CD no more produced?

I'm able to pick up CD's from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Amoeba and other places. IMO CD;'s represent the best media value out there. A couple of weeks ago I picked up 3 new CD's for under $20. I'm still a fan of physical media and there is something nice about actually owning something that you feel and touch.

FWIW I have found that researching the CD pressing is important (as others on this thread have mentioned) and that discogs makes that relatively easy. Once I buy the preferred CD pressing I then rip it to a server and the physical copy goes in my collection. I did extensive testing to determine whether I could hear a difference between a ripped CD and the same CD via transport. In my system the difference was easily discernible with the server providing the playback I preferred. But, I hold out with a different transport the results might be different. My server costs many multiples of the transport. The both fed the same DAC. I also agree that CDs are a relative bargain, although preferred pressings command a premium in most cases.

@astewart8944 , my server is an old iMac. My DAC is a low end piece of Schiit (Modi 2 Uber).

When I compare the iMac with an Arcam CD 92 as transport and both run through the same DAC I can hear little or no difference.

But, when using the Arcam's DAC (before it died) or even a mid level Toshiba DVD/CD player the CD's sound a little brighter and between the Schiit and a CD played through a CD player's DAC I prefer the CD player but the difference is tiny and usually the convenience of using the iMac/DAC/ Apple Remote wins out.

I could certainly spend more on a DAC and a better server and one of these days I probably will but right now I don't feel like I'm missing anything critical and between digging the old iMac out of the basement and buying the Schiit used plus a decent USB cable I'm only out about $150.

I haven’t purchased a cd in a couple of years. Before that, a ripped cd sounded better than a cd itself. If you don’t think tidal MQA isn’t better than a cd, something might be wrong with your streaming process.