The Rapid Rise (& Fall) of the CD

@mwinkc:  Yes, people are still buying CD’s, and CD players, but only those primarily amongst the older crowd who grew up playing CD’s. Yes, CD and vinyl, on and off, can become slightly trendy for the young crowd. But, it’s only a passing whim and nothing even close to anything major. Believe me, the young, between the ages of say, 14-40, aren’t out there buying up a bunch of CD’s, or vinyl records. It never ceases to amuse me how us old farts (audiophiles) are constantly trying to fool ourselves into believing that vinyl and CD are going to make some king of a miraculous come back, just because we still love them. It ain’t happening!!! The digital world moved on past physical media like CD and vinyl years ago. Yes, the old and antiquated CD and vinyl record is constantly being resuscitated by the baby boomer generation (myself included), and they both will most likely slowly fade out almost completely, as all us old farts slowly fade out completely. Happy listening.

@2psyop  Well. I'm an older person who was also around when CD was first introduced.  At the time, I was running two turntables, reel to reel, and a cassette tape player.  Later on, I added a CD player to the mix.  Now a days, I stream exclusively.  As I said, CD and vinyl are still around, and I imagine that they'll always be around to some extent.  If you attend any high end audio show from here to Kalamazoo, you'll see turn tables spinning vinyl records in just about every room.  However, when you look around that room, you'll see practically nobody but middle age older people salivating over the old physical media (and that incudes the people running the room).  That's the reality.  Also, I come in contact with lots of younger people through family and friends, and not one of them listen to their music via a CD player, let alone a turn table.  That's the real reality of the situation.  My point being, neither CD or vinyl is the future.  At least not with the young, who are the future.  Happy listening.

@2psyop  I understand thoroughly.  Don't mean to be so blunt, but my previous post says it all in a nutshell.  That's the true reality of the digital world as we live in it today.  I didn't make it that way.  It just is.  Also, music listening and high end audio is supposed to be a fun, passionate, source of pure pleasure, whether that pleasure comes via cassette deck, vinyl, CD, streaming, or, whatever.  Happy listening.   

@nonoise I fail so see what you’re getting so riled up about. Because you’re the only one here that’s claiming that anyone’s touting the death of CDs and vinyl. Also, no one has any old axe to grind. Fact is, regardless of what you, or anyone else, are willing to except, and regardless of what the audiophile articles and videos say, the popularity of CD and vinyl are still only mere shadows of their former selves, compared to the heyday years of CD and vinyl (not even a mere shadow). Now, that’s the reality of the new non physical digital media world that we live in today. Whether you like it or not. The good news is, anyone can always opt to enjoy whatever source of musical media that pleasures them, whether is be CD, vinyl, reel to reel, compact cassette tape, or streaming. Happy listening.

As previously stated, at this juncture, I like streaming my music exclusively, and I enjoy it immensely. But, to be perfectly honest with you, I wish that CD, reel to reel,  cassettes, turn tables, and even 8 track, would all make huge come backs. Especially amongst our younger music lovers. The young--those who are the future of the high end audio industry. The young--those who stream their music pretty much exclusively.  I'll take anything that'll revival and restore our extremely diminished and dying high end audio industry back to it's former glory.