It’s 2021 and streaming makes up about 85 percent of how all music is consumed. Vinyl is in a resurgence, of course, with records outselling CDs for the first time in almost three decades. CDs, on the other hand, have been on the decline. Their sales have dropped by 95 percent since 2000 (the peak days of CDs), according to a new report, and are currently at their lowest level since 1986. To say CDs have lost their cool factor is a little bit of understatement.
Yet, there’s still good reason to buy them!
Want to Build a Hi-Fi System with a CD Player?
Cambridge Audio AXC35 CD Player
$350
A stylish, slim and simple CD player that will work with most amps.
One of the great myths in the audio world is that vinyl sounds better than CDs. It’s just not true. Sure, you might prefer the warm analog sound, specifically its crackling and other imperfections, as well as the visceral experience of actually dropping the needle on a spinning record, but CDs are simply the best sounding physical audio format that most people can get their hands on. Compared to vinyl, CDs are able to produce a wider dynamic range and more bass. Plus they’re not going to skip (unless scratched).
CDs obviously sound better than streaming digital files, too.
If you’re streaming music from the likes of Spotify, Apple Music or Tidal, you’re listening to a compressed music file. That means that the audio data is being stored in less space, which results in a loss of information and the music isn’t going to sound as vibrant or as complete. MP3, AAC, WMA are all types of compressed music files. The best compressed digital music files are referred to as lossless because they don’t lose information, but only a few streaming services are able to play lossless or CD-quality audio. This includes Tidal and Amazon Music HD, both of which are pretty expensive.
CDs are really affordable right now.
If you’re looking for a superior audio format, CDs are the best deal you’re likely to get. To be frank, they’re cheap to buy. Audio shops and retailers are practically giving away used CDs, while new CDs are usually in the $12 to $15 price range. If you’re looking for vinyl, on the other hand, a new record will likely cost twice as much as that. Also, there’s the resale value of CDs and vinyl. It might not be much, but you can sell your old records and CDs online or to record shops; if you buy a digital song, like an mp3 file, there’s no resale value.
The CD booklets and album artwork are underrated.
In this streaming age, the album artwork seems to be more of an afterthought (to consumers, at least). Sure, you see a little picture of the album cover when you’re listening to a song, but you’re missing the story of the album. The 12×12 album cover of a vinyl record is still the gold standard, but the little booklet that comes with each CD, highting some behind the scenes shots or interesting artwork, and showing the lyrics to each song, is a nice middle ground between having to rely on digital images and having to store giant vinyl records. I always enjoyed getting a CD and flipping through the booklet while listening to it. It makes you feel more connected to the album, I think.
Audio companies are still releasing new CD players.
The portable CD player might be a thing of the past, but, believe it or not, big-time audio companies are still releasing CD players for the home. Why? Because audiophiles are still craving them. In the past few years, companies such as Cambridge Audio, Panasonic, McIntosh, Rotel and Sony have all released new CD players (or integrating them into digital streamers). They’re a great option for people who have a large CD collection and don’t want to pay for a music server (or spend the time uploading all their entire CD library to it). Also, high-end CD players aren’t terribly expensive.
Weighted blankets have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and help you sleep better. Now, you don't need to worry about overheating because this one is optimized for a cool night's sleep.
The Spot from Black Diamond is our pick for the best headlamp you can buy. It is simple, extremely effective and has all of the small features that make a headlamp worth having.
AirPods Pro have been hovering around $200 for a while now, which is a great deal. Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still make the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
This summer we'll hopefully be able to share drinks with friends again, but regardless, this 64oz container from Hydro Flask keeps glass out of parks and drinks in your hands.
Since many of us are going to be spending our days away from the comfortable chairs and desks of our office for a while longer, it may be time to actually invest in a nice chair for the home office.
Yes, Mother's Day is almost here and you should probably get flowers for your mom. If you pre-order from Bouqs, you can get 20% off any of its Mother's Day selection.
As Nike has stepped its game up, so have other elite running brands. The Carbon X is Hoka One One's foray into running shoes with a springy carbon plate for efficiency and a propulsive ride.
Nike is revolutionizing running and running shoe tech with its NEXT% series — these are the ultimate runners for daily training. These rarely go on sale, so pick some up while you can.
Dyson makes some of the smartest home appliances around, including its exceptional fans and air purifiers. This one has both — a combo that will come in handy for allergy season and as temperatures warm this spring and summer.
$150 OFF + FREE SHIPPING AND INSTALLATION WITH CODE SPRING21
When you're not using it, it functions just like any other mirror in your house. When you turn it on, Mirror reveals an LCD panel with stereo speakers and access to hundreds of workout classes.
It is just about time to start hanging out outside, thank goodness. This Adirondack chair takes one of the most classic outdoor chair silhouettes and twists it just a bit to make it distinctly DWR, which we love.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
