The beginning of the end for CD

[Mr_Sukebe]

It's a bit long winded, but here's an interesting link to a report about hi-fi kit at CES2008.
http://blog.stereophile.com/ces2008//index4.html
What really surprised me is the number of new music servers that are appearing, certainly more than the number of CD players mentioned.
The implications are pretty straightforward, i.e. that at least the high-end is ready to embrace playback using servers. I personally still see CDs being around for quite a while as the format to actually buy and store music on, but it's only a matter of time before the high end technology filters through the mid range.

 

[9designs2]

Well yes and no !!!.......the rampage of the "i-everything" continues and takes music away from the hard medium, and for sure some big names are getting into the music server gear. Linn's Klimax DS at 9K and the just released Akurate DS at 3.5K, and a rumoured Majik version shows their intent to pursue the technology...and to a high end level..... Though the 24,000 Dollar Boulder should make the old wallet stretch a twitch a bit . LOL

Though the problem at present is you still really need to buy the CD to rip to get the music at a decent quality. Correct me if I'm wrong but where can you download high bit rate, uncompressed or FLAC music files form. The only exception I know of is Linn's own music site of the stuff on their own label. Then it's available at studio master quality, which is equal or better than SACD.

In the next 1 -2 months I plan to arrange a demo of the above mention Akurate DS, to see if it does as claimed beat my CDP......So my well end up with one

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

Correct me if I'm wrong but where can you download high bit rate, uncompressed or FLAC music files form. The only exception I know of is Linn's own music site of the stuff on their own label. Then it's available at studio master quality, which is equal or better than SACD.

In the next 1 -2 months I plan to arrange a demo of the above mention Akurate DS, to see if it does as claimed beat my CDP......So my well end up with one

As you say, Linn already offer FLAC and SACD level downloads, but there's not many other groups offering that...yet. So CD as a medium will be around for quite a while. CD players...well that's another matter.

 

[FrankJH]

As you say, Linn already offer FLAC and SACD level downloads, but there's not many other groups offering that...yet. So CD as a medium will be around for quite a while. CD players...well that's another matter.

probaby splitting hairs - but surely anything that accepts and uses a cd as its meant to be is a "cd player" - even if its also a dvd drive, BR drive etc


In essence though - I can actually completely agree with what you are suggesting, the medium will be around for a long time yet - and thats fantastic

I would love a really decent music server (without having the bother of booting up an OS etc) hopefully in the coming year they will get cheap enough for the general public and get developed further

 

[9designs2]

Well I hope and think they will be around a good few years, maybe it's my old vinyl habits, but I like browsing along a rack of albums, not search through folders on a screen.

I thought a Squeeze Box could talk directly to a NAS ?...... Which is the way the DS works, so no PC required to playback stored music.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

A squeezebox can talk to a NAS. However, NAS are not as cheap as throwing a couple of extra large hard drives into a normal PC.

 

[FrankJH]

Well I hope and think they will be around a good few years, maybe it's my old vinyl habits, but I like browsing along a rack of albums, not search through folders on a screen..

I certainly feel that way about movies, dvd or BR/Hd-DVD, not so much about cd though

Maybe that shows my affiliations lol