The Compact Disc Revival?

[sunvalleylaw]

We have had the vinyl record revival, cassette tapes, and now Pro-Ject top-loading CD Box RS2 T is a CD transport anticipating the revival of the vintage compact disc. Do you think that possessing the actual physical media is driving these buying patterns? I still enjoy my hundreds of CDs, looking at the cover art, reading the inserts, and displaying the cover while playing. Thought's welcome.
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I like them. And do enjoy having album art, and always liked the clarity. I bought my first stereo during the first CD boom, and liked to look for nicely mastered ones, in addition to regular listening. I still enjoyed albums, but liked not having the pops and crackles also. I still buy CD's sometimes, and love it when someone does a bi or tri-fold cover with art and info, as I hate jewel cases.

 

[HTWillie]

I feel the same way, while I do have a few digital downloads I just feel there's something missing when playing them. There's a sense of satifaction I get when putting an object in some sort if device to play it. Digital downloads almost feels like I'm taking a shortcut somehow...hard to describe.

I too, am firmly in the camp of preferring to own the physical media, along with the rights it confers.

I've got untold-thousands of digital files but they don't get much use. I tend to get more enjoyment from intentionally listening to something I've chosen to hear, and that gets really tedious trying to select things track by track. I'm too lazy to curate playlists.

 

[mister-fixit]

Lasers wear out as do styli (styluses ?). Cartridges and replacement stylus are readily available , but will replacement lasers? I've already replaced one on my Denon player with one from China, but what will happen when these old players can't be fixed ?

Turntables - even ones from decades ago - are usually upgradeable and can be fixed relatively easily , but not so much a CD player.

I'm guessing someone will eventually invent a way to read the discs with a non laser method, and if so, keep the discs spinning.

Otherwise, I can't see any chance for a 'revival'...

 

[david1111]

I personally like to own the media as well. I find that interacting physically with the CDs and the equipment every so often is inexplicably satisfying.
However, I've always loathed the stupidly designed crystal cases. So, I have my 6-700 CDs stored in proper flip cases mostly made by Case-Logic. The cases are setup by genre, and I can flip thru for the next choice while I'm listening if I want. I carefully slip them in and out so there's never any damage, and the CD booklet is in the sleeve as well.
The entire collection takes up maybe 3 cubic feet of space.
And, I still have some old CDs that got badly scratched before I realized how good CDs could sound on the right gear, but my Linn Unidisk 1.1 CDP plays anything I throw at it. Just seems to read and decode right thru all the sh**.
It took a lot of thot to make the change and ditch the cases, but I'm really glad I did it.

Dave

 

[david1111]

@mister-fixit
I believe yer just thinking about the whole longevity thing from a non-CD enthusiast perspective. And really, I get that. I've been doing the same, only inverse. I'm actually considering ditching my Thorens and Graham Slee phono stage ... shudder ... but sound-wise it makes sense for me.
I just got a new set of belts for an old Luxman cassette deck for 10 bucks delivered, and it works perfectly now.
If one does some research first on the particular units yer thinking of, you can find out if the parts are available before you buy one.
I have a dozen extra belts for my Linn Unidisk 1.1, and the standard Sony laser is very readily available (for $90), and I'll be putting a couple in stock.
So, this CDP of mine will be fine for the 20 or so years that I need it. (I'm 63). My tech can do any capacitor or other replacement required.
Anyway, I think it depends on which direction one's enthusiasm lies.
Just a thot.

Dave

 

[luxmaster]

@mister-fixit
I believe yer just thinking about the whole longevity thing from a non-CD enthusiast perspective. And really, I get that. I've been doing the same, only inverse. I'm actually considering ditching my Thorens and Graham Slee phono stage ... shudder ... but sound-wise it makes sense for me.
I just got a new set of belts for an old Luxman cassette deck for 10 bucks delivered, and it works perfectly now.
If one does some research first on the particular units yer thinking of, you can find out if the parts are available before you buy one.
I have a dozen extra belts for my Linn Unidisk 1.1, and the standard Sony laser is very readily available (for $90), and I'll be putting a couple in stock.
So, this CDP of mine will be fine for the 20 or so years that I need it. (I'm 63). My tech can do any capacitor or other replacement required.
Anyway, I think it depends on which direction one's enthusiasm lies.
Just a thot.

Dave

Planning for the future!!! That is my biggest fear is when there are no more parts left to repair the amazing musical machines we adore

 

[Alobar]

'm guessing someone will eventually invent a way to read the discs with a non laser method, and if so, keep the discs spinning.

Otherwise, I can't see any chance for a 'revival'...

Well, the CD doesn't need to be "played" at all to be enjoyed to its full potential. Almost every CD I have bought in the past decade has only been read once, as in "ripped" to a drive on my pc or lately to a NAS drive. This only requires a very cheap optical drive that has been standard equipment on pc's for the past 20 years or at least since the floppy drives had gone extinct. Will these drives also go extinct too? Perhaps but doubtful so long as cd's/dvd's are still being produced. The optical drive I use is 8 years old and when I buy a new pc someday it will also have an optical drive for any future cd's I happen to aquire down the road. As for all my other cd's, they werey ripped once, and stored in the shed as proof of ownership only.

Will the CD ever become replaced? Perhaps but much of the massive 200 billion stockpile produced (as of 2007) will still be out there, viable, playable and desirable to some degree by whoever wants them. It's this enormous stockpile that will insure optical drives (including players) will be manufactured for as long as music is still enjoyed and people will need drives for. That's the root of mfg business, to make products that are needed by the public.