If MP3s are encoded properly (for me that's LAME VBR V0) and you are using cables, you probably won't ever notice a difference. However, having lossless sources allow you to mix and/or encode the audio into other lossy formats without incurring generational degradation, including when streaming via the various lossy codecs used for Bluetooth audio.

I just now figured out how to create playlists. HAHA I have a lot to learn.

Careful, in the past I was interested in 7Digital too, but sadly they had some of the previously-mentioned bad practices.
Also, they suddenly decided to close their Worldwide and European storefronts to keep only localized ones, without transferring the existing user accounts. This screams untrustworthy to me.

Hmm yeah I feel ya, but once I have my files I don't care too much for being able to download again, as I'm investing in backups. And if companies try to fuck me over too bad, I'll just pull my flag out for a bit again. But otherwise, I might just wind up buying all Amazon MP3's. Regardless, it's worth it for me to have all the songs I love and not have anything stopping me from listening to them whereever and however I want. All my life I've never purchased a song. It feels kind of weird, but now that I have I WILL have these songs I've purchased. I have half a mind to "arr" the old games from steam and origin that I've bought... but I can't be bothered with all the risk and discomfort that comes from it.

We just have to wait for companies to wake the fuck up. Or deal with the monster that is streaming. Hell I'm afraid 5 years from now I won't even be online period, especially if gog, drm free music and blurays fade out for all these streaming platforms. I really think people who pay for streaming (indefinetly, mind you) don't know math very well, and/or don't realize they don't actually like all the things they think they do. Or at the least, that's been my situation. I for one LOVE not having god damn advertisements all the time when consuming media.

To each thier own. It's cool all you guys sharing, I'm learning a lot, thanks. :)

If you use Foobar2000 you could do an ABX test where you compare 2 versions of the same track without knowing which is which. That way you would know if you can or can't tell the difference between flac and mp3 for example. I can't tell the difference between lossless and higher quality mp3s but I like to keep all of my collection in flac anyway so I can convert it to whatever format I want in the future.

Glad to help!

So Foobar can detect to what kind of output device your listen? Do you input your age and mention any hearing problems as well?

I still haven't found a desktop music player that does everything I want. I use both AIMP and MusicBee and they're actually both pretty close. Still, they're both missing one important feature (for me): multiple databases! (and that's the reason I use 2 programs)

No, it would let you know if you can tell the difference between two files on your current set-up to rule out the possibility of you just imagining a file sounds better because it's higher quality. Not sure if there are any easy ways to test different equipment.

But if you listen to music through crappy phone or laptop speakers, it's highly likely that you'll never hear any difference. ("Maybe" if you have some (e.g.) 32kbps MP3 files, encoded in the 90s)

You can scan in multiple Libraries. File/Library/Creat New Library

I just did it and have a seperate library for videogame music and my normal library.

Out of curiosity, what is your need for multiple databases?

Here I would handle that with multiple Music Player Daemon instances, each one using its own database.

That's MusicBee right? Thanks!!

I like having my (many) compilations separate from full albums. Not using Linux.

Good info, will have to check it out myself, would be good to separate off game soundtracks, film soundtracks, music etc. Already have them in separated folder wise, would be nice to be able to switch libraries or have multiple libraries in the same view.