Why Do ~You~ Still Play CDs?


I'm curious why you still play CDs in the age of streaming. I recently got back into CD listening and I'm curious if your reasons align with mine, which are:

  • Enjoying the physical medium—the tactile nature of the case, the disc, the booklet, etc.
  • Forcing myself to actually listen to an album, versus being easily distracted by an algorithm, or "what's next" in my playlist.
  • Actually owning the music I purchase, versus being stuck with yet another monthly subscription.

Others? 

itanibro

Streaming right now on my second system but tonight I will fire up my main system and play a few CDs I picked up at Newbury Comics for $4 to $6.  

Assuming a certain percentage of streamed music would appeal to me, I would need to have a way to select, organize and categorize an online library for future listening as I do not always remember the artist, album, music by name and would want to minimize searching of music I already selected that I like,

@agwca  You might consider an Innuos Zen streamer.  It’s a very good streamer but you can also load your CDs directly into it so all your music will be at your fingertips and thus will greatly help you declutter.  Also their excellent Sense app will allow you to easily organize playlists and find new music, and I think it’s a great value used.  Just one idea FWIW.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650163113-innuos-zen-mk3-2tb/

Agree with all three of your points and I'll add a couple more: the artist gets more money and streaming is too doggone expensive to get high-quality sound.

I recently purchased a Moon 280 D streamer. Bottom of the line for Moon's line, but I couldn't hear much of an improvement in more expensive streamers. I stream music much more than playing CDs on my McMormack universal disc player. When I do drop a CD into the McCormack I use the Moon streamer's D/A converter which is a bit livlier than the McCormack.

I listen to vinyl, however, far more than I listen to digital. I have a VPI Prime Signature turntable and EMT HD 006 cartridge, which I run through an Audio Research PH-7. I mention these pieces of hardware because they are good solid equipment which lift the level of my vinyl albums far above digital. Analogue on my system is more immediate and detailed. I've had friends who are not audiophiles notice the difference even though they haven't developed a discerning ear.

I listen to my Moon streamer to hear new artists or new albums. To discover what's going on in the musical world. Also to hear different classical artists playing pieces I own on vinyl and CDs. I often stream music I already have on CDs because streaming has higher digital samplings, up to 192 vs. 44.1 on CDs. 

The reason I still have CDs is because I literally can't give them away. I own about 1200 CDs and it's not worth selling them piecemeal. Too much time and effort for too little money. But almost all of my CDs can also be streamed. So, if somebody wants to take all my CDs plus the spinning rack they sit on, and lives in L.A., give me a holler.

I mention these pieces of hardware because they are good solid equipment which lift the level of my vinyl albums far above digital. Analogue on my system is more immediate and detailed.
 

audio-b-dog  What streamer were you using before the 280D?  How much total do you have invested in your vinyl rig versus your streaming setup?  Fair comparison?