Are CD Player still relevant?

[fx20]

These days, I have played most of CD-Ripped file from my PC to DAC then to my amp. Yet, I can stream high resolution media which CD player couldn't.

Is CD player still relevant? Does it offer better SQ? or it just sort of nostalgia sentiment.

 

[thx911]

CD Players have had their shot and don't think they are relevant anymore, unless someone can give it a spin like what they did with tubes, TTs & other vintage audio and breath some life into it! music streaming is the future.. not sure how long DACs will last

 

[fx20]

The DACs will last over CD Players as the streaming bits needed to be converted into analog waveform.

 

[cyber_cat]

Both have pros and cons, so it depends upon the situation. You have a large collection of CDs with a high end cd player, better off playing thru CDP, a lot of factors come here into play here though.

New purchase, not such a wise option.

 

[jls001]

Is CD player still relevant? Does it offer better SQ? or it just sort of nostalgia sentiment.

Yes, it remains relevant for someone who has a lot of CDs. It's not about nostalgia at all.

A good CD player is hard to beat. A computer based player is a flexible option as one can upgrade the software and hardware. But it isn't easy to get right. And not necessarily cheaper - good computer hardware costs, as does good DAC.

High res is being touted as the way forward, but how many of us find high res consistently sounding better than the equivalent standard res?

Further, for some inexplicable reason I find that I keep changing tracks when using PC playback. On CD player or turntable I listen to full CD/records.

 

[rohitmusic]

I still prefer holding a Physical CD in my hand and placing it in the tray instead of playing some random songs "clicked" on my laptop.

I like to place the CD in tray and simply push play. The startup time is very less and the CD keeps spinning so I end up listening to the entire CD playlist. While listening from laptop as source I notice that I keep hopping between different tracks and albums just because I have an option to do so. I dont remember a single full album that I have heard completely on my laptop so I miss a lot of good compositions which I am forced to hear in a sequential play.

SQ is one thing form factor is other. (A parallel analogy is playing Vinyl)

I am into all 3 sources (CD/computer based/Vinyl) and feel there is strength in each format. Having a dedicated CD player makes things very simple for quick boot up time when you are really tired and simply want to start the music without much setup time.

Just my 2 cents

 

[coaltrain]

thank you, jls001 and rohit, for confirming I'm not suffering from adsd!

while listening to music on my iPhone (usually to drown out the pa and bawling kids on a flight), I find myself constantly worrying about the next song to play. tracks whiz by in a schizophrenic mishmash of genres and artistes, and the experience always leaves me deeply dissatisfied.

at home, my music sessions are very deliberate affairs. I need a good 2 hours of uninterrupted time, a cold beverage within easy reach and a clutch of CDs that suits the mood of the hour. sometimes, I'll do an 'artiste' night; say, just playing steely dan albums. other times, it might be a 'female vocalists' or '70s rock' or 'albums I haven't heard in ages' evening.

once in a while, an album will set off a desire to hear another unrelated album. and this can lead to some interesting sessions. for eg: start with some shakti. the tabla makes me want to hear trilok gurtu. then, I want to up the pace, so I switch to talvin singh. now, I'm getting a craving for bass, so I switch to massive attack. at the end of 4 albums, I've got a huge smile on my face!

all my friends, who are into computer audio, tell me I need to switch. all the tracks in my 1500 odd cd collection will be just a click away, they say. well, I say, no thank you! I know exactly where 95% of my albums are on the shelves. and I can use the exercise

 

[mpw]

Well said Coaltrain..

