Why "Source 1st" advocates have a tough time

[O'Shag]

Hi Bobsticks - hope your doing well mate. Same to you Ajani

From what I can gather CD is on its way out as the primary medium. Manufacturers seem to be encouraging audiophiles to buy their 'last' CD player before the format fades into the sunset. Its reasonable to suppose they're putting forward their best effort as a means to convince us that its worth it to spend a goodly amount of dosh on what is essentially a dying format. The 840C is a great player - I'm sure the Cyrus is too. Bryston's new player was lauded in TAS this month, as was the dCS Scarlatti stack by Jon Valin stating this it is the best CD player he has ever heard and I believe it - one of my mates here locally has the dCS stack (not Scarlatti) and the sound is awesome. The DAC is not fading into the Sunset though, although the differences in DACs these days I think is not as great as it used to be, they still do differ in performance one dac to another. The Benchmark DAC 1 Pre is an excellent value - reviewed by Robert E. Greene in TAS current issue.

[bobsticks]

Well, of course you're right. I'm sure it sort of a last-ditch marketing attempt...but in the larger scheme of things I can't help but wonder if there isn't some fencesitting newb out there giving up on the hobby because his 2k Cyrus CDP doesn't cut to the quick with his Polk Audio JR Monitors.

Good to have ya 'round brotha.

[Ajani]

Hi Bobsticks - hope your doing well mate. Same to you Ajani

From what I can gather CD is on its way out as the primary medium. Manufacturers seem to be encouraging audiophiles to buy their 'last' CD player before the format fades into the sunset. Its reasonable to suppose they're putting forward their best effort as a means to convince us that its worth it to spend a goodly amount of dosh on what is essentially a dying format. The 840C is a great player - I'm sure the Cyrus is too. Bryston's new player was highly reviewed in TAS. Jon Valin reviewed the dCS Scarlatti stack as the best CD player in the world and I believe it - one of my mates here locally has the dCS stack (not Scarlatti) and the sound is awesome. The DAC is not fading into the Sunset though, although the differences in DACs these days I think is not as great as it used to be, they still do differ in performance one dac to another. The Benchmark DAC 1 Pre is an excellent value - reviewed by Robert E. Greene in TAS current issue.

Interestingly, a forum section on another site had a bit of a debate going about when CD will die... and some members predict that Vinyl will still be alive (continuing as a niche product for collectors) after CD is dead... Funny enough, they maybe right...

Given that I have just 8 more CDs to rip in apple lossless format to my hard-drive before all my CDs go into storage, I can definitely say that CD is on it's way out as the medium of choice for quite a few people....

DACs are more relevant now than ever, since more and more people see that a media server (whether stand alone or computer based) can make an excellent transport....

Hell, I even have my wife convinced that the Squeebox I bought was a good use of money... once she realized how ultra-convenient it is for playing her music....