CDs are in every way better than vinyl records. They are smaller, much higher quality audio, lower noise floor and don’t wear out by being played. The fact that CD sales are behind vinyl is a sign that the world has gone mad. The fact you can rip and stream your own CD media is fantastic because generally remasters are not good and streaming services typically only have remastered versions, not originals. You have no control on streaming services about what version of an album you’re served or whether it’ll still be there tomorrow. Not an issue with physical media.
The vast majority of people listen to music using equipment that produces audio of poor quality, especially those that stream using ear buds. It makes me very sad when people don’t care that what they’re listening to could sound so much better, especially if played through a hifi from a CD player, or using half decent (not beats) headphones.
There’s plenty of good sounding and well produced music out there, but it’s typically played back through the equivalent of two cans and some string. I’m not sure people remember how good good music can sound when played back through good kit.
If I’m going to listen to digital music, it may out may not come from a CD. Vinyl provides a different experience that digital provides. CD’s are just a way to distribute digital content.
CDs aren’t just mp3 files though. While they’re digital, the way the waveform is recorded onto the disc is very high quality and is going to be indistinguishable from the Vinyl unless the vinyl is dirty or degraded, in which case the CD sounds better.
If you play a recording of a vinyl and record it onto CD at the same time, then play that recording back, the 2 recordings will sound identical to anybody on the planet.
We are now getting to the medium or the message.
An experience from a CD can be replicated on various digital delivery devices. A vinyl won’t exactly.
It’s “The medium is the message.”