"I'm not paying $50 for a cd ,like alot of you guys do for an Lp.....please"
Sometimes $50 is a bargain. Just saying...
Sometimes $50 is a bargain. Just saying...
Are CD players goig the way of the 8 track,and the cassette?
Streaming seems to be gradually pushing the CD player into extinction.My CD's are in the closet,and may never return!
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In theory, you’re right. In practice, what I have found is that various bits and pieces involved in streaming detract from the sound: E.g. the computer power supply which is rarely optimized for audio purposes, the USB interface if you use an external DAC, the connection to the internet, the non-audio related multi-tasking that computers do in the background, etc. These things can be mitigated with reclockers, upgraded power supplies, noise isolators, etc. When you add up all the costs involved, a dedicated CD player is usually the better option, dollar for dollar. It’s possible there is a streamer out there that I’m not aware of that doesn’t have these issuess. I try to keep an open mind. |
I wonder if CD will make a resurgence like vinyl as the younger generations realize one day that collecting physical media is an enjoyable hobby. I know I will always have a CD player. CDs sound better than other digital formats like streaming. That may change one day. In any case, the future of CD doesn’t matter much to me. The existing collection of CDs already in existence is enough to keep me entertained for the rest of my life and I can always burn new, non-CD based music to disc. Furthermore, even if they stopped making CD players tomorrow, there will be players in good condition on the used market for decades to come. |
I forgot to add: In the 80s I had put an alpine tape player in my pickup truck, the sound of which was outa this world, just mesmerizing... even with only 2 speakers way down towards the bottom of the doors. one evening as I pulled in the garage the local public radio was doing a live music session, and I just sat there transfixed for 45 minutes, in total bliss...I'm sure my very close proximity to the station and their tens of thousands of watts of power had a lot to do with it, but still in a lesser system you probably wouldn't have had the same experience. that was before someone broke into my next car, smashed the dash and snatched this player from it.Bastard, that was the crime of the century... My cd system now, even with an external 300w amp, doesn't come anywhere close to that unit. I'm sure having only two speakers has a lot to do with it, but the sound of tapes in that unit was just something else... One thing though, was leaving tapes in the glove box, oh they would become mushy sort of a bad bad techno music... But we all did that, didn't we? @uberwaltz I'm guessing in those days almost all who had them listened to their record player while driving. Records were dirt cheap, and the majority of folks were not sophisticated or Audiophiles etc., or their teenage kids showing of Elvis to their buddies... But yeah, while parked looking at the sunsets or a river, mountain or the ocean I'm pretty sure lots of folks were doing their contributions to the boomer explosion... -:) |
CD players have definitely become more scarce. There’s hardly anything available in the budget sector (<$300) compared to a few years back. New cars often don’t even come fitted with players. It’s all a bit worrying for those of us without a backup machine. On the other hand, prices have shot up on the used market. Players from 10, 20 and even 30 years ago are now fetching good prices on eBay etc. My Marantz CD6000 ki seems to be worth more now than what I paid for it 15 years ago! |
a couple years back in a Mustang gathering, saw a 65 that had an original lp player under the dash! I think it played 7" lps, but can't imagine what would happen going over bumps and all...Back in the day I know Chevrolet offered an underdash record player as a factory option. The idea was NOT to try and play while driving but for when you were parked say watching the sun set or by the beach or boardwalk. But I am sure some tried while driving, I can only imagine the results! I did see one in a 55 Chevy at a local car cruise meet, no idea if it worked though as never saw the owner around the car or would have asked. |
I have a 67 Mustang that went through a 6 1/2 year restoration, I occasionaly take it for a ride. the suspension wasn't much better than the same year Camaros, so that got a few levels upgrade... the original radio was long gone so put an alpine cd player in it's spot with an extention cable for ipods in the glove compartment, It sounds just ok as the speakers are all the way in the back, one of these days I'll try a couple of speakers in the doors... funny enough, a couple years back in a Mustang gathering, saw a 65 that had an original lp player under the dash! I think it played 7" lps, but can't imagine what would happen going over bumps and all... |
