Sound Quality of red book CDs vs.streaming

I completely agree with the OP, and many Audio  critics have been making the same point recently.  It’s ironic that just as CDs teeter on the brink of extinction, the ability to replay them has developed so far.

Expensive CD player vs. the cheapest streaming setup you can implement and you are wondering why your cd sounds better? Your current setup couldn’t support the best hires/DSD/MQA streaming services that are available. Also, when was the best sounding sacd inferior to cd redbook? Sure there were some sacd recordings that were just cd’s reripped but most were superior.
IMO, trying to get your chromecast audio/toslink up to a high standard for streaming is like putting lipstick on a pig.
Get rid of USB, reclockers for your usb, and toslink, go with straight Ethernet with a fiber internet connection, get tidal hifi with MQA and you will be selling your CD player. Rip all of your cd’s to a server and use Roon for your GUI interface and you will be wondering why you waited so long to do this.

After investigating, I can see that Ethernet/Roon may well be the wave of the near future for audiophiles.
 But, in general, I’m wondering.  If CDs become obsolete, what will happen to the structure and incentive for performers to record.  Where is the profit motive for them if streaming, at $10-$20 per month for consumers, is their only source of revenue? This is the cart leading the horse. Without recordings being created, where will the music come from?  If current trends continue, Streaming Subscription prices are inevitably going to rise precipitously to much, much higher rates in order to support the creators.

After re-reading what I wrote, I realize this scenario may already be upon us.
But it still seems to me that the cost to the consumer is inevitably going to rise.

The cost probably will rise. I used to watch TV for free not counting ads and was sold the notion of a nominal fee for cable and no more ads. Now I pay ridiculous amount for cable and have 5 times the ads. Hopefully streaming music  won't take the same road.