Will the ipod be the death of the CD?

Forget about IPOD replacing CD, it's ruining the audiophile hobby as we know it! Think I'm over-reacting? I predict that each succeeding generation will have less and less inclination to sit in front of a properly set up system and just plain listen. Wish I was wrong but I believe this to be true!:(

Unfortunately most people are not that aware or are indifferent to the difference in sound quality. This might put high end sound behind the eight ball again some day. Honestly, there is a lot of music recorded to CD now that has lousy production and a lot of compression. This hobby is still a pretty small one considering how many people listen to music witheout thinking too awful much about the sound. We are to a large extend at the mercy of the industry already.

I agree with Chazro with his assessment about many young people sitting and listening to music and truly reflecting and trying their best to understand what a composer is saying. What with the short attention span in many and with the lost art of what constitutes good music. I believe convenience will win out the day.

Marco, isn't the iPod digital in/out (the recharging and music loading in/out at the bottom of the iPod box) capable of producing a signal output? It does seem to have a USB out so one should be able to run it right into a USB-capable DAC. Thanks for the RedWineAudio idea - very interesting way to get dock functionality in a good quality package.

Marco, isn't the iPod digital in/out (the recharging and music loading in/out at the bottom of the iPod box) capable of producing a signal output?

Currently it is only capable of producting a line-output, which is marginally a better signal than the one through the headphone jack which goes through the internal op-amp. Digital output is not yet possible through any of the current iPods. this thread addresses that very subject directly. There are a few others as well. But that one dispells some false advertising on the part of either Monitor Audio or Audio Advisor that had suggested the contrary in their claims about the iDock.

Marco