Comments on: Neil Young takes on the iPod

By: Greg Kurtz, New Milford, NJ

Greg Kurtz, New Milford, NJ — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:49:37 +0000

Just shut up and play the music,Neil. The same goes for your politics. In concert people want to hear Powderfinger-not you lambasting the Bush administration for ten minutes between songs. GET BACK TO WHAT MATTERS-The music

By: Ana, Kalamazoo, MI

Ana, Kalamazoo, MI — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:33:38 +0000

I don’t care for MP3 players, either, but I’m not going to lie: a CD player and a stack of CDS isn’t the easiest thing to carry around school hallways, listen to while vacuuming, etc. This is where the iPod comes in handy.

By: Nick Danger, Mclean, VA

Nick Danger, Mclean, VA — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:54:39 +0000

human beings are the most interestingly distorted things on the planet. Neil has been on this bandwagon long before IPOD’s ruled the land, he was on the forefront of the bandwidth / sampling rates when CD’s first came out too…..but most of you frat boys are simply too young to remember…..its always enjoyable to see the posts from people with no facts promote their ignorance……most of these folks likely werent around in the age of vinyl and turntables and tube analog audio…….its interesting to note the the price of all that old school gear is skyrocketing these days even with all the MP3 and Ipod gear splashing around the place…..

By: Jerry, NY

Jerry, NY — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 23:11:40 +0000

to DD from China,

No, no one in China will say yes because they take for granted that pirating is the fight for evil western capitalism.

If you guys dislike all those BS, then don’t take it. Oh yeah, I forgot, you guy can’t make the decision because your government choose what your people can do, they even control which websites your people can visit. Brain washed by your government buy you guys don’t even know.

By: Mike, Arlington VA Liberal whiner capital of the WORLD.

Mike, Arlington VA Liberal whiner capital of the WORLD. — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:04:01 +0000

Neil, Neil, Neil,… what to say to an aging CANADIAN hippie whose inspirations come to him when he is hopped up on who knows what or deathly ill. We live in a world of instant gratification. Get over it Neil. You think this country sucks so bad? Go back to Canada, jerk off. I’m a huge fan of some of his music but he needs to shut the hell up and stay on his ranch and fix his electric cars or play with his Lionel trains. I have 2 ipods and I rip all my stuff at 256. Sounds decent enough for the car. You’re in a car man, not friggin Carnagie Hall! I don’t use the earbuds because I know they suck. Its not the player, people, its the compression rate you choose. Yeah you get fewer songs but that’s why they make 60gb players. do you put whole albums on or just some songs from each? Then, as has been mentioned, how about using lossless? Ears are the windows to the soul…..ha…smoke another joint Neil and go back to bed.

By: George Johnson, Milwaukee, WI.

George Johnson, Milwaukee, WI. — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:04:32 +0000

Neil just wants higher audio quality because MP3 won’t accurately represent his extremely high-pitched, feminine, lady-like singing voice.

Not to mention the feeble, wimpy guitar scratching.

By: Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:28:22 +0000

I listened to a mate’s when they first came out & decided to stick with a Panasonic SD-SV85 that I’d had since 2000 because the iPod sounded so bad.

My mate was very appreciative that I recommended at least replacing earphones.

I guess I’ll never be cool.

By: Elmo, East Aurora NY

Elmo, East Aurora NY — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:19:31 +0000

Wow ! Fisher-Price toys sound as good as an IPOD! What a concept and guess what? Fisher-Price toys actually sound pretty good these days. I’m an Audio Engineer there and I consider this a compliment ! Thanks Neil.

By: CoCaCoLa, Vancouver BC

CoCaCoLa, Vancouver BC — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:03:22 +0000

Perhaps Neil Young not getting paid well, so he complains?

By: Bob West, Colorado Springs CO

Bob West, Colorado Springs CO — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:22:18 +0000

Does Neil Young actually think his music requires a full audio range to enjoy? Those twenty minute one note solo’s aren’t really that dynamic tonally. But hey, who you going to blame when sales are down?

By: BobbyD, Phila, PA

BobbyD, Phila, PA — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:57:07 +0000

Dude looks like Jesus

By: DD,China

DD,China — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:21:50 +0000

How many people in china would say yes? Maybe none.

