Why Purchase A CD Player or Transport ?

Another consideration. Many new innovations with streaming equipment, highly likely it will only improve over time. Should we expect cd transports are going to evolve in similar fashion?

@grannyring - Thank you. Guessing that you should be close to receiving your Tron Atlantic Signature DAC. I auditioned the GT version while at Gestalt Audio and very much understand why you wrote up the review you did of it; it is thoroughly engaging.

I'd forget about buying a transport.

I keep my digital library (> 4000 CDs) on a network drive, ripped in FLAC on my computer and we have A/B tested CD play vs network several times without finding any preference. I keep a player in my main system because I have it, but use it very rarely to audition the odd CD to see if I want to add it to the library.

I agree with above. For some of you, you may wish to go the Audiogon forum and look up the Project RS2T blog, very lengthy and informative. It discusses that referenced transport, and add your own DAC ( a good one, subjective of course) and your CD collection will literary amaze you. I own a audiolab transport 6000, a very good machine, However, by replacing it with the Project model, you will hear CD's like you have never heard them before. At that point you can now compare streaming services.         I stream qobuz R&R loudly and believe me you may more often than not choose your CD over the Stream. I enjoy both.... On a good system with that transport and associated DAC, you won't believe your ears. Talk to anyone that owns one!  Robert TN   Ps. read some of Charles dad1 posts on the topic, as he owns one also. Audiogon Project RS2T  blog  A very interesting  read

This has been a great conversation. I looked at my digital world and realized that it is mostly in boxes on 20+ hard drives..none of it audio. My whole digital life, my family, business ..now retired .. is all in boxes on random hard drives. So, I decided to consolidate, wipe all drives and dispose or sell them.

I just purchased a five bay Synology DS1522+/Four 16TB enterprise drives.. can add more later.. 32GB of Ram and 800GB of M.2 NVMe SSD cache. My external CD/DVD drive comes today and I will store all music on the NAS, as well as centralize 50,000+ Lightroom photos + years of family videos. So, I spent my CD transport money on a NAS.. rather a different outcome than I saw coming into this conversation. What I give up is being able to listen to a limited number SACD discs and what I will need to do is maximize my streamer. It is clear to me that with enough money, I could buy a CD transport that will outshine present day streaming, but I don’t believe that this difference will remain and streaming equipment will get better with time. Retirement involves projects, hobbies..a bit of travel and like always..obeying the almighty spouse.. The NAS is a project/hobby. Well, gotta go.. some power cables just arrived...Thanks for all the input...Gary