Forum Home Forum Home > Other music related lounges > Tech Talk
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Final demise of CD players?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedFinal demise of CD players?

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>
Author
Message
Darious View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 30 2014
Location: Poole, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 246
Direct Link To This Post Topic: Final demise of CD players?
    Posted: October 20 2014 at 04:20
I am expecting that prices for some even great CD players will start falling down any time soon. Suppose you have a decent "dacamp" (an amplifier with a DAC built-in). You go and pick one of them "What Hi-Fi 5-star product of the year", namely less than £100 Sony blu ray player with a FLAC capable USB. You link this blu ray player with your dacamp by the mean of the digital coaxial cable. Stick your USB full of FLACs in, and you can start enjoying, more and more often better than CD quality, music. There's no need for levelling the device as nothing spins inside of your USB. Unless you wish to use your blu ray player for CD playback, which would not be entirely nonsensical idea, actually. What am I trying to say is that highly regarded, inexpensive blu ray players, with their power supplies located outside the box, with built-in FLAC capable USBs, digital coaxial/optical outputs and lack of displays and other outputs are not only a threat to standalone CD players but before all, I would dare to claim, a better option for music playback at all. CD Baby offers now FLACs on titles like Skye by Monarch Trails or even the rarities like L'enigma Della Vita by Logos. You pay less than for CDs and you start enjoying your buys immediately and in a quality that starts to better that of CD. As an additional bonus of using blu ray players instead of CD players, you are able to playback one of them High Fidelity Pure Audio discs, which not only often better SACDs and others in quality, but also significantly in price tag. Selling England by the Pound on blu ray audio disc is only £11 something off Amazon. Now check the prices on SACD for this title and prepare yourself for the shock! CD, SACD and DVD audio are now on their death beds. Long live blu ray audio and high resolution files! The Hi-Fi future does looks bright.

Edited by Darious - October 20 2014 at 04:53
Writing about truth is a little bit like getting your dick out in public and hoping no one laughs (Steve Hogarth)
Back to Top
Dean View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout

Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2014 at 05:13
Interesting take on the subject Darious. It is a brave man who would make predictions on hardware format since quality has never been a deciding factor in any format-war. Personally I do not believe that the price of standalone CD players will change, there will simply be fewer models to choose from as the market contracts - the transition from LP to CD did not result in a drop in price of quality turntables. 

Blu-ray is a Sony proprietary format, its market position is the result of two significant factors that they learnt from Betamax, Audio Minidisc and DAT

1, to ensure success of a new format you needed to control the media recorded onto it, to this end they undertook a rapid series of expansion and acquisition into that industry in the 1980s to become the largest music company in the world and the largest picture/movie/film entertainment company in the world. 

2, to ensure early adoption of a new format you need to flood the market with hardware capable of playing it. To this end they incorporated blu-ray into their best selling product, the Playstation, and sold that hardware for considerably less than it cost them to manufacture, the major contributory factor of that price vs cost disparity was the cost of manufacturing the blu-ray transport. Blu-ray transports and blue laser diodes are still more expensive to produce than DVD or CD transports and red-laser diodes.

Unfortunately the PS3 did not dominate the market, meeting strong competition from the WII and XBox so the transition from DVD to Blu-ray has not been as predicted or expected. Eight years after the launch of Blu-ray DVD is still outselling Blu-ray by something like 4 to 1 - and like CD, that market is contracting while streaming formats continue to grow.


What?
Back to Top
SteveG View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: April 11 2014
Location: Kyiv In Spirit
Status: Offline
Points: 20245
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2014 at 09:16
There will always be an upscale market for Cd players (transports and DACs) as long as people are willing to $hell out the money. Remember, high end turntables never went away during the CD craze.
This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State.
Back to Top
Catcher10 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar
VIP Member

Joined: December 23 2009
Location: Emerald City
Status: Offline
Points: 17451
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2014 at 10:48
Darious
What do you mean by "High Fidelity Pure Audio discs"? I assume you are referring to SACD and DVD-A, which essentially can hold the same type of resolution like 24/96, whereas a standard CD can only hold 16/44. Both SACD and DVD-A can accommodate 5.1 surround sound for those that want that type of music listening experience. SACD can also hold the standard redbook layer so a traditional CD player can play them, hybrid SACD's have two layers.
 
