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Should I still buy a CD player? Suggest one?

I just read that Best Buy is discontinuing CDs. This seems like a bad omen for CDs in general. I had a system I liked and lost most of it in a fire this summer. Insurance will buy me a replacement, but is it unwise to buy a CD player now? What are high end people doing now for source?

And, my players was a Creek CD-43, CD-53, bought in about 2002. What would be an equivalent quality now? Insurance doesn't care that they are more expensive now, they just want an equal replacement. If I buy a player, which is the most popular good CD player now? It's important that is it a popular one, because I don't want to get saddled with something hard to sell since things are in flux.

Thanks.


river251
nekoaudio's avatar
nekoaudio
489 posts
 
For a CD player with outstanding analog output that is likely to hold value, I'd recommend the Bryston BCD-3 or an OPPO disc player (you'd have to look on the secondhand market). Hard for me to guess as to what's equivalent to a Creek Audio CD53 though.

For what it's worth, I still buy a lot of CDs and even if Best Buy stops carrying them in stores you will still be able to order CDs online. Target has exclusive versions of CD releases, as does Japan.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
YES! Any Denon or Marantz for around $500 is an easy recommendation!
mesch
3,527 posts
 
I believe to get equivalent playback from vinyl as from digital, vinyl is more expensive, both in hardware and software.  Since your post refers to CD playback I will suggest that you consider the purchase of a CD transport and a DAC. Having separate DAC will allow flexibility for the addition of streaming services. 

What is your budget?
ianrmack
227 posts
 
What about just a modest transport that you can feed to your DAC, if you have one, that you may also use with a streamer?

dont know how crazy you want to go, but there are options.
cvman
34 posts
 
If you don’t replace the CD’s or vinyl, streaming is the most logical path. The debate is whether streaming is as good as direct source play depending on system components and sources. It also depends on how much you want to invest in system components and if replacement parts are still available for used gear. A high end CD transport might set you back $2-4K backed by a separate DAC costing the same. Integrated units solve for both, but I’d focus more on the DAC either in a separate or integrated player. Certain R2R or FPGA DACs provide for best digital to analog conversions, but cost more and are harder to find in an integrated combination.
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