quality of the tunes, very bad too! Now they have selled few vinyls they had and pay (very much) to have "dubplate" of Jamaican Artist. First, there are not dubplate but specials. Second: what's the interest to pay 500€ for have it in mp3?

I'm not really a sound system (I played few times at this moment). I'm selector collector, lover of reggae music in vinyl. For many years, I had thought that roots vinyls doesn't exist anymore. Since i've taken my first, it became my obcession. We are in this vibes, we love it; and in twenty years we will continue to talk about reggae.

Somebody don't really love and understand reggae. This is the "HYPE" side. I supposed those won't listening for a long time.

Respct due for this hard stuff!!

Blessings

[MightyZ]

I am more comfortable with the vinyl format - as a DJ and a listener. In a true Sound System context it seems right!

However, I am occasionally found using other media - sometimes so that I can integrate my own music into a set without having to press a vinyl copy (although when I have the time and money I use a place called Vinyl Carvers that cut vinyl discs cheaply using a Vestax machine and they are great!). I also hear the argument about taking rare and valuable vinyl out - I use vinyl that is over 40 years old when I DJ - luckily I don't do it too often or I would probably have to rethink!

In the end it is about the quality of the tunes, but if two sound systems offered everything else identical except one used vinyl decks and the other cd decks etc., I would be at the vinyl sound system!

MightyZ

[suzifan]

Here's more wood for the fire: I was gutted when I saw DJ Derek DJing off minidisc. Don't people go see him for some kind of authenticity, a connection with the past?
I know in Manchester they have sound nights where your record box is checked out fi see if any of your tunes ain't first press! If so, you aren't allowed to play them!! Is that bad or good??

"Let he who is without sin cast the first dubplate"

[Vlad]

it s the knowledge of the music (riddims etc.) combined with the feeling of the audience that makes a good selekta; Add a great sound system, and there you go; Whether the music source is digital or analog doesn't matter; I collect tons of vinyl; For the love of the object (label, artwork, magic of spinning); But if I was to DJ, I wouldn't hesitate: I would neither use vinyl nor CD; I d use PC (or MAC). This trend will not reverse; DJ using vinyl will grow more and more scarce, because logistics and agility suck when using vinyl; It will become folkloric to use vinyl; Like all good things, vinyl DJing won't disappear, but it won't be the edge and it is not the future, nor even present anymore.

[stickman family sound promotion]

yo nohay i'm not used to this forum so i won't cuss you too much but i remember you were dancing and thing that night,hail we up after the show like we are the men.In fact you're an hypocrite! now you come and call me bwoy on public place, spreading rumours about dubplate prices me never paid and talking like you know me well...i have vinyls-dubplates-mp3-wav-cds-k7... every kind of music on different support like most of us nowadays so whats the fuck youre talking about?when a promoter call us three days before to play for free in a pub and him tell me cd turntables only like most of the pubs have,i bring what me have to make the people (novice) dance and if them enjoy that the only thing i rate i dont really respect your way of doing like you know everything in the business.anyway i dont want to talk this over keep on doing what youre doing and if you think im hype and dont love music thats your problem i dont really care bout.Seen

[stepping razor]

The art of selecting has gone with cds. A vinyl selector has to make a selection of tunes to take to a dance. Cds means you have more choices of selection at hand in the dance. Strictly vinyl except when you have specials that ain`t been cut on to dubplate yet. A lot of Sound System people are also musicians making tunes. Mp3s at a dance means you have even more choice of a selection covering all basses if they feel they are losing in the UK Dub Cup clashes. Once you base the Sound System on cds and mp3s it`s not called a Sound System anymore.

peace