Spin the black circle.

Veteran rock stalwart Neil Young recently issued a challenge to Apple, and Steve Jobs in particular, to improve the sound quality of their Mp3 format, available on iTunes, the dominate outlet for retail digital sales. Humorously, he called a referendum on increasingly poor sound, by saying it's 'being watered-down to Fisher Price levels,' made more for 'background wallpaper listening' than for any kind of decent listening experience.

I certainly agree with his assessment, but value the Mp3 format, largely for its portability and convenience. I download voraciously, now more than ever, and appreciate the ability to add, erase, and customize playlists for traveling, working on my computer, or making mixes for friends. My vinyl collection, now over three-hundred LPs, is a constant source of comfort, totems of my personality that exceeds any digital collection. Remember when you would meet somebody new and check out their music to see if you had any commonalities?