New decade, end of the CD?

I've seen many articles online, it being the start of a new decade.  Almost all of them predict that the '10s will be the end of the CD, sooner rather than later.  The usual suspects are cited:  cheaper for bands to just sell downloads online, bypassing the middleman (i.e., record companies); digital culture; everything else is moving to digital.  So my question is, has the CD served its usefulness?  Are we now into a strictly MP3 world?  I need to buy a new CD player (the old carousel is not carouselling so well any longer) and I notice there are not a whole lot of choices.  Marantz and Yamaha still make decent ones it looks like, but there's not much else out there.  It's starting to look like a niche product.

It'll be awful if CD's disappear completely, but its worth mentioning that memory is dropping in price and size every year, so who knows, in 10 years we might be able to buy DVD-A MP3's on an SD card for the same price of a CD.

I will continue buying CD's for as long as I can, though.

Finnforest wrote: It's my last format.  When it goes, I start buying used CDs only.  When they're gone, I find a new hobby.  So NOT interested in downloading and Ipod etc.

I enjoy having my Zune, because it's more convenient to carry with me at college than my entire CD collection, but having the physical product beforehand is important to me, gives it a sense of value that I still can't attach to downloads.  I just hope that I can manage to get all the music I want before CDs disappear if they do (which I hope they don't for a long, long time).

I don't like downloading. I still buy CDs. I'll also be upset when they die out completely. There's something to be said about physically owning a product, having the disc on a hard copy, looking through the liner notes. Going to the store and choosing records is part of the experience. Downloading...loses something. 

Plus, I seriously doubt that mp3s would sound quite as good on a high quality sound system as a CD or a vinyl would.  I can't speak from experience, though. 

SaltyJon wrote: Finnforest wrote: It's my last format.  When it goes, I start buying used CDs only.  When they're gone, I find a new hobby.  So NOT interested in downloading and Ipod etc.  I enjoy having my Zune, because it's more convenient to carry with me at college than my entire CD collection, but having the physical product beforehand is important to me, gives it a sense of value that I still can't attach to downloads.  I just hope that I can manage to get all the music I want before CDs disappear if they do (which I hope they don't for a long, long time).

progkidjoel wrote: Dedicated CD players of high quality are hard to find, although DVD players with incredibly good sound output are easy to find.

Record companies are reacting to this downloading trend by giving you more value for money with CDs. A lot of discs come in limited editions these days, with bonus DVDs, artwork, collectors packaging, etc. It is starting to look like a collector's market. For example, look at the new Dream Theater and Muse CDs, with bonus discs, etc.

One article I read suggested that the future of music was one mega-record company (Sony, Warners, etc., all consolidated), which would continue to release back catalog on CD for us who still are interested in owning a physical product.  As for new stuff, purely downloadable digital will rule.  Now that's just one guy's theory, but in a way I think it holds up.  Which might say more about the quality of music being produced (by the big labels) today than as to the viability of the CD as a recorded medium.  Still the lack of options in terms of buying CD players makes me question how long they'll be around, except as a niche product.

Kashmir75 wrote: progkidjoel wrote: Dedicated CD players of high quality are hard to find, although DVD players with incredibly good sound output are easy to find. Yeah, a good DVD player with a surround sound setup gives you superb audio quality.  I'm with Steven Wilson on the downloading issue (check out the DVD of Insurgentes to see his views on the subject). It just loses something...tangible and magical about the music listening experience.  There's nothing like cranking up the surround sound mix of a PT album, or Pink Floyd. Imagine all these kids thinking that Mp3s are what music is supposed to sound like.

Yeah, I've seen that clip and definitely agree with you. We've got a 5.1 setup currently (my dad is actually bringing home a new amplifier [and possible 2 more speakers to upgrade to 7.1] today) which sounds fantastic. The Porcupine Tree Lightbulb Sun DVD-A in 5.1 is the best thing I've ever heard