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Are Disc Players Dead?

How important is a disc player anymore? I think that stand alone DAC's have far eclipsed the stand alone disc player in importance over the last 3 years with the rise of server based music.

Only an SACD really needs a disc player anymore. In what instance can you get better sound from a disc player than when you download the music, CD or HiRez, then play it back through a new stand alone DAC with the latest technology?

I really only use my very humble disc player to watch movies that I own now. I download most movies to rent through AppleTV, and if I buy a CD (rare) I download it to the server, where it takes up residence in iTunes for playback in AIFF format.

So, disc players on their deathbed, as DAC move to the top of the digital mountain?

I say yes.
macdadtexas
macdadtexas OP
1,794 posts
 
Rrog, you are way misinformed. Do an internet seach, vinly production has increased the last 5 years at an exponential pace.

Do a web search.
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
1,368 posts
 
Here are some figures for cd and lp sales and shipments for 2010:

According to Nielsen SoundScan, in 2010:

235 million cds were sold (approximately)*
2.8 million lps were sold

*cds were not broken out separately, thus the approximation.

According to the RIAA, in 2010:

226 million cds were shipped
4.0 million lps were shipped

The Beatle's Abbey Road was the biggest selling lp with 35,000 sold. Suburbs by Arcade Fire was a distant second.

Sales of cds are declining, sales of lps and digital downloads are increasing. Disc players will remain an essential item for many audiophiles and casual listeners for a long time to come though.

Someone may even build a disc player that makes cds sound better than vinyl starting a cd revival. Could happen.
rrog
1,958 posts
 
Macdadtexas, Vinyl production has increased from practically nothing. Tomcy6 has provided some very useful statistics.

The only true test is to spend as much time, energy and expense into CD as you do in vinyl while making CD your primary source. Only then will you realize the capabilities of CD and wonder why you listened to ticks and pops.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
6,996 posts
 
If someone prefers vinyl to CD that`s a personal /subjective choice(nothing wrong with that). To compare CD sales volume with LPs is a losing battle for vinyl, there`s simply no comparison. Analogue records are a tiny niche and will remain so(sound quality can be debated until the cows come home).Both formats have the potential to sound fantastic, just choose the one you like. I don`t understand the need to draw a line in the sand.
6550c
393 posts
 
Good news for me. Sell off all your CDs for 99 cents and Im there to buy them !!
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