Are CD players dead

I’ve wondered the same thing Mapman. Exactly what is their source? Are they downloading an SACD, DVD-A, original masters on reel to real? What do they use as a source, and how is it handled?

Yeeeaahh, sort of like the impervious Housing Market-the
main reason everyone is selling on Audiogon? The impervious
Audio Market-is that like the unsinkable battleship? I have
gone through allot of Formats in my time. This will be the
first time that I see a rapidly evaporating Format (CD)
dissappearing before its replacement Format has even begun
to be finalized. I am used to seeing an overlap, not the vacuum of a big fat gap. I sense panick in trying to pull the CD Format so prematurely, like fear if people aren't
forced to Computer Audio Downloads soon enough to save it.
My fear is if Computer Downloads flop, and we are left with
NO FORMAT! Pretty risky business you guys are playing!

Pettyofficer: This is just my opinion but....don't confuse the "death of cd players" with the "death of cds". Don't assume that the only way people get music into their computers is via downloading. We don't need cd players, we just need the cds themselves to burn into the hard drive of the computer. So, to hell with the cd player, as long as their are cds around to burn into my computer, I'm happy.

Agree with Devilboy.

Will something to replace CDs for this eventually? Probably. Not sure what it will be though and it could be awhile.

331/3 lps were around about 30 years before CDs did them in for the most part. CDs will probably be around somewhat longer, and whatever replaces that somewhat longer still, etc.

That's progress, FBOFW.

Look at it this way. 78 RPM records were generation 1 of mass recorded and marketed media. 331/3 lps generation 2.

CDs generation 3.

Most innovations start to get it mostly right usually about the third time around. CDs get it mostly right (except for the confounded packaging they come in which continues to mostly s---).

Downloading and computer audio is phase 4 which consists of mostly new ways of delivering and playing digital including introduction of higher res formats (hi res is still gen 1 so expect kinks for awhile as I alluded to earlier) and music servers.

A better vision for phase 5 is what I think we are all trying to imagine (except Pettyofficer who believes there is a conspiracy to prevent that).