I toiled with this question recently when I was forced out of my high end digital separates. I shopped around and auditioned endlessly for a new digital source. I then, of course, toiled and debated what will happen with the new format. Questions of upgradability to new formats etc. etc. Spending big $$$ on a nice CDP seemed futile until I listened to some that made hum-drum 16 bit discs sound better than I had ever heard them. In the end I decided not to wait for the industry to decide on a format. I believe that most people (certainly most of my friends who are not audiophiles) think that CD's sound great...heck...some of them even feel that MP3 sounds good (ugghhhhh) How can the industry change formats with such limited software titles available and with the exorbinant price of hardware? I can't see the future...but there are some great players now that make standard fare discs sound quite good. Since my software is mostly (almost entirely) 16 bit discs....why even think of waiting??
Relief? The New Digital Players
On a digital note is anyone relieved that the preliminary reports on the new digital format/players are not all that favoring IMO? I keep hearing the word "thin" used to describe the sound, both from this site as well as a few dealers that have attended trade shows. I have wanted a second CD source and have been kind of placed on hold in the interim. Thin would not be the way to go with our current system which I do not wish to change, and in which I had planned on using the new player, and the old one in a second system. If the new format does not sound miles better I do not see the industry changing formats anytime soon. How good are the new players? Are they thin sounding as I have heard to date or is there more to it?