About six years ago, I gained the ability to rip cds and HD tracks to a hard drive and to have these digital tracks passed onto dacs capable of playing them. For several years I retained the cd players I had, main OPPO models with mods.
As long as my music servers worked properly, there was no question that they were far superior. When they were not working, I had to revert to vinyl as I sold the cd players. I still have a universal player, but don't use it as the sound is just no good.
I really think that downloads are the wave of the future, but I do know several guys that live with streaming, but I find them unlistenable. I retain all of my many thousands of cds, as ripping is getting better. I own about 500 SACDs and have had most of them transferred to DSD rips.
In all cases where I have a cd and a DSD of a recording as well as an album, The double native DSD play back is far superior and, of course, most convenient.
As long as my music servers worked properly, there was no question that they were far superior. When they were not working, I had to revert to vinyl as I sold the cd players. I still have a universal player, but don't use it as the sound is just no good.
I really think that downloads are the wave of the future, but I do know several guys that live with streaming, but I find them unlistenable. I retain all of my many thousands of cds, as ripping is getting better. I own about 500 SACDs and have had most of them transferred to DSD rips.
In all cases where I have a cd and a DSD of a recording as well as an album, The double native DSD play back is far superior and, of course, most convenient.