Are CD players dead

I hear you, Mapman-Devilboy! Any conversation about CD Players always includes an Ultimatum about the CD Format as
opposed to Computer Downloading. CDs are prematurely
disappearing rapidly! Would like to go Computer Audio all of the way-just not sure if many Remastered CDs will be
available for Ripping a year from now. Many have to be
special ordered Today! Your moving too fast on CD Format before Downloading Format has been established. Ultimatum
means ending CD Format before Download Format begins. Mother Nature abhores a vacuum! It wont help either Format!

"CDs are prematurely
disappearing rapidly! "

I think a lot of this is a result of teh music market being saturated more than anything specific to CDs other than they are the current format most impacted, especially by new major pieces of the pie like internet radio, and even used CDS that basically sound as good as new indefinitely and do not have to be replaced (unlike worn records). Plus all the other non audio entertainment available (all via digital mostly mind you) these days. How much time does anybody really have to watch and listen to all that stuff? I chose to mostly listen when I do have time. I am literally drowning in new music to listen to these days and it will surely take me years to just catch up if I never bought another new CD again, which I still do on occasion, but frankly most of my "new" music purchases are used CDs. I also download a pop/rock mp3 from amazon on occasion. I view that as the modern equivalent of buying a 45 rpm single back when I was a kid and starting my record collection. I've always liked having the option of buying singles and not albums when I like a particular track.

The demise of the LP took a lot of stuff with it. I wonder what will the CD's demise take down with it.

at what point will companies cease to produce cd players, dacs and transports ?

it would seem that dacs are thriving for obvious reasons and servers/computers are thriving as transports.

will there ever be a time when it will be impossible to buy an in-production cd player that only plays redbook ???

"will there ever be a time when it will be impossible to buy an in-production cd player that only plays redbook ???”

Of course. The proper question is when. And the answer is that it’s too early to tell.