Tool

Melt Face Molly Drop said:
Do you have a strict CD player or something like a gaming system that plays CDs? I have the latter, but rarely use it to play my CD collection.
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I still have my 5-disc Sony CD changer that I've had since the early 2000s. I currently use it as a transport using the DAC in my CXN because I prefer it.

If it ever craps out I'll likely move to a dedicated transport. If it happened today I'd look at the Cambridge CXC. I think think long term planning for the system is to eventually move to separate DAC, streamer and transport so I can update each as needed. The CD player doesn't see a lot of action now, so it could still have several years left in it.
 
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The reviews are in as well. From what I've read so far, we're gonna be blown away.
loudwire.com

Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' Album - What to Expect During Your First Listen

Here's what it sounds like.
loudwire.com loudwire.com
metalinjection.net

TOOL "Fear Inoculum" Track By Track Album Review

We heard Tool's first new album in 13 years, "Fear Inoculum" and here is a track by track review of each song. Read two different opinions on the album.
metalinjection.net metalinjection.net
www.revolvermag.com

Review: Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' Is a Masterpiece to Be Dissected for Years to Come

In 2019, Tool are much less interested in reaching the masses than in creating something massive
www.revolvermag.com www.revolvermag.com
 
hoverbot said:
The reviews are in as well. From what I've read so far, we're gonna be blown away.
loudwire.com

Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' Album - What to Expect During Your First Listen

Here's what it sounds like.
loudwire.com loudwire.com
metalinjection.net

TOOL "Fear Inoculum" Track By Track Album Review

We heard Tool's first new album in 13 years, "Fear Inoculum" and here is a track by track review of each song. Read two different opinions on the album.
metalinjection.net metalinjection.net
www.revolvermag.com

Review: Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' Is a Masterpiece to Be Dissected for Years to Come

In 2019, Tool are much less interested in reaching the masses than in creating something massive
www.revolvermag.com www.revolvermag.com
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I skimmed one review and then decided to avoid them to limit influencing my opinions before I get to hear it myself.
I'm really hopping we get a music video prior to the release. The hype train seems extremely well coordinated at this point, so maybe next week. But also maybe not for a week or two after the album drops.
 
displayname said:
I skimmed one review and then decided to avoid them to limit influencing my opinions before I get to hear it myself.
I'm really hopping we get a music video prior to the release. The hype train seems extremely well coordinated at this point, so maybe next week. But also maybe not for a week or two after the album drops.
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Do we know if we're getting vinyl of this yet?
 
displayname said:
Nothing official from the band yet, but my local brick and mortar store publicly stated "fall 2019" which seems to be swirling around pretty consistently throughout the web. The delayed vinyl release seems to be the standard for big releases now.
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VMP changing the game in more ways than they thought.
 
displayname said:
Fortunately this trend started independent of VMP's constant failure to deliver on deadlines they set for themselves.
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I feel like it started with rappers (Kanye, probably specifically) dropping albums unannounced digitally. Kind of a shoot first, ask questions later approach.

Rappers can't be bothered with things like manufacturing and distribution logistics. Takes too long. They're all about the immediate hype.

Thing is, that approach ended up making a positive impact on sales by pushing huge streaming numbers and ensuring physical releases would sell out fast and retailers wouldn't be sitting on inventory if an album is poorly received.

Now days I almost *expect* a major release to hit on physical after the digital release.
 
CAPacelli said:
I feel like it started with rappers (Kanye, probably specifically) dropping albums unannounced digitally. Kind of a shoot first, ask questions later approach.

Rappers can't be bothered with things like manufacturing and distribution logistics. Takes too long. They're all about the immediate hype.

Thing is, that approach ended up making a positive impact on sales by pushing huge streaming numbers and ensuring physical releases would sell out fast and retailers wouldn't be sitting on inventory if an album is poorly received.

Now days I almost *expect* a major release to hit on physical after the digital release.
Click to expand...
I certainly noticed with rap/hip hop first as well, but I think the production time is the biggest factor. Pumping out 20,000 physical copies takes a long time. But for releases like Beyonce, TSwift, Billie, Gambino, Kanye, etc where they are expecting hundreds of thousands globally, I'm sure it's a nightmare prepping to get hundreds of thousands of units of vinyl QC'd and out to stores in any reasonable time frame. Plus it would push back the album release by months (probably a full year in some cases) to try to have vinyl of those major releases drop on the same day as streaming.

Add that to our "leak" culture, that's a big concern as well. If they are trying to have the vinyl release on the album drop date, that means thousands of people have their hands on physical copies in the back of stores and in shipping companies at least a few days before release. It only takes one leak to destroy launch day streaming numbers. And if the leaks are lower audio quality, it can also taint the hype before anyone gets to hear the "real" album in it's full fidelity.

In the case of Tool, we are also likely looking at the potential of all the albums dropping on vinyl at once. It might not happen, but I think it's a real 50/50 chance. Makes those logistics much more insane if that is the case. I was kind of hoping they would do a limited super deluxe vinyl pre-order, followed later by a standard release (that's what Gambino did for his last album), but oh well. My fingers are still crossed for a full box set with all the albums, but time will tell.
 
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