Actually Levy03, the future will be in network-based audio as opposed to computer audio. PS Audio is really making strides in this direction. You wont need a computer at all when you connect the Bridge to your network. This is a totally different animal than a CD player. The 808.2 may very well be among the best CD players on the market today, but once high end servers become more mainstream even the great CD players will seem obsolete.
If you think, this is what they said about turntables, then youre making the wrong analogy. Analog is analog, digital is digital. Analog continues to progress via refinements in technology and will likely continue to do well for some time (indefinitely??); but digital is progressing as well, and the direction it is heading is network server based.
Until they can figure out how to pull analog music from an LP other than a turntable, the turntable is the solution. This is not true with digital - "they already have figured out how to convey digital music without the CD player. The CD itself is still relevant because they are still the primary source for obtaining digital music files. Let me tell you though, if you havent experienced hi-res playback (96k x 24 or higher), then you havent experienced the true potential of digital playback (CDs by design are limited to 16/44). Furthermore, DSD is still very promising for the future of network systems (and THAT will be very exciting).
My2cents.
Ben