I don't have a SACD capable player, main reason is the lack of a catalog of music that I listen to, same goes for the hi-rez files like 24/96 or 24/192 downloads, most of these catalogs are very heavy to Jazz, Pop and Classical music....the only progressive rock I see is Yes, Pink Floyd and maybe Rush just a couple albums of each, hardly a catalog, plus they are very expensive for a non-physical purchase. I did buy Yes CTTE as 24/96 couple yrs ago and really found nothing too exciting about it. I also bought a Diana Krall at 24/192 and that is pretty special, but reading on many music forums these hi-rez downloads are hit and miss, as somebody still has to make that transfer to their servers and well...things can happen that seem to degrade the quality, assuming it was there in the first place.
 
The demise of the CD player? I struggle with that as turntables never went away and I don't think CD players will go away either, they are inexpensive to produce and the margin return is pretty high I understand.
There actually is a segment of very high-end CDP that is enjoying a robust business right now, people with extra cash to spend will always upgrade. An Oppo BRP are some of the most popular players and sell very, very well, since they are able to play any disc configuration and the reproduction is very high end return for your money.
 
In general I agree that the whole downloading/streaming process should continue to grow, will it bury the physical CD, I don't think so, CDs are so cheap to make and press and distribute and again the high rate of margin return will keep it around well passed your and my lifetime probably.
 
Good topic.
 
 
Back to Top
Darious View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 30 2014
Location: Poole, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 246
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2014 at 11:55
Originally posted by Catcher10 Catcher10 wrote:

What do you mean by "High Fidelity Pure Audio discs"? I assume you are referring to SACD and DVD-A, which essentially can hold the same type of resolution like 24/96, whereas a standard CD can only hold 16/44. Both SACD and DVD-A can accommodate 5.1 surround sound for those that want that type of music listening experience. SACD can also hold the standard redbook layer so a traditional CD player can play them, hybrid SACD's have two layers.
Hi José. Yeah, those "high fidelity pure audio discs" are actually blu ray discs, but audio only, with no particular visual content. Very much similar to DVD-As, to be honest.
Writing about truth is a little bit like getting your dick out in public and hoping no one laughs (Steve Hogarth)
Back to Top
Darious View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 30 2014
Location: Poole, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 246
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2014 at 12:15
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

There will always be an upscale market for Cd players (transports and DACs) as long as people are willing to $hell out the money. Remember, high end turntables never went away during the CD craze.
Yes, the same thing happening with people still shooting film cameras or even hand painting pictures, despite very much able digital cameras being widely available. I'm just wondering what will happen to the mainstream when downloadable high resolution files become significantly cheaper than CDs and seriously affordable and competent blu ray/USB players will become more apparent on the market. I guess that the unavoidable will happen Tongue
Writing about truth is a little bit like getting your dick out in public and hoping no one laughs (Steve Hogarth)
Back to Top
SteveG View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: April 11 2014
Location: Kyiv In Spirit
Status: Offline
Points: 20245
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 20 2014 at 13:53
Originally posted by Darious Darious wrote:

Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

There will always be an upscale market for Cd players (transports and DACs) as long as people are willing to $hell out the money. Remember, high end turntables never went away during the CD craze.
Yes, the same thing happening with people still shooting film cameras or even hand painting pictures, despite very much able digital cameras being widely available. I'm just wondering what will happen to the mainstream when downloadable high resolution files become significantly cheaper than CDs and seriously affordable and competent blu ray/USB players will become more apparent on the market. I guess that the unavoidable will happen Tongue
The same as during the 'Back To Vinyl' trend during the CD craze. Special 'high quality' Cds will still be made for those that still want to hold the physical product. When it comes to business, there is usually little sense involved and specialty companies will make $ome big money.
This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State.
Back to Top
Argonaught View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: June 04 2012
Location: Virginia
Status: Offline
Points: 1413
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2014 at 07:35
Originally posted by Darious Darious wrote:

Yes, the same thing happening with people still shooting film cameras or even hand painting pictures, despite very much able digital cameras being widely available. 

Exhibit A: The multipurpose pocket-size electronic device that does it all (the "phone")
Exhibit B: The Cloud. 

These two will render unnecessary a whole range of stand-alone electronic devices, such as digital cameras, music players of any nature, GPD's, calculators etc. 

Being unnecessary doesn't mean heading for imminent extinction. However, since CDs have near zero resale value, offer no sound quality advantage comparing to non-physical lossless files, are nowhere near as cool as LPs and do not age as well as we were lead to believe, I don't see how they can survive either as collectors item or as a niche product for much longer.  


