Should I still buy a CD player? Suggest one?

 But a used Rega Saturn cdp. You won’t be disappointed. Sorry for the loss. 

river 251
Sorry about the fire and your loss. I would not hesitate on getting a new CD player or transport/DAC combo. CDs will be around for quite some time even though Best buy is discontinuing them also I wouldn't listen to the vinyl only crowd that CDs will be gone soon (isn't that what they said about vinyl 30 years ago).
I currently own a Rega Saturn R and CEC TL2X in my system the Rega is my DAC and backup CD player This past fall I sent the CEC transport to the only service center here in the US and had the "Royal treatment" done to it. The piece is 26 years old and is a gem IMHO it was worth th$700.00 to have it refurbed.
The point I'm trying to make is yes get yourself a good player or transport/DAC.
One of the biggest problems with streamers are that technology has become the master not the servant. I still like the physical media.
Happy Listening
Mark

Jim,

Picking up from your post above, the cost of Vinyl and setup varies. I don’t own Vinyl so I would defer the advise to someone else.

If you’re not ready to give up on CD’s yet then like other have suggested, buy a CD player and continue to rebuild your collection. I would highly recommend a Marantz player.

Before you re-invest in a CD player, visit a friend or a store for a demo on streaming setup. I think you will be pleasantly surprised how good digital streaming has gotten not to mention the accessibility of all of your favorite tunes at your finger tips.

Marantz, Denon, Onkyo and Yamaha all make decent players at a range of prices. If you’d like to stay with a British brand the Cambridge Audio AXC35 is a good bet. I have the Cambridge CXC transport and think it’s a great value. If you want to add a separate DAC later most have a digital output in addition to the analog output.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779AXC35/Cambridge-Audio-AXC35.html

If you don’t replace the CD’s or vinyl, streaming is the most logical path. The debate is whether streaming is as good as direct source play depending on system components and sources. It also depends on how much you want to invest in system components and if replacement parts are still available for used gear. A high end CD transport might set you back $2-4K backed by a separate DAC costing the same. Integrated units solve for both, but I’d focus more on the DAC either in a separate or integrated player. Certain R2R or FPGA DACs provide for best digital to analog conversions, but cost more and are harder to find in an integrated combination.

What about just a modest transport that you can feed to your DAC, if you have one, that you may also use with a streamer?

dont know how crazy you want to go, but there are options.

I believe to get equivalent playback from vinyl as from digital, vinyl is more expensive, both in hardware and software.  Since your post refers to CD playback I will suggest that you consider the purchase of a CD transport and a DAC. Having separate DAC will allow flexibility for the addition of streaming services. 

What is your budget?

YES! Any Denon or Marantz for around $500 is an easy recommendation!

For a CD player with outstanding analog output that is likely to hold value, I'd recommend the Bryston BCD-3 or an OPPO disc player (you'd have to look on the secondhand market). Hard for me to guess as to what's equivalent to a Creek Audio CD53 though.

For what it's worth, I still buy a lot of CDs and even if Best Buy stops carrying them in stores you will still be able to order CDs online. Target has exclusive versions of CD releases, as does Japan.

That’s amazing that Best Buy will stop selling CD’s.  I wonder if they will still sell vinyl.  That would be an incredible turn of events if they did.  

Too bad insurance won’t just give you the money the player is worth.  Are you required to replace the item? Research what the law and policy says.   if so, do you play Blu-ray?  Maybe you could get a nice unit that plays all formats.

i recently pulled some CDs out from a rack for the first time in many years.... to temporarily tape them to a wall or sound baffle while I bounced a laser beam off them for positioning speakers or sound baffles for first reflection point.  the CDs nice reflective surface and light weight make them ideal.   I’m glad I finally found a use for CDs.

river251
My condolences for your loss. This is never an easy experience no matter the Audio system's cost.  The best news is that there has never been a better time for a cd player, especially, if you are going to continue purchasing CDs. 
You owned classic Creek models. If you like the house sound seek out one of the newer players. Unlike the 43/53, the newer spinners are sourced to china. Make certain parts are available for repair/service.  Otherwise, find a local or nearest dealer/retailer and listen, listen, listen.  Have fun discovering modern players.
Happy Listening!

millercarbon, yes the obvious options are teh streaming service lalitk (Ialitk?) suggests and a turntable. How available are vinyl LPs these days, and how much do they go for?

I lost a few boxes of vinyl LPs and a few hundred CDs in the fire as well.
The vinyl was old rock and roll, and the CDs were almost all mainstream jazz and classical, what I listen to now. Haven’t had a turntable in decades but I have listened to the same LP on CD and vinyl on a very good system and there is no comparison. I want to go vinyl, but I need to get a sense of the vinyl source world, what’s out there, how expensive is it, before buying a turntable.

Thanks fo you both.

Thanks
Jim

@river251,

I am very sorry to learn about your loss. If you don’t have a large collection of physical media (CD or Vinyl), I would suggest to invest in a decent streaming system. 

You can get CD or better quality playback through streaming services like Tidal or Qobuz for a monthly fee of $19.99 or less. 
Let us know if you’re interested to learn more about streaming setup. 

Its always been wise to buy a turntable. But hey, don't take my word for it. Just compare used prices for five, ten and twenty year old turntables vs CD players. The market is people, and the people have spoken.

We report. You decide.