Mpw

 

[frend2001]

thank you, jls001 and rohit, for confirming I'm not suffering from adsd!

while listening to music on my iPhone (usually to drown out the pa and bawling kids on a flight), I find myself constantly worrying about the next song to play. tracks whiz by in a schizophrenic mishmash of genres and artistes, and the experience always leaves me deeply dissatisfied.

at home, my music sessions are very deliberate affairs. I need a good 2 hours of uninterrupted time, a cold beverage within easy reach and a clutch of CDs that suits the mood of the hour. sometimes, I'll do an 'artiste' night; say, just playing steely dan albums. other times, it might be a 'female vocalists' or '70s rock' or 'albums I haven't heard in ages' evening.

once in a while, an album will set off a desire to hear another unrelated album. and this can lead to some interesting sessions. for eg: start with some shakti. the tabla makes me want to hear trilok gurtu. then, I want to up the pace, so I switch to talvin singh. now, I'm getting a craving for bass, so I switch to massive attack. at the end of 4 albums, I've got a huge smile on my face!

all my friends, who are into computer audio, tell me I need to switch. all the tracks in my 1500 odd cd collection will be just a click away, they say. well, I say, no thank you! I know exactly where 95% of my albums are on the shelves. and I can use the exercise

What a marvelous writeup Coaltrain....as if you spoke out my thoughts.

Cheers

 

[himadri]

all my friends, who are into computer audio, tell me I need to switch. all the tracks in my 1500 odd cd collection will be just a click away, they say. well, I say, no thank you! I know exactly where 95% of my albums are on the shelves. and I can use the exercise

completely agree

Cheers

 

[reignofchaos]

Let me tell you that I have been in the computer audio scene for a while and have a very optimized audio PC with no fans, no hard drives, sata filters, linear power supply etc. However my philips CD pro2m based cd transport still sounds nearly as good or maybe better in some genres of music. The computer has more detail while the CD transport appears to have a wee bit better tone.

All I can say is that you can't write off good CD transports. Building a good audio PC is way harder and way more time consuming and many a time, the results are not commensurate with the effort and money sunk in. I am on my 3rd audio PC and third CD transport BTW. Computer audio is no magic bullet.

 

[dheerajin]

CD player consists of two part, one is CD playing mechanism and second is DAC.

Nowadays many CD player are coming with the flexibility to work as a standalone DAC..that means you can directly give your PC/lappy output to them and make them act as DAC..

so lot of flexibility is there..no need to confuse between CDP and DAC as a whole..

bottom line is ..to each his own..

some people like to have listen to whole CD and they love this flavour more than hopping tracks between various genres.

Computer music is favorite to those who can make playlist for evening to enjoy with the long list of songs, so they dont have to do the exercise to change the CD and again getting confused which song to play..they can make their playlist in the daytime to enjoy the listening session..

you have flexibility to tag the song according to genre, singer,band..and what not..

and in my view tweaking PC/Lappy to audiophile listening is one time activity and it is very easy nowadays with the help uncle google..

so no need to confuse between two forms..if one likes CD and other Likes PC..
it is just like one want to go by SUV and another by hatchback ..and it whole depends which one considers which is hatchback and which is SUV..

its all personal choice at the end..

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Yes, it remains relevant for someone who has a lot of CDs. It's not about nostalgia at all. ... ... ...

... ... ... all my friends, who are into computer audio, tell me I need to switch. all the tracks in my 1500 odd cd collection will be just a click away, they say. well, I say, no thank you! I know exactly where 95% of my albums are on the shelves. and I can use the exercise

I am now almost totally into computer listening. At this time, I don't even have a working CD player :sad: --- but it is going to be replaced. Some of us know we are just not going to get around to all that digitising.

So a CD player is still very relevant to me (and even my seldom-used turntable is) but ...I'll be settling for something basic, rather than trying to afford something more upmarket. Relevant, but a lower priority.

 

[captrajesh]

A good CD player is hard to beat.

