How can we settle for digital?

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

My $2500.00 CD player sounds way better than my $300.00 CD changer sounds so I'm okay with it. Since I grew tired of surface noise on LP's a long time ago I'm okay with the compromises of digital, too.

I don't think everyone in the music business agrees that digital can only go so far. There seem to be plenty of people interested in pushing it further, and it does indeed make important leaps every few years.

I got back into vinyl about a year ago, after a 15 year hiatus. I was really excited about the vinyl that sounds better than CDs (although not all of it does--but what does, is terrific).

But then I traded up to an EMM CDSA-SE, and was startled. Now, more CDs could compete with my vinyl. And a really good SACD can REALLY compete with vinyl.

And today I was listening to one of the relatively new Linn Digital Stream players, the Klimax DS (which I barely understand). I've auditioned it several times before, and I continue to be surprised by how much it can get out of CDs that have been loaded on a music server. It's a lot of money, but it indicates that there is more progress available for digital.