PC-Audio vs. High-end CD Player-GAME OVER

I still believe that in most, not highest-end budget situations, the PC-Audio will sound better than comparable CD Players. I am just not willing to extend that logic to "PC will beat any high-end CDP any time" simply because I have not heard enough comparisons to make the judgment. However, it seems safe to say that the industry as a whole is moving to the on-line download path, albeit at a much slower pace than some here claim.

Sammie: before you dump those CDs, make sure your ripped copies are backed up and that you won't face digital rights management issues in the future. E.g., you may need to the original source disk for some reason.

Isn't it illegal to rip CDs and then sell them?

Bigamp, yep my collection is backed up. And, I suppose you're right about hanging onto the source disc. Well, and it's against the law (obviously!).

And to stick my head where it doesn't belong and sidetrack this argument a bit, the PC solution offers an incredible amount of convenience, which, being new to PC audio, took me and my significant other by surprise. To have you're whole collection at your finger tips, instantly accessible has made a big difference for us.

And, the other thing I'll write is that once all your music is placed on HD, you've instantly circumnavigated over two decades of technology so to speak. The CD will be replaced with, probably, downloadable music, or small memory chips bought in stores or both...I don't know. But, it will come. The word is just not out yet to the masses. Once that happens, given the convenience factor, the CD will fall by the wayside. Wavelength Audio has been swamped since the recent NY Times article on DAC's.

Which sounds better...it seems to me if you are capable of spending an equal amount of money on either format, you're going to get comparable sound quality (IMHO). There will be exceptions on both sides of course.

OK, off my soap box..

As the original poster, I would like to chime in. There have been some pitfalls, but overall, I could never go back to spinning discs. The convenience factor is unbelievable. I've had to work on system synergy issues, the same as if i had swapped any new components in, but it sounds great. With all due respect to Alex of APL, without some type of digital input as the PRIMARY interface, he's manufacturing a doorstop. A very high functioning one, perhaps, but a doorstop just the same.

David