As luck, or the lack there of, happens I was preparing for an evening of listening as I was preparing to insert a new Sain pc into my system. I was going to start with a few favorite tracks and then make the switch to identify any immediate changes, Unfortunately, my DAC elected to crap out for one reason or another and I was left with my Nal CR7a as a source as I did not want to stream through my Dynalab 809. I spent the night listening to tapes that were made some 20 years ago and from memory of the original CD's no discernable difference in SQ. Cassettes dead...I think not, they saved the day... |
I am wondering how long CD's will be around as well. Our current 3 cars had no CD players from the factory. I asked the dealer to add a CD changer to our 2018 Cadillac. Btw, I do still have and regularly play 8 tracks on the Sony compact system I had in college. Surprisingly, cartridges are easy to find just like vintage vinyl. |
For the umpteenth time, CDs are going nowhere, unless you settle for iffy sound quality. With CD, I always get great sound quality. When I’ve had the chance to listen to streaming or NAS stored music, it’s been hit and miss enough for me to just see it as an expensive way to listen to radio, which is free. 😄 All the best, Nonoise |
Not a chance, as there will always be old school Luddites who resist what is perceived as progress. The larger the CD collection, the better the excuse to resist. If the average audiophile is in their 50's or 60's, they've already been thru five format changes: 1) vinyl 2) reel to reel 3) 8 track 4) cassette 5) compact disc. Kind of hard to fathom wanting to going thru yet another format change. |
8 tracks were a convenience, nothing more; never were a hifi choice. They worked barely well enough in mobile settings, but never sounded as good as a high quality cassette or reel to reel (best of all). The problems with tape is that they are not forever, and needed a highly mechanical unit in top shape to keep sounding good. The CD was to be the end game; I remember being at some show where the presenter played a CD, took it out of the machine, threw it across the room, picked it back up, and put it back into the CD player, while saying "these discs are indestructible and will last forever" or something to that effect. There will be those who, for whatever reasons, will never go to only streaming - those who resent paying every month for a service that yanks away all of your music if you don't keep paying, those who think physical media has a quality that's not present in streamed data, those who already have all of the music they listen to on some media and are not interested in anything new (or spending money for the same songs on yet another format). In any event, most likely there will some other way in the future to get your music that might make all of the previous ways you listen to music obsolete. |
I feel like many on here that they may struggle and will not be a mass market thing at all in years to come as Record players went as CD came in , having said that i also believe that "high end" High Quality sound reproduction from a small form physical format ...thats CD .. will always have a place as so many millions have been produced .. |
How do you get really high prices for audio goods? You have a limited supply out there, they aren’t made anymore and huge demand. You know, like cassettes. Hel-loo! Whereas CDs have always been expendable dog meat. They made a million of them. Top 100 most expensive cassettes on Discogs, https://blog.discogs.com/en/top-100-most-expensive-cassettes/ |
So like turntables, more and more high end CD players at shows, the very best sounding gear will be said to sound "CD-ology" and CD will take on an air of acknowledged if unspoken superiority and become fastest growing segment in audio. Hollywood movies will have the star putting on a CD to show his superior taste. Like turntables. Right. |
I expect the most important factor in the viability of the format is the availability of the mechanical transports. Being a mechanical device running at very high speeds they all fail eventually. Since the computer market offers optical disc readers in fewer and fewer devices the incentive to keep making the spinners is decreasing. Most CD players that die do so because the transport fails and there's no available replacement. It's just a matter of time. |
Considering the economy is in permanent melt down mode, my guess is yes,, but thats a ways off. I have my classical cd collection complete and have recently upgraded my tube cd player. Perhaps will one day add the Prima Luna tube player as well. I have no interest in streaming/ computer uploads. Tube cd player makes the muisc come to life, Straeming is like ss mechanical, = no life, just 1 dimensional. |
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