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Are Disc Players Dead?

How important is a disc player anymore? I think that stand alone DAC's have far eclipsed the stand alone disc player in importance over the last 3 years with the rise of server based music.

Only an SACD really needs a disc player anymore. In what instance can you get better sound from a disc player than when you download the music, CD or HiRez, then play it back through a new stand alone DAC with the latest technology?

I really only use my very humble disc player to watch movies that I own now. I download most movies to rent through AppleTV, and if I buy a CD (rare) I download it to the server, where it takes up residence in iTunes for playback in AIFF format.

So, disc players on their deathbed, as DAC move to the top of the digital mountain?

I say yes.
macdadtexas
macdadtexas OP
1,794 posts
 
Slipknot1, that was just a classic response, and oh so correct.
programmergeek
322 posts
 
I agree with Macdactexas 100%. I did the server thing about a year ago and got a bryston dace kimber cable USB and ripped lossless. The sound was not near what my cd player, now I have a s7i and I think on my system a server would be hard pressed to play better than that. I am a computer guy by trade so I really wished the pc worked out I am tired of scratched disks and switching etc. But the detail was just not there.
mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,611 posts
 
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Programmergeek, I see the s7i sells for about $6k. Did you put that much money towards a killer DAC? You may not be making a fair comparison. I'm sure that with $6k some of the guys here that know what they're doing could put together a DAC and digital player combo that could equal the s7i.
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syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
Commercially they are dead. More or less. Based on the huge amount of available CD's most Audiophiles will stay with their units but the younger generation will go to downstream (or already does). It was not possible to keep the quality of music as a Standard, now it is reduced to Entertainment. No one cares about quality (this started in the mid 90's based on cost reduction...) And high quality downstream is a nice marketing gag, but it is just another tool to earn some money.
In a few years the only real High End will be analog, not because of the quality, more or less based on visual movement. The Audiophile has something to touch, he sees something moving, the turntables can be ultra expensive and he can show his visitors that he is a serious guy. The rest of the world uses a server.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
Many interesting and thought provoking comments here. I tend to agree with Nglazer here. I just don't have confidence in what's available today and worry that it might be obsolete in the near future. When large ss hard drives become more affordable, when formats become more standardized and easily backwards compatible, and reliability is proven, I'll jump in.
One thing that nobody seemed to mention is that if one wants to move their disc storage to either a server or a cloud, you'll still need a disc player to do it.
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