I'm not sure that it ever was.
In digital media sonic quality is ultimately limited by the finite amount of information on the disc. Playback equipment, no matter how good (or expensive) can only approach a limit imposed by the media. The information on a CD, 16 bits and 44.1 KHz sampling, is barely acceptable for audiophile recordings. The much greater information available on a DVD or SACD permits any decent DVD/SACD player to compete with the best CD players.
In digital media sonic quality is ultimately limited by the finite amount of information on the disc. Playback equipment, no matter how good (or expensive) can only approach a limit imposed by the media. The information on a CD, 16 bits and 44.1 KHz sampling, is barely acceptable for audiophile recordings. The much greater information available on a DVD or SACD permits any decent DVD/SACD player to compete with the best CD players.