My CD-player stopped working. Does it make sense to invest in a new CD-transport?

If you still have a large CD collection, go for it — why not? Get a top-loader transport with I2S, external master clock input, and a linear power supply for under $700, and start enjoying your CDs again. That transport would probably outperform digital transports costing five times as much in today’s market.

Every time you stand up to change a CD, you get a bit of exercise. Unlike streaming, where you may fall asleep during endless playback, using a CD transport keeps you more engaged. On that count alone, you’ll get your money’s worth from investing in a CD transport.

 So, why not?

You want exercise, get a turntable!

Everyone is different and what motivates each of us is a little different.  I stop listening for sound quality differences pretty quickly.  Once I satisfy myself in an A-B comparison as to which sounds best, I get bored and just stop listening for that difference.  Instead I listen to the performances.  For me part of the enjoyment is knowing the who, when, where of the performance.  Photos are good too.  Obviously, streaming does not cater to that itch the way a good vinyl album with liner notes can.  CDs are sort of in the middle with some being good, some requiring mega magnification because the print is so small, and some being as deficient as streaming.  What I am leading up to is a suggestion that you do a little soul searching.  Forget about whether a new CD transport will sound as good as, better than, or or not, compared to what you hear streaming.  The answer is all of the above.  Rather ask yourself how you listen, why you listen, are the liner notes important to you and so on.  Also, do you have music on disc that is not available otherwise that is important to you.  The answer to those kinds of questions will lead you to the correct answer for you. 

I bought a NUC and set up Roon on it and then burned all my CDs to a hard drive.  I have a hard time believing that there is a difference in in bits and bytes from one format to another.  Does a good streamer, DAC, clock make a difference, I think so but at the end of the day are you feeding them the same bits and bytes?

You want exercise, get a turntable!

Good idea.  But putting together an analog system of comparable performance can be a real rabbit hole.  There is more to it aside from exercising.

The “ceremony of playing vinyl” is absolutely a big part of the appeal.  There’s something about the physicality: pulling the record from the sleeve, brushing the dust, setting the clamp, lowering the tonearm. It slows you down and puts you in a listening mindset. You don’t just listen to music, you commit to it.

Sonically, digital can be cleaner, quieter, and more convenient. But vinyl gives you that tactile, intentional experience that no streamer or transport can replicate. For a lot of people, that ritual becomes part of the enjoyment, sometimes even more than the sound itself. I grew up playing vinyl, and that ritual is a big part of my memories.