Are you still interested in CD players?

Discs may be getting passé, but the technology keeps maturing and most music is still released on CD. Besides, deals on used discs also abound. Are you still interested in CD players?

Are you still interested in CD players?
Yes I plan to keep buying them
48% (240 votes)
Yes, I will buy one last player
12% (60 votes)
Maybe, I'm not sure yet
10% (51 votes)
No, unless my current player dies prematurely
15% (73 votes)
No, I'll never buy another disc player
15% (75 votes)
Total votes: 499

COMMENTS
Paul Van Dyck's picture

I switched to a computer set-up, with a Mac, and an Apogee Mini DAC connected through firewire.

Dave in Dallas's picture

Waiting to see when prices on high-quality media servers will come down.

Jay's picture

Because some discs (like Days of Future Passed) need to be heard from start to finish in the best possible fidelity.

Chris in VA's picture

I enjoy using my Mac Mini and Apple TV as sources—they’re convenient. But there's something satisfying about handling a physical medium, whether it's CD or vinyl. When I choose a CD or a record I feel that I've made a commitment to that music for the next however many minutes.

audio-sleuth@comcast.net's picture

For what they are—a replacement for cassettes—I like CDs. If I'm doing house work or sitting out on the back deck, they're fine. For getting into the music it's still LPs, duh. Downloads are to music, as Arby's is to fine dining.

sloober's picture

All I want is a universal player. One with upgradeability would be good as new formats keep coming out. And one that would play native 24/96 files stored on a DVD would be nice.

sideshow's picture

I've stopped buying CDs and will continue to use my current player 'til it dies.

Les's picture

I enjoy vinyl playback more and enjoy recording onto cassettes as a hobby, too, but do also enjoy CD players and the matter of fact of owning a physical medium of recorded material. Buying and trying out vintage CD players is also a relatively affordable hobby, too.

Pether's picture

I will be playing music from my computer (Mac) in the future.

Lucas Tiberti's picture

Computer playback systems are too much maintenance and headache. The CD player doesn't get viruses and I don't have to search google for hours on end to figure out what driver and setting I supposed use in the operating system. The computers are noisy, also. If I see a Windows operating system, I don't want it or at least I wouldn't retire my CD player in exchange for it.

Jimmy's picture

It's the record companies keeping prices still artifically high. However, if purchasing songs would got down to, say, 5¢ (tracks 30 years or older) or unlimited downloads for $2 (per month), I will NOT ever buy a CD player again!

JA (not Stereophile's JA)'s picture

I already rip all my CD collection to a HD & laptop but I want to buy a high-quality CD player that could last for several years and that allows me to play SACDs. This way If I feel nostalgia, I can play the CDs on it, but it will not be getting dust playing the SACDs I already own.

Bert Cattoor's picture

My CEC TL51X, being built like the proverbial tank, I don't believe I'll need to buy another one. My DAC on the other hand won't stay forever.

Douglas Bowker's picture

Yes, I plan to keep buying them, despite vinyl being prefered. Still, between the two of us, my wife and I have around 800 CDs, and I don't really want them all to be hard-drive only.

Jeffrey C.  Dyer's picture

I have well over 1k CDs,and am still buying, including a couple hundred HDCDs.

Tim K's picture

I haven't used a CD player for almost two years now.

Robin Landseadel's picture

I've got three cheap universal [or semi-universal] CD players with coax S/PDIF outputs. I suspect I'll look for a universal DAC before getting a new CD player. One cannot rule out the possibility of audible high-end features moving downmarket even further into audiophile territory than they already have. At the same time, ripping technologies for CDs could become popular and sonically more evolved. Having a CD file play off of RAM has the potential of really cleaning up the clock.

Monte's picture

As long as they keep improving, I'm in the market

mark v's picture

I have been moving to an iTunes lossless music server with Airports for distribution. I will invest in n turntable for my album by album listening.

Dave's picture

I like to own the disc and have some control over the playback. Yes, digital files are important and I look forward to a time when we have figured out how to properly compensate the artists who create this art we love.

Donald McPherson's picture

Yes, just bought the Sony SCDXA5400ES, and anticipate listening happily to it for a long time, but I won't rule out buying another.

Glenn Bennett's picture

I am looking for a new CD player right now. The one I have works perfectly, but I want to keep it as a back-up just in case. Rotate them out after the new one's warranty expires. Of course I said that about the three I already have and have never done it. I will buy CD players as long as they are available.

rwp's picture

Have a nice one at the moment, no need to replace, but would if I needed to.

Roy's picture

I want to see companies focus their efforts on good digital designs with hard drives instead. Give me a massive hard-drive with good digital-to-analog conversion (including jitter control) and I'd be happy.

Joer Hartmann's picture

Five years ago, I purchased a transport and a DAC (the manufacturer stated it was built to be upgraded, but it is no longer available, so no upgrades). Still a $10K built quality should last at least 10 years more.

Jim Dandy's picture

Like it or not,, the future belongs to digital. Although both analog LP records and digital CDs fall far short of realistic sound, albeit for different reasons, the digital CD gets closer to "real" and has the potential to get a whole lot closer in the forseeable future.

Paul S.'s picture

I listen only to CDs these days and I am very interested in both players and the software.

Al Marcy's picture

I like reading about anything that sounds better. Cactus needles, anyone?

Poor Audiophile's picture

I plan on upgrading soon.

Bryant's picture

I'm fully server-based now. I get far more use out of my stereo now than ever. And the value proposition is stupendous. Only thing I will likely upgrade is my DAC.

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