Quote Originally Posted by eleiko
I wouldn't spend more than a few hundred dollars for either a turntable or CD player. As you know, there's a point of diminishing returns when you reach stratospheric heights in audio (or anything else for that matter). I've never found CDs "cold", "vapid" or any of the other adjectives some audiophiles use to describe their sound. The quiet background alone sold me on CDs as preference to vinyl.
There's no need for you to defend your preference. If you're happy with CD's, I'm happy for you. I hear it differently but that's ok, too. On the other hand, when I compare a "few hundred" dollar turntable with a few hundred dollar CD player, the difference between the two medium is lessened, as Sondek pointed out. But as you said, CD over vinyl any day for you. Enjoy!