Things that make you go, "Hmmmmm...."

The Emotiva sounds like another legit, if decidedly mid-fi, example. Oh well, did not specify high end. That would all but guarantee none be found. Mark Levinson, of course. Even the remote is built like a Swiss bank vault. Never heard one I cared for but probably not going to zero any time soon so okay, we are up to three.

Or maybe four. Leave it to Tim to find the Shanling, a CD player so cool looking it might even hold a candle to my record rig. Visually, I mean: big ol’ feet sticking out, three transformers jutting out in full art deco architectural glory, uber cool flip up top loader lid, and a full complement of four TUBES, complete with George Jetson-like tube rings! Crikey! Nothing about how or if they’re holding their value, but sexy enough to maybe not even matter. Astro! Fetch! https://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/cd-players-and-recorders/shanling-cd-...

I am probably wasting my time but I’ll give this a try anyway.

Old cd players don’t appreciate in value because the technology is rapidly evolving. The Air Force doesn’t buy F-4 Phantoms any more and people don’t seek out computers from the 80s because technology has improved significantly since those items were the state of the art.

The format arguments also peaked about 10 or 15 years ago and most people have moved on. If you prefer vintage equipment, that’s great. I hope you get lots of enjoyment out of it. Your anti-digital posts are old and tiresome though. We’ve heard it all before.

The days of vinyl superiority have passed. That doesn’t mean that you don’t enjoy it more. You obviously do and that’s great. Enjoy! However, I’m certain there are many digital based systems that sound better than your. turntable based system. I can’t prove it but there’s a really good chance that it’s true.

Enjoying music is not a competition. Criticizing digital doesn’t make your vinyl sound better or make digital sound bad. It just reflects poorly on you. Take the chip off your shoulder and enjoy the music. That’s what it’s about for many of us.

“Music is not a competition. Criticizing digital doesn’t make your vinyl sound better or make digital sound bad. It just reflects poorly on you. Take the chip off your shoulder and enjoy the music. That’s what it’s about for many of us.”

@tomcy6, well said!

The OP is a hardcore vinyl lover, he have no intentions to buy any CD player, let alone a cool looking one. Honestly, pursuing a CD player now is a fool’s errand. I would look into investing into digital streaming and continue to enjoy both vinyl and unlimited access to online library of music. 

Old cd players don’t appreciate in value because the technology is rapidly evolving.

That old trope passes for "well said"? You mean like the way turntable technology rapidly evolved to direct drive and tangential tracking? Oh. Wait. What's that? Never happened? 

Course not. Because technology is NOT be-all end-all determinative. Implementation, the details and techniques by which the technology is actually put into use, THAT is what matters! 

This may unwittingly shed some light though. Could be the slavish pursuit of technology uber alles is part of what drives so many to keep buying the newest, forgetting that if there's one thing this thread proves its that hardly any of the newest turns out good enough to stand the test of time.

Which, nothing new there either. Most new music is crap. Most new cars are crap. On and on. So of course most new CD players are gonna be crap. Which by the way, since people with a chip on their shoulder (and apparently an axe to grind, maybe even more than a little defensive to boot) keep bringing it up maybe better state for the record (heh) there are no exceptions to this rule and so most new turntables are crap too! So there! 

The OP is a hardcore vinyl lover, he have no intentions to buy any CD player, let alone a cool looking one.

For the record, "hardcore" is an insult, not an argument. 

And "intentions to buy" is irrelevant. When I picked up Robert Harley's Complete Guide to High End Audio I had no intentions of ever buying a turntable. But he got me curious, I kept digging into it, and now have a fantastic rig.

 Honestly, pursuing a CD player now is a fool’s errand.

Love the way you stuck that "now" in there. Good one.