Are We Talking CDs And CDPs Out Of Existence?


It seems the more we join the "CD is dying camp," the more likely it is to happen. We talk at listening sessions, at club meetings, at expos, on audiophile forums, we go into our dealers just to get opinions, to hear of the trends. Sure, some of our motive is in seeking reassurance that our CD collections and expensive players are still relevant. We are also agonizing over upgrading or abandoning different pieces of gear, but it's this tone of "the end is near" that seems to be hastening the transition. Yes, you can't stop the progress of technology, but there is also the idea of preserving the essence of a hobby. We say computers and files are so much more convenient and compact--forget about convenience--it's a hobby. If it was about convenience, you'd have speakers in your ceilings and a panel on the wall, a remote in your hand, music in every room at the touch of a button, a voice command--a glorified "Clapper." And you'd have that lousy sound to go with it. This is why you have an entire wall of gear--it's a hobby. If you're brewing beer, you don't go to a liquor store just because it's more convenient. Sell the boat and get the fish from the butcher's case. No, forget cooking it, just go out and eat. What, you don't want to get up and look at your collection, don't want to saunter over and put on a new disc, you want to run the whole thing from your lap? We lost knobs to remotes--now you just want a mouse? You're going to turn over that gorgeous fifty-pound player/turntable for a tin CD-ROM? (You'll have to spend for solid state memory, or the moving parts in your computer will be inferior to those in your high-end player.) Hell, forget the computer......there's a box for that and a DAC for the box. You won't have anything to do, nothing to handle or read. I'll take my old-fashioned player with all the memories of having it upgraded several times, the satisfaction of hearing the new plateaus, the assurance of having isolated it from vibration, of building the AC cables and interconnects--all the tweaks that go with big pieces of gear that comprise this hobby............
128x128jafreeman
If we are, I condone it wholeheartedly! Let me add to it.

I didn't like CDs, with their jagged, shrill sound and expensive pricing when they came around, and I don't like them today. I recently redid my system and there is no question to me that well-made vinyl outperforms CDs every time. As far as computer audio, when there is not a better vinyl pressing out there or when its convenient or I just don't care then it matches or bests CDs as well.

The experience of flipping through CDs is miserable. I can't read the tiny type without glasses anymore, if I ever could. The cases feel cheap, because they are, and break. My wife has no problems with my vinyl collection and when people visit if they know audio, they look to it with admiration (except for the oddballs who are puzzled by it and one friend whose collection is much bigger). Nobody says anything positive about the CDs. I'm going to rip and sell them ASAP.
Currently people still experience glitches and bugs too often
All news is bad news so not aware all sucess stories. I've been using computer audio for 6+ years and it's very stable without bugs or glitches. Same with all my friends ... help we have some computer knowledge.

and there's no standardization amongst the many products available. This will be eventually settled.
It has settled with well defined interfaces but will naturally evolve like any technology IMO.
Knghifi,
For some the transition to CA has been smooth (as with you and your friends) and with others it's a pain in the butt, expriences do vary across the board. This why I said the two formats easily coexist, it need not be a case where battle lines have to be drawn.
Whole heartedly agree with Charles1dad. I have been to the Front of those battle lines. The fighting there is merciless. I just don't get the militant aspect of some pro-
Computer Audio proponents. I don't even see the corporate support for research/ development from major Computer Manufacturers in Music Files. Computer Audio may be the only Audio Format where the "Users" do all of the research/
development. Will everyone eventually be qualified to do this? If not, what will be the alternative Format? This is still the vision of many Computer Audio proponents- a single Audio Downloading Format being the only one available. As if the entire music buying public will magically become "Rocket Scientist" Computer Audio specialists overnight. The alternative is giving total
"X-Active Control" of your Computer over to your favorite Music Server Manufacturer. Maybe having "CONTROL" over the
buying American Publics access to Music is the idea.
Does the N.S.A. get to monitor what Music we download
as well? Haven't we learned how Computers, and personal Electronic Devices, are being used to monitor our personal lives? Is Computer Audio nothing more than another avenue of
monitoring by "Big Brother" Government/Manufacturer? Why does nobody offer any security to protect the privacy of our purchases online- including Computer Audio? Buy one product Online, and you end up with a dozen similar advertising pop-ups! Boy, how did they all magically find out? Security, and privacy, are non-existent with Computers.
Same with portable electronic devices. Isn't Computer Audio only more of the same? Maybe we need to really think this Computer Audio thing thru first before ditching CD/CDP.