Why Do ~You~ Still Play CDs?

Richardbrand I did not know classical is you say dreadful on streaming? I listen to classical 50%. I have not heard classical on streaming even at axpona..

Several reasons I listen to CD's; I have a ton of them. I get very little time to listen so I maximize the time by not "fussing" with LP's. I have an eclectic taste (a kind word!). Most of what I listen to isn't on ANY streaming channels. I'm not even on any service nor do I have a streamer. I play my CD's in my van (Yes, I bought a 2019 Ford Transit with a CD player!). Also, CD's sound fantastic. If the audio gods are kind to me I'll step up to a Mola Mola DAC in the new year. (It's supposed to be as good as analogue). My two cents. Joe

I have a huge collection, I still buy new ones and I prefer the sound of CDs on my player vs. Streaming.

It's still a fun way to explore music in a tactile sense.  I don;t do vinyl but buy/sell it to help fund hobby.  Next up will be streaming and probably hesitated to now for lack of understanding enough of the tech to make informed purchase decisions and also the time it may take to surf thru the music.

Assuming a certain percentage of streamed music would appeal to me, I would need to have a way to select, organize and categorize an online library for future listening as I do not always remember the artist, album, music by name and would want to minimize searching of music I already selected that I like.

That probably means choosing a streaming service in which I would plan or hope to have a long term relationship with. It would bother me to either lose music I like if the streaming svce decides to drop that music or loses the library settings, etc.

Then there is the time to explore the offerings itself.  I have kept what I consider the best albums I want to keep in my collection which is approximately 400+ cds at the moment.  While I have decent equipment, I do not typically listen to music for hours on end.  So there's the commitment to listening for enjoyment, relaxation, to energize, etc.,  Time becomes another factor in commitment.

Other than that, who knows.  maybe I would really like streaming especially for de-cluttering.  But...I think I would always keep the CDs/SACDs that meant the most to me, so a combination perhaps?

Several reasons. 

I still like physical media. 

Living in LA, there are quite a few brick and mortar stores selling used CD's. And since I love a lot of obscure, avant-garde, progressive music, browsing Amoeba's, Counterpoint's, CD Trader's used avant-garde classical section, or jazz section, I will often come across a CD by a composer or artist I am not familiar with, that looks intriguing. So, I will usually take a chance and buy it, and often come across something truly brilliant. 

With streaming, I would have never have come across these sort of discoveries.

I subscribe to Qobuz, which I like a lot. But they don't have everything by a composer or artist I may like. 

For example, I love a serial piece by composer, Ernst Krenek, called "Static and Ecstatic". Qobuz does not have it. I have a CD version recorded by the Cleveland  Philharmonic, and an incredible vinyl recording by the LA Phil chamber orchestra.

I am also a huge fan of an avant-garde prog band called Univers Zero from Belgium. They have 11 releases between 1977 and 2023. Qobuz only has 4, Tidal also has only 4.

So, unless I have my CD and vinyl collection, I would be missing quite a few of my favorite recordings.