By: KaGe, Rochester NY

KaGe, Rochester NY — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:43:49 +0000

These complaints about quality, while valid, miss the point. In order to have the fullest musical experience, you need to go to a live concert. Any recording is going to fall short of the real thing. Would you rather see a picture of the perfect sunset or the sunset itself? Recorded music in general puts music anywhere at the touch of a button but we forget the wonder of a live concert because it’s a luxury we don’t need. Why pay for the concert when you have the CD or MP3 right there?

That said, I use my iPod all the time when the real thing isn’t available or realistic (I unfortunately don’t have a concert hall in my car…). Cheap substitute? Maybe, but it beats singing to myself.

By: Bruce Pietsch Groton, MA

Bruce Pietsch Groton, MA — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:50:11 +0000

Totally agree. The iPod has allowed me as a musician to serialize so many songs and pluck out cuts that I can then use to play at will without changing CDs to develop an improvisational repertoir..without the iPod I would never have gotten the chops needed to jam enough to learn improv. although I am clasically trained I just could never find enough guys or have the patience so change records over and over. While iTunes does devalue music to the same extent that downloading porn downgrades sex it is not to say it has any downgrading in the overall learning or expansion of musical experience..that is in the mind of the beholder and beholding more yields more insight…it is not either or…it is both…get the CD sure? get it on iTunes fast if you need it…buy more listen to more good stuff..do not buy crap! Do not buy stuff from Suits..listen to the DEAD MAN and all those great jam bands who you have to see LIVE anyway! RIGHT?

By: Den Haag, Nederland

Den Haag, Nederland — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:52:44 +0000

We are at a point where quallity isn’t a problem anymore for the majority of people. Only a small group of people demand higher quallity but there are option for them.. And then there are people who still think a records sounds better than an iPod and VHS is superior to DVD..

By: Mark, Austin TX

Mark, Austin TX — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:06:18 +0000

This is interesting though is it not. The gizmo that, in theory, is merely a storage and replay device has clearly taken on more importance than the actual music. Bit superficial I reckon, Marshall McCluhan would be proud.

Hence the “unconditional love for my iPod” crowd jumping on NY and this thread in general.

Anyone with half a tin ear can hear the diff between even a less-than-stellar mastered CD (don’t get me started on the whole 16 bit, 20Hz-20KHz CD spec thing), versus what comes out of Apple’s overpriced earphones, or even a set of reference headphones plugged into an iPod.

People who know zip about audio (but love to flash their iPods) should refrain from commenting on things about which they know nothing whatsoever. And have a nice day.

This discussion has made me actively start investigating finding something, anything, other than an Apple iPod, on which to cart music around. Bah!

By: Chris Burns, London, London

Chris Burns, London, London — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:28:17 +0000

Neil Young is correct that Apple have indeed dumbed-down the quality of music, but I’d personally focus more on the notion of respect. I hate that people are choosing to download something for the same price as buying a CD. Owning a file is so impersonal; I chose to buy CDs and then copy them to iTunes using the highest audio formatting possible.

By: Greg McGarvey, Levittown, PA

Greg McGarvey, Levittown, PA — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:15:27 +0000

All Neil is talking about is numbers (sampling rates). I’m not sure why so many posters were convinced that he is incorrect about certain numbers being bigger than other numbers… but he’s not. It’s understandable that some of you don’t care about raising the standards… but if you don’t care, why did you join the conversation? Go yell at the people in your real life that CAUSED the anger you’re feeling! Haha. It will feel much better.

By: Mark, Austin TX

Mark, Austin TX — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:38:44 +0000

Unbelievable some of the comments here. Neil Young, the artist, is advocating improved quality for you, the consumer.

And gets trashed for even suggesting such a thing? I have to conclude the trashers here are all totally brainwashed Apple fanboys, good little consumers of whatever ‘they’ decide to dish up for you. Gimme a break.

Talk about ‘the lowest common denominator’. It’s pathetic. And yeah I have an 80 gig iPod, nearly full.

By: Aaron, Rockville Centre, NY

Aaron, Rockville Centre, NY — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:36:19 +0000

Young is a complete hypocrite. For years and years, his music was available on the radio, scratchy records, hissing tapes – back then no one complained about audio quality. Audiophiles will always search for the higher standard, but the MP3 is a huge upgrade from that old standard (unless you had a very expensive turntable and speakers). What bothers artists, is now that music is easily copied and shared (killing the standard distribution model).