Is it worth upgrading a CD player?

@walkenfan2013

I really like the Meadowlarks… great speakers. You have done a great job of putting together an enjoyable system.

However, you have streaming all wrong. While in your price range vinyl is likely to be the low cost solution. Streaming is not a fad… it is the future, period. physical media will be relegated to niche over time. Those that love nostalgia will stay in.

While getting a satisfying streaming system in the budget categories can cost more than vinyl… say a 25% premium… as you move up in sound quality the difference disappears. In my system, my digital and analog ends cost the same and sound about the same. I listen to my streamer about 95% of the time. You can see my systems under my UserID.

You do not need to spend $10K to get streaming leg that equals your vinyl. But if you do, the cost of music virtually disappears… $12.99 / month for access to millions of albums. This fundamentally changes the pursuit. You can get a $1K Streamer and $2K DAC that is likely to give your vinyl rig a run for its money and show why it is the future. 

@charles1dad 

+1 well said, I agree. 

@carlsbad 

Streamers Have extremely low bit rate requirements and most cashe the data. My streamers work flawlessly when I cannot get my news page to refresh on my iPad. Clearly a DAC is important, but like everything else in high quality audio, sound quality is hindered by your weakest link. I have streamed using, iPods, iPhones, PCs, MACs, iPads and about half a dozen dedicated streamers (and also DACs)… and the streamer really maters! Like every other component.

@jerryg123

If playing a CD has better sound qualityr or streaming is better is completely dependent on your equipment. On my equipment Red Book CD is eclipsed by HR streaming and equaled by streaming of Red Book CD format. In fact on average streaming equals my very good vinyl leg.

Which is my point. If you are going to work on a particular source… streaming is the one to pursue… the cost / benefit of having top notch streaming just completely eclipses buying and owning CDs.

I have given away my 2,000 CDs. They serve no purpose after a couple years of just collecting dust.

@newbee

+1

Transport. But,

Also, it will depend on your other equipment. Rega makes a really large range integrated amps from extremely inexpensive to much less inexpensive. Which do you have and speakers? What is your longer termed goals? Move your system up? Or just bring your CD player closer to your vinyl playback?

If thinking longer termed, I would consider a streamer as transport instead of physical media. For the price of a CD / month you get access to a nearly infinite amount of music, much at a higher resolution than CD. Streaming can equal or exceed the sound quality of Other digital content or even vinyl at different price points.