Just invested in the Marantz CD 60 playing a Jennifer Warnes CD at the moment
rather good sound too!
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I’d love to hear that player but from reading some reviews it maybe just a little too clinical for my liking. I’d be happy with the Luxman CD/SACD player at about a 5th of the cost.
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At the price of that dCS, I’d want a written assurance they have parts to service it for 100 years 
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I think it’s the dCS sound signature. Not a flaw in any way but their idea of “correctness”. I’d also love to hear what 78k buys. I’ve heard some pretty dull sounding mega systems over the years but never heard that word used in conjunction with dCS.
My dealer does brisk sales of Mark Levinson gear. But my god, that makes Linn sound forward and aggressive in comparison. I can barely keep my eyes open listening to a top end ML CD player and amp into well known speakers.
The Luxman sound is also claimed as laid back, but I find, although totally different to Naim, Luxman can hold my attention throughout a session. I really envy those on this thread with the higher end Luxman spinners. My absolutely budget (comparatively) D-N150 is just beguiling and I got that after spending 6 years listening to an NDX/XPSdr. I’m keen to try them head to head on the same system this year. Also a little afraid.
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£78,000 would translate to about $138ks here, that’s a lot of money. You can buy a E Class Mercedes for that.
The top range Luxman is about $21ks it’s a huge difference and I’d be very happy with it.
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Yeah but who wants a merc mate 
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New Spinning mag (UK) had a list of media sales for Christmas, I think this is weekly. Just grabbed two of the albums listed, cassette sales are doing fine. These are units, not revenue.
Taylor Swift – Midnights
Chart Position = 1
Total Sales = 204,501
Physical Sales = 139,450
CD Sales = 75,667
Vinyl = 61,948
Cassettes = 1,835
Downloads = 7,087
Streams = 57,964
Artic Monkeys – The Car
Chart Position = 2
Total Sales = 119,016
CD Sales = 57,934
Vinyl = 37,866
Cassettes = 9,850
Downloads = 2,556
Streams = 10,810
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That’s fascinating data when you start to look at the mix and hypothesise about what it might be saying.
I’m amazed at the level of vinyl and CD, compared to downloads and I’d expected more of it to be streaming.
I feel less alone as a person who prefers the physical medium!
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I would assume that sales of physical media are considerably higher at Christmas. You would need to see annual figures to get an accurate picture.
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Yes, agreed, that was what I’d think too but in the past we’ve bought nieces and nephews on-line credits for purchases of downloads and even that was years ago. Today I’d not even buy that for my daughter as everything is now streaming for her and her friends although she has made noises about getting a record player.
@jan , interesting reading and no matter how someone wishes to spin these figures, people are still buying physical media and in decent quantities too 
Wasn’t aware of nowspinning media site. Great resource from what I can see. Just watched the “Why I still buy physical media…” video by Phil Aston. The chap speaks a lot of sense to me.
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It’s strange, is it not, that young people who have grown up with streaming still aspire to owning a record player (and, presumably, records).
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I wonder…
Sometimes I think this trend (amongst younger generation) is much more related to “cool” than anything to do with HiFi.
The few 20+ somethings I know - friends and family - that have a record player, are not really concerned about high fidelity reproduction (yet).
It’s lovely to watch their interest when they visit and see what records can sound like, (in our house).
I’ll keep working on this aspect. One person at a time 
KR
R
p.s. apologies for topic drift.
Just wanted to share that thought on the back of the previous post.
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Also for taylor swift there is a target exclusive (or hmv exclusive in the uk) cd with extra tracks that aren’t currently legitimately available on streaming so that may have helped cd sales.
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Picking up from @anon70766008 , @ratrat and @dmu I think that the idea of vinyl, a record player of sorts and going to record shops is on trend certainly with the appreciation for vintage clothing and other things vintage (my daughter likes classic 911s for example and is not alone in that in her friendship group) but I think they are seeking something more experience based than just the music. The point isn’t yet the reproduction quality but then I didn’t start with hifi.
To bring it back to topic, they don’t yearn for a CD player in the same way!
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Album downloads are very low and shrinking. Every statistic I’ve seen download of albums are far below physical media and, as yet, not flattening out. Personally I have found the audio quality of album downloads variable - so I buy the CD if available. Then I rip with a process approaching a japanese tea-ceremony 
The streaming figure is probably full albums only. Most streaming are song-oriented.
I dont mind streaming. I do mind the techno-deterministic view that streaming songs is for everyone to accept.
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Hahaha 
Glad I’m not the only one with OCD on such matters
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Yeah but they call them ‘vinyls’…
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Agreed
It’s all good. Horses for courses, etc.
We use all three here - vinyl - CD - streaming. Every day. I consider we (four adults in a family unit) have a balanced approach to such things.
Although, I think emphasis (which is your preference) depends on your start point. Which is maybe determined by the dominate media during your youth. Our adult children seem to prefer streaming.
Having experienced all over years, probably prefer CD or Vinyl for myself.
Back on topic…
Love CD’s and all the tactile stuff that goes with handling any physical media…
Bought 4 CD’s in town yesterday and playing them on our CD5XS → nDAC. Sunday morning listening 
Went on a bit of a 90’s Brit rock journey and came home with The Verve, The Prodigy and Portishead albums
Also ripped and now have these in our archive (Innous Zen Mini mk3 + LPSU), for steaming too.
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And I have learned the hard way not to tamper with the ripped bits. Mastering to CD often use noise-shaped dither and after this dont change anything (and this is not the fantasy of an old fool, it is clearly stated in the manuals of those products). Unfortunately I dont understand the maths behind this but dont change the level in the digital domain. Use an analog volume control and preamp after the DAC.
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