 















Edited by Argonaught - October 29 2014 at 07:36
Back to Top
Dean View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout

Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2014 at 07:49
Originally posted by Argonaught Argonaught wrote:

Originally posted by Darious Darious wrote:

Yes, the same thing happening with people still shooting film cameras or even hand painting pictures, despite very much able digital cameras being widely available. 

Exhibit A: The multipurpose pocket-size electronic device that does it all (the "phone")
Exhibit B: The Cloud. 

These two will render unnecessary a whole range of stand-alone electronic devices, such as digital cameras, music players of any nature, GPD's, calculators etc. 

Being unnecessary doesn't mean heading for imminent extinction. However, since CDs have near zero resale value, offer no sound quality advantage comparing to non-physical lossless files, are nowhere near as cool as LPs and do not age as well as we were lead to believe, I don't see how they can survive either as collectors item or as a niche product for much longer.  
I agree.

And I think it is the worse thing that has ever happened in the world of computing because it means that you will no longer own any piece of software or data. You will not be able to buy an album so you will never own it, you will buy a lease that enables you to listen to it. 
What?
Back to Top
Catcher10 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar
VIP Member

Joined: December 23 2009
Location: Emerald City
Status: Offline
Points: 17451
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2014 at 10:14
^ I hope I am dead when this happens........
Back to Top
Argonaught View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: June 04 2012
Location: Virginia
Status: Offline
Points: 1413
Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 29 2014 at 13:18
Originally posted by Dean Dean wrote:

And I think it is the worse thing that has ever happened in the world of computing because it means that you will no longer own any piece of software or data. You will not be able to buy an album so you will never own it, you will buy a lease that enables you to listen to it. 

I think the digital realm is no more and no less than a microcosm of the greater world. You own nothing, ever. Really. 

Job said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will go away'. 

I would go a few steps further: you come into the world as a piece of software, loaded into a single cell. Then you continuously loan and return atoms from/to Mother Earth, some of which atoms happen to constitute your body at any given time for as long as you live. And then you die, and all the atoms that you have borrowed, but haven't yet returned are recycled. 
Back to Top
Catcher10 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar
VIP Member

Joined: December 23 2009
Location: Emerald City
Status: Offline
Points: 17451
Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 08 2015 at 23:28
Some data that might contribute to the thought..."Why make a new CDP?" The online digital age killing the CD.....
 
 
 
Back to Top
lostrom View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: March 19 2014
Location: Sweden
Status: Offline
Points: 122
Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 29 2015 at 22:30
CD will not die in our lifetime.
lostrom
Back to Top
Windhawk View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: December 28 2006
Location: Norway
Status: Offline
Points: 11400
Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 29 2015 at 23:20
The CD will live on, but as more and more of a niche product. If not for anything else, than for the artist to make a small run so that they themselves and the people involved will have a tangible, physical product documenting the music they made. But we are now living in the age where it is just as common not to release an album on physical format as it is to do it.
Websites I work with:

http://www.progressor.net
http://www.houseofprog.com

My profile on Mixcloud:
https://www.mixcloud.com/haukevind/
Back to Top
Slartibartfast View Drop Down
Collaborator
Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam

Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
Status: Offline
Points: 29625
Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 30 2015 at 17:42
I don't see it going away anytime soon.  I like my hard copies.
Back to Top
dr wu23 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 20449
Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2015 at 10:02
Originally posted by Slartibartfast Slartibartfast wrote:

I don't see it going away anytime soon.  I like my hard copies.
 
^this
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin
Back to Top
PrognosticMind View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 02 2014
Location: New Hampshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1195
Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2015 at 10:38
While the CD might become more unpopular relative to other forms of music media, I can't see it going the way of the eight track.
"A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous. Got me?"
Back to Top
Catcher10 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar
VIP Member

Joined: December 23 2009
Location: Emerald City
Status: Offline
Points: 17451
Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2015 at 12:11
Remember the OP is asking about "CD Players"......not the disc itself.
Back to Top
dr wu23 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
Status: Offline
Points: 20449
Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2015 at 12:17
Originally posted by Catcher10 Catcher10 wrote:

Remember the OP is asking about "CD Players"......not the disc itself.
 
Well...cd's would be useless without the players (unless one plays it through their computers) so I would think some one would continue to make players. 
There's still a market for them albeit a much smaller one.
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin
Back to Top
Catcher10 View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar
VIP Member

Joined: December 23 2009
Location: Emerald City
Status: Offline
Points: 17451
Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 01 2015 at 15:01
CDs will never be useless.......


Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.579 seconds.
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.