How can we settle for digital?

Your friend's statement is based on the assumption that digital is not improving. It reminds me of a famous person (sorry, I don't remember who) who said that inventors should stop wasting their time trying to invent new things becuse there was nothing more in the world to be invented. That was around 1930! There are many who believe that current state of the art digital is not audibly inferior to analog in any way. The current $3000 CDP may not be that state of the art product though.

I have a Raysonic 168 with cryoed NOS Russian 6922s. I use the variable tube XLR outs to an active XO, biamping Magnean 3.5Rs with Wyred4Sound amplification. I get to hear super expensive analog at a friend's house and will gladly trade his sound for the convenience of CDs when they sound this good.

Speaking for myself on this one...but I dont have 3k + to spend on a cd player * hoping * that it will sound better than vinyl.

So, for me, I will stick with vinyl.

I listen 50/50 to vinyl/CD and in 1997 spent $2500 on a Meridian 508.24 CD player. I still have that player and this was one of the best investments in music playback ever; I am still very satisfied with that purchase as it brings me musical pleasure several times a week (when I can find time to sit down and listen). CD recording and mastering techniques and equipment have also greatly improved and I think we're just beginning to get all the value out of the format, just as it took many years to realize how good vinyl could be. It's not a turd, just as with everything else, development has to take place and the advancements in CD technology over the past ten years have made this a very musical and high quality, convenient format. Now if you want turds, just say MP3!

Steve