And a close related question, do you still buy CDs?

Miguel, I still buy CDs for those two reasons : 

- this is a part of a <<collection>>
- that way I can listen (or rip) with a good quality. 

I agree with you -- CD quality is not comparable to MP3; however, it doesn't stop me from downloading MP3s from Amazon and iTunes versus buying CDs. In an effort to keep my CD collection from growing even more than it is already (it's in the 1200+ range now and I'm already a clutter-hound) I find that MP3s are much easier to manage. I do still order CDs occasionally, from my very favorite bands...bonus if it's a Limited Edition. But for the most part, I am fine with the 192kbps quality.

Can you hear a difference between a CD and a MP3, i can't...

Mp3's are bad because you couldn't actually prove that you bought anything.  Then again, I believe this is true for most digital goods.  (I should be careful saying that around here...) ;)

I don't buy CDs anymore. iTunes suits my needs and I've ripped my modest CD collection in 256 Kbps digital format. It's more convenient and I honestly can't tell the difference.

CDs are on the way out, slowly but surely (talking a few years).

I'm so old and I went to so many very loud concerts in my youth (saw Manowar - 'the loudest band in the world' twice, my ears were ringing for a whole week afterwards), that I cant tell the difference between a CD and an MP3, as long as the MP3 has been encoded well - 192kbps minimum.

Haven't bought a CD for myself at all in the last decade, 99.99% of my music is MP3 these days. Although it does make me smile when I dig out an old CD from my limited collection to listen to once in a while - obscure stuff that I cant find on MP3.

I agree, Mp3 is very convenient for many reasons, but I think this is the only part of multimedia which was so badly treated.

There have been a lot of improvements in video for example. But audio is a poor child, we all accept to consume music in a degraded quality. Think of the way TV changed since 20 years, you cannot believe that you were satisfied with those small non-flat, flew-colors srceens ! But audio on TV sets ? yes it's better, but not so much.

I agree that you cannot ear difference when playing mp3 on your computer or iphone, but no, this quality does not take the best of what you can get from CD quality. And if you play a mp3 on good quality hardware, do not try to play it too loud :)

@benoit, I am not saying that CD format is great, I agree it will disappear, and I won't miss this old fashioned plastic stuff. But I am scared, because, the only way I will have to buy music in a after-CD world will be in compressed quality.

I think this is the same point with cameras on smartphone, yes this is a great feature, but with low quality.

I have quite a lot of CDs. If I want the album because I like the particular band/artist/composer then I like to have the physical CD - especially as it often includes all the details of the production (who wrote what, played where, and other production notes).

However, since Amazon have started selling MP3s I have started buying some cheap MP3 albums - I don't mind paying £3.00 for an album I might have a passing interest in - I wouldn't pay £12.00 for the CD.

Most of my physical CDs are also converted to MP3 for portable use - I don't think the quality is as good, but if I am listening on the train or in the car I won't spot the difference between a 192Kb file and CD.

What amazes me is the number of people I see using the speakers on their smart-phones to listen to music! When I was a teenager, if we were going to take music with us it was a "ghetto blaster" which was loud and would disturb the whole street (not that I did it!)

@Paul - Ghetto blasters!!! Thank you for that...I remember them as well (held high on the shoulder...LOL). They made it easy to set up the flattened cardboard boxes on the sidewalk and do your breakdancing. Haha :)

Conspicuous Consumption..... first coined during the Gilded Era of the 20's when credit allowed people instant gratification and able to get the next best think without weighing the options strongly...........fast forward to today... gotta' download that song, movie, book the moment they are available.  Hmmm....maybe anticipation is a good thing, says Ms. Simon. Now to the question of CDs.  Although I loathe shopping, I still like to purchase (oh, and walk/bike to the library) real books and read them while flipping pages; I don't like to watch TV or movies on a 4 inch screen that I downloaded from XYZ.com; and I like to have the CDs, records, tapes and the like in my hands..... I just typically purchase things on Amazon or Click and Mortar. com and have them delivered.  Yes, I have to wait a couple of more days, but I make less hasty expenditures and it gives me something to look forward to.  I am also notorious for losing/scratching etc. my favorite media so I do admit to copying most of purchases over the last few years to another source............a back up copy.  As for quality, I can't see the difference in HD or Blue Ray enough to care so I certainly am not aware of any perceived difference in bitrate wreaking havoc on the quality of the tunes I "listen" to in the background of my life.  I wish I had the pipes and the ear to do so.............