When I have seen people listing their systems lately


I have noticed a lot of people using conventional CD players and SACD players. I remember being at an Audiophile club meeting a couple of years ago and the owner of the store claiming conventional CD players were dead and obsolete.


Are conventional players gaining in popularity nowadays or are they just stalling till digital becomes more standardized.


taters
I have over 1600 SACD and Cds, with a good player, and have no mind to change
I am sticking with CDs for now. The next thing with potential is Meridian MQA (Master Quality Assured). I have talked to speaker designers with great ears and they feel that many good current CD players beat all current computer formats but that companies are bringing computer formats to shows because it is easier to bring a depth of catalog than lugging around physical media and it makes them look state of the art modern. I strongly prefer a physical medium for sound quality, not having to mess with computers when I am relaxing, and not having to rely on delicate storage options.
Best of both worlds.
Physical media I have. Thousands of vinyl and CD.
Diving into the world of a music sever (Music Vault) for the purpose of streaming TIDAL and new music, I discovered an unintentional and much appreciated bonus. I've ripped over a thousand CDs into the MV. And while using the JRiver shuffle setting I'm DISCOVERING so much music I already own. In addition, it is my experience that the ripped version actually sounds better than the CD played through the Esoteric K-03. (no transport slouch)
Finally I'm using the DAC of the Esoteric for both source options.
I still find SACD through the Esoteric to be the very best digital.
So I'm a luddite on the fence. I still buy CD and vinyl. I rip CDs immediately to the server. And I listen to TIDAL on occasion.  
Got to,go... 
... time to flip the album...

Fliz

16/44.1 is not literally perfect. It may be good enough (or even overkill) for the intended purpose (human listeners), but it's still an approximation of the signal. No analog or digital reproduction can claim to be "literally perfect".

Had you not included the "literally". I'd probably have skipped this reply, because your point is taken
I have a PS audio DS, and I have been with computer based audio since 2004.
Guess what I noticed that the music coming out of my Sony 5400es satisfy me the most. I buy used CDs regularly in Amazon even when I can listening on tidal. Tidal is convenient and the best quality streaming source but I still prefer the CD quality. Nothing is written on stone yet related to format it is all very subjective, connected to convenience and the music you own.
I am not planning to sell my Sony anytime soon. Yes I use foobar with windows flac files, audirvana, iTunes with AIFF, and vinyl on my VPI.
My 2 cents.