Why CD players so expensive when the fomat is dead

If it were dead we wouldn't be here talking about it.

I just ordered a rare re-master of a Monolake's 1999 Interstate, on CD, from the UK. The format is not dead. Most people I know who enjoy music have tons of CDs, I only know 2 folks who are deeply into vinyl.
I do think high-end CD changers are dead. There are still plenty of cheapo changers and single-disc players on the market for the masses. Yamaha, Sony, and others are still selling them.
I will say the audio-only section of Best Buy has shrunken to about 3 shelves.

Realremo- your post proves it. Dead as a doornail!

You site ordering a rare cd, and then go on to essentially say that convenience (changers) is dead!

Audiophiles can support a format alone. If they could sacd and dvda would be thriving.

Robr45 - touche. Maybe sales of music on CD is not dead, just CD playback is. I am still on the fence regarding purchase of a used Rotel RCC 1055 in good condition, vs. spending a little more for the AE/DAC combo. I don't like being tied down to a laptop for playback, so the answer for me is probably to buy both! I still listen to my 15 year old Yami changer 3-4 times a week as I work at home in the evenings. I get nice, long, 1-2 hour listening sessions.

Worse than that, the practice of releasing collections of new songs by artists in album format may be on its deathbed also. Ipods, downloads and music servers seem to killing the album but pumping life into individual compositions.