In my experience, audio songs in red book format, (which is what is audio CD resolution is, for the uninitiated) coming from the transport of a CDP definitely sound better than computer playback even when routed through the same DAC used for the computer playback.

at home, my music sessions are very deliberate affairs. I need a good 2 hours of uninterrupted time, a cold beverage within easy reach and a clutch of CDs that suits the mood of the hour. sometimes, I'll do an 'artiste' night; say, just playing steely dan albums. other times, it might be a 'female vocalists' or '70s rock' or 'albums I haven't heard in ages' evening.

once in a while, an album will set off a desire to hear another unrelated album. and this can lead to some interesting sessions. for eg: start with some shakti. the tabla makes me want to hear trilok gurtu. then, I want to up the pace, so I switch to talvin singh.

This is how my sessions go too.

 

[deba]

Are CD Player still relevant?..........Why not If Vinyl Players are still present.......)

 

[bhagwan]

All I can say is that you can't write off good CD transports. Building a good audio PC is way harder and way more time consuming and many a time, the results are not commensurate with the effort and money sunk in. I am on my 3rd audio PC and third CD transport BTW. Computer audio is no magic bullet.

Sir,

I cannot agree with you more.
I still think CD Players / CD Transports are better than Computers.
All said, if and when a 'computer gets to be right' then the story is a bit different.
Just that a CD Player is far [way] more convenient.
Computers are 'temperamental' & not easy to work with.

p.s.
If I could - I would want to get back to CD Players once again.
Just have not taken the 'plunge' !

 

[rohitmusic]

Random thoughts of my mind...

I was very hesitant to get into vinyl thinking it is a fad and I did not want to get into following some format just because it is rising from the ashes and that to big time!

So I took my own sweet time even after lots of persuasion from dear friends

I finally felt I was ready for Vinyl and then felt there is something more to Vinyl than digital playback.

So Vinyl is a totally different game. Folks debate that Vinyl is higher fidelity and such... but it turned out that Vinyl is more of a lifestyle experience for me. It touches on the way we listen, maintain and experience the music collection. No wonder Vinyl is ressurging!

For CD players there was an easy alternative to have all that content ripped on PC.
But Vinyl is "RAW" something that I like

Cheers!

Are CD Player still relevant?..........Why not If Vinyl Players are still present.......)

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I don't know why I don't just get those CDs onto the computer. It is not exactly hard work, and carries on while I browse and socialise on the net.

I say that CDs are easier for the family to handle, just to put on some music. Depending on the setup, this could be true. It is true on my PC, but I could easily set up my wife's machine to play via the Squeezebox.

Computers are 'temperamental' & not easy to work with.

Honestly, I think that if I had a "vanilla" Windows machine I would not agree with that. However, there are aspects that are not perfect in my setup. I should not have to reboot because the sound is not right. it is something to do with the USB setup. I didn't have these problems for many years, and am seriously considering changing some things.

Anyway... For now, the CDs stay. And so does the CD player, if it comes back repaired or when I replace it. Even though PCs actually make perfectly adequate CD players too!

 

[jls001]

Unfortunately for CD lovers it getting ever more difficult to buy CDs from brick and mortar stores. I think the story is repeating across towns and cities - more and more music shops are shuttering. It is sad but an after effect of the rampant piracy of music on the net. Fortunately in Mumbai we still have Rhythm House. There are also few smaller stores like Planet M (the only surviving one at Hiranandani Gardens in Powai), Satyam Collections at Churchgate, and a small selection at Crossword in Inorbit Mall.

 

[reignofchaos]

Unfortunately for CD lovers it getting ever more difficult to buy CDs from brick and mortar stores. I think the story is repeating across towns and cities - more and more music shops are shuttering. It is sad but an after effect of the rampant piracy of music on the net. Fortunately in Mumbai we still have Rhythm House. There are also few smaller stores like Planet M (the only surviving one at Hiranandani Gardens in Powai), Satyam Collections at Churchgate, and a small selection at Crossword in Inorbit Mall.

Actually it is easier for me than before. No hassle purchase at amazon.in (for extreme value for money deals) or amazon.com/elusivedisc.com works beautifully. Yes you don't get to touch and feel the jewel cases but hey you save a lot of money and stuff arrives without much hassle.