Has Digital Audio Tech Plateaued - Is It Safe To Come Out Now?


I’ve been focused on analog for the last couple years with only an occasional glance toward anything digital.
 I could be mistaken but does it seem like the onslaught of technologically NEW digital hardware  and media has stalled? We’re seeing a move back to DAC technology that was prevalent in the 80’s, some folks say it sounds better (R2R)?
People have always questioned whether or not higher sampling rates actually improve things, beyond a certain point, so do we need more bits and higher frequency sampling beyond the current state-of-the-art?
We’re seeing some companies incorporate 1950’s tube technology into 2020 hardware to try to make it sound.....dare I say it - less digital?
Streaming seems to have matured to the point that it is what it is. The big streaming services have a foothold, and I’m not hearing of any real pending innovation. In fact I read somewhere that MQA is no better than CD playback quality, hence we may not even be as developed as we think we are.
Server tech seems to have peaked - sure, there’ll be more storage, moderately better power supplies, slightly improved interfaces etc, but is there anything revolutionary on the horizon now that we’ve moved beyond the Mac Mini / PC hardware?

 I’m not saying there won’t be a continuous stream of new hardware, new gadgets, but is there any expectation that something new is likely to advance us beyond where we’re at WRT sound quality?
Please note the question marks in the above, I’m not stating this is the way it is, I’m asking those of you who are closer to it for your thoughts on where it’s all at.

The point being - is it safe to crawl out from under my pile of moldy album covers from the 70’s and invest into current digital, without the fear of needing to retool in a year or two?
Thoughts?


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Yeah. I think if I had a dollar for every time someone thought digital had plateaued, or it was a good time to buy, or that it finally caught up with vinyl, or any of those, just one dollar each time since ninteenfrickeneighty, I could buy me a nice new Onkk Cue turntable. With Origin Live Arm. And SS Hyperion.  

Here's the reality. Whatever you buy, within about a year they will have moved on to the new new thing, and it will within a few more years be worthless. The bloom will be off the rose. But never worry, your records will still be there. Digital is great for playing demagnetizing tracks. Get an iPod or something for that, call it good.
I guess there will always be new boxes to buy, but will they actually sound any better or are we done now! I mean, it could be argued that the Cambridge Audio CD2 I owned in the 80’s hasn’t really changed much (in sound) from the Cambridge Audio 851C I own today.
Yeah, I think I’ll just buy another tonearm..

PS - I couldn’t live without my RIAA burn-in CD :)

“Whatever you buy, within about a year they will have moved on to the new new thing, and it will within a few more years be worthless.”

Same old blather from one of the staunch anti-digital poster...how’s that for reality 😂

@OP,  The digital has matured, the DAC’s are now as good as analog. If you’re serious about exploring digital, please advise your budget and expectations from digital. Are you pursing digital to explore music or for background music :-)