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CD in 2024

sktn77a said:
If you account for inflation, the prices being asked for vinyl releases today aren't that different from what they were in the 1960s/1970s. What has always galled me is the price of "digital downloads" (MP3 quality, in particular). Now there's a ripoff - no physical media or packaging to create and distribute, very little along the lines of liner notes, and definitely no returns!
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I have managed to get Qobuz to provide an alternative album on a few occasions when the download had technical issues - drop out, poor quality vinyl rip, horrendously low overall level combined with muffled sound...
I"m pretty sure that, like most if not all other suppliers, nobody actually checks the downloads before they are mad available to customers.

As for pricing , there have definitely been major increases recently, all the more unpalatable on the legacy material.
 
I remember when LP records where supposed to be obsolete. I didn't mind, I just continued listening to mine as I bought them for just that.

Maybe, in some distant future, listening to music over the internet will go obsolete...
 
After a hiatus, I’m buying CD’s again. However, I will buy the download in preference, because I don’t have enough space to store “rooms full” (@Tony L) of CD’s, and if the price is right.

So often, and especially for, say 40 years old material, where a physical CD will be available for < 5€, you’ll see 15€ or so as the asking price. That’s not going to help the artist earn any money.
 
pocketkitchen said:
Like you, I’m focussed on records. However, the format is secondary. Some great CD players out there but original laser mechs are often not available any more making service harder. If a CD12, PD91, CDS (any variant) or that mental 2 box thing that Sony once made came up in good nick, I’d be after it!

CDs are now super cheap so no issues there but I don’t really agree that vinyl is that expensive. Factor in inflation over 40 years and 4.99 to 25 quid is OK in my book given the relatively low volume nowadays. Quality was always variable - I’ve got plenty of shit from the 80s in particular.
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I agree with you but:
I went to Vinyl in 2012 After hearing a beautiful restored vintage thorens/rega arm/ Denon 103.
Back then a new Vinyl was 20/30 max.
As of now , almost all new album from big artist are starting at 40€. Or even 50€ !(looking at you Depeche Mode memento Mori !)
Eventually they go lower depending the rarity. But still. It should be 30€ max.
 
Over the years I have swung between vinyl and CD. While I've always been able to play both there have been times when one is ignored and the other used exclusively. Right now, the CD player is not plugged in.

I also love the dirt cheap, robust and slutty availability of CD but I can't love it. Just the other day it occurred to me that my LP12 makes me feel a love for the music that is similar to the love you can feel for a person and no other music format does that to me. You can like it, get exited by it, love it to an extent but not feel a depth of love it almost hurts. There have been times I've turned the music off because it was too much emotionally.

I guess music formats are like women, there is something of an inverse relationship between quality and availability.
 
My relationship with CD has changed over the years. I never got rid of my vinyl or the means to play it, but its death in the mass market led me inevitably to CD. I never quite warmed to it, especially in the rock sphere. Fast forward to now however and I agree with the op. I have bought modern repressed LPs, but their quality was variable, probably not helped by aging mastertapes. All my recent physical purchases both new and secondhand have been on CD for the reasons described. Secondhand LPs are a lottery, but CDs are normally fine.
 
Really you should be able to enjoy music whatever the format. Emotions get in the way sometimes, not sure it need the Swiss Tony analogy.

I’ve been doing a lot of streaming recently, it certainly the best way to explore a wide range of music.
 
cd is great in terms of sq with a proper player or transport/dac combo. At the upcoming London Audio Show there should be Audio Note setup with level 2 transport + dac 2.1 sign, it’s a very good source.
 
Vinyl snobs look down on CDs. I should know I am one, but with a difference I like CDs also.
As mentioned earlier the price of some new records is unjustified and do not get me onto the quality of some.
Like anything if it becomes popular everybody gets on the bandwagon.
 
I have a couple of old Denon CD players that were under the ton each.

Not perfect hifi, and my Pink Triangle Anniversary is, ironically, more accurate sounding.

But they are good in the important sonic regions and I enjoy them a lot. The music bursts out irrepressibly.
 
I abandoned vinyl in 1990 because, as with all formats, it contained the seeds of its own destruction, and CD releases included stuff not seen on vinyl in decades. I abandoned CD in 2020 when 9 columns of IKEA Benno no longer cut it and CDs were beginning to occupy floor space, and, I finally found a streamer which sounded musical. The CDs are in 2 flight cases under the bed. The CD front and back covers live in some lovely little filing boxes under the sofa for easy access. The CD boxed sets live in the remaining 4 Benno along with DVDs. I continue to buy a small amount of CDs where they’re not availble to stream or download. They are ripped for local streaming and then filed as described above. Maybe 4 a year.
 
I have never got out of listening to CDs, they are my primary source and have been since the early 90s. I still listen to and buy vinyl, but I can't get on with streaming... I understand its popularity and it makes total sense, but I still like the physicality/collecting side of vinyl and CDs. Never seen the snobbery thing with vinyl as to me the two formats are perfectly happy together... CD is obviously more convenient than vinyl and with a decent player sounds comparable to my ears (far more variation in the mastering and pressing of the media than one format being intrinsically better than another as far as I am concerned).

What I do think though is now is the time to buy CDs, I buy a lot and in the last 12-18 months things have started to change in some quarters. For instance a local record fair I go to has started featuring more and more CDs and where at first they were all £2 or £1 each they are now starting to be individually priced and graded. Same is happening in Discogs/eBay ... more sellers seem to be individually pricing and some titles are getting valuable. For instance I have Depeche Mode's X1/X2 CD boxsets from Japan... I bought them at the time of release for £40 each I think... fast forward to now and if you have them in mint condition with all the OBIs/Japanese inserts you can be looking at £400 each... yep... CDs... who'd a thunk it? Same for more mainstream stuff too... early 80s CDs where not many were sold or some deluxe editions with extra discs/booklets are going for some good money now... obviously it's dependent on the artists etc. but it does seem to be changing.
 
tiggers said:
CD is obviously more convenient than vinyl...
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That's a good point.

My players have facilities on them that add to the fun of playing CD's.

Fade to pause is nice. And press the program button to play just the one track.
Time remaining is useful too.
 
I’ve had some decent cd players In the past and have never stopped listening to them, but since buying a Luxman D-03x I have been amazed at how good the format can sound. 👍 I barely ever listen to vinyl records anymore.
 
I've got both , a good vinyl front end ( Basis 2500/Vector 4 arm/Shelter 5000 MC) and a good CDP ( Copland CDA825) , which uses the last of the Philips Pro2 drives.
I love the CDP, sometimes I use the internal DAC , Wolfson WM8741, sometimes as a transport only to my Wyred Sabre 9038Pro, depending on what sound I want.
My only fear is that the Philips drive is long discontinued, if it goes, Copland becomes a very pretty door stop.
But I tend to use the CDP more than the TT for "proper" listening, but it's a very close ratio.
Qobuz and Radio Paradise for background music.
 
Some great discussion and experience here. A few of you highlighted the issue of keeping old CD players going and the risk of them becoming an expensive doorstop. I guess this is where I am very wary of spending too much money unless its serviceable with a new laser in some way. I need to read up on the more modern mechanisms or mechs that still have lasers that are still readily available.
 
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