Aron9000

If I "buy" music, its either on CD or vinyl. I refuse to purchase MP3's, inferior sound quality. Might as well stream music through my Rhapsody account than fool with MP3's. Besides, I like to listen to a whole album all the way through usually(rock/metal-heads know what I mean).

Personally I like the 12 disc changer in the trunk on my 92 SC. I remember that being a big deal back in the early 90's, you could have like 12 hours of music for your long drive. Now it kind of seems quaint compared to the computer screens in cars now syncing with your I-phones and stuff now days. Better make sure you aren't impulsive, changing a disc requires you pulling over. At least you won't wreck while scrolling through a menu to find that Twisted Sister holiday album now.

SW17LS

I'm sure there are differences in sound quality, but they don't bother me (maybe I'm just not an audiophile) and are greatly overshadowed by the convenience of having all of my music with me all the time. Anyways, you can always record your music in lossless format if you want all the quality.

As for listening to a whole album all the way through, you certainly can do that with MP3s. Just select the album you want to play and play it. You don't have to shuffle the songs any more than you do with a CD changer.

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

My 05 LS came with CD changer and cassette. I have Bluetooth but cant stream music thru it but i added the Vaistech adapter for my ipod. All music i get now is downloaded to the ipod. Rarely ever use the changer and its hidden behind a wooden panel in the dash but the cassette, which is in plain view(go figure), only used once i believe. All the CDs i have now are stored away as mementos of the past. Like vinyl.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

i got some free samsung 'tectiles' (NFC tags) a while back and have one velcroed to my car dash that when i wave my phone over it, turns on bluetooth. works great.

in a few years, many may not have any ability to play them in the home at least! optical drives make no sense in computers now (hold too little data), more and more people stream movies and music in the home, and within 5 years i believe cd/dvd/bluray will be an option only in cars (like an ashtray ).

Sulu

The disk that we know as the CD is now just a medium for carrying digital (computer) data. It started 30+ years ago just to store digital music files. It was soon adopted as a storage medium for other computer data, including video files (and became known as a Digital Video Disk). The files that can be stored on the disk have changed and the amount of information those files can hold has increased, but the disk itself has not changed.

Because the disk holds computer files (and music files, video files and general data files are all computer files), the disk can stay the same and all that is required is the software in the disk player. Sometimes, we must change the player, as we may have to change our home DVD players occasionally to be able to play the latest type of files. But if we use these files on a computer, all we have to do is change the software for the file reader (player).

If we can re-flash the firmware in the car's infotainment head unit, we could keep the CD slot and keep changing the player software occasionally to allow us to use the latest types of computer files that may be stored on that compact disk.

Don't get rid of the CD slot and player in the car's head unit, just change the software in the CD reader.

Gekko

i was thinking about this very issue because i hadn't played a CD in about 4 years in my Mark Levinson audio system (2004 ES330 bought brand new, 120K+ miles) until very recently. i had given away or sold all of my CDs years ago. on a whim i bought a CD (double CD) for old times sake and put it in the ML 6 CD Cartridge and hit Play. it played for about 10 seconds until i decided to hit the button to switch tracks. the music stopped and i suddenly heard some clicking noises. no music. i went to eject the cartridge and the light just blinks - the cartridge won't eject. i searched this form and it seems that this is a somewhat common problem - the only fix is replacement. i was kind of pissed because i got only about 10 seconds of play out of this CD literally after i ripped open the packaging. and secondly, i paid a couple of thousand extra for this audio system with a CD changer that i barely used over the last 10 years and it broke. perhaps it was my own neglect that killed it? i initially thought it was due to the cold weather but i don't think that's the case. perhaps a design flaw or just age? i love Lexus but this was a disappointment. so bottom line CDs today are the equivalent of 8 tracks and cassettes because of Satellite Radio and Pandora and ipods and MP3s. and those will be replaced too someday! (i remember back in 2004 when i bought my new ES the salesman warned me - "just to let you know - there's no cassette player in the car" - and i was actually kind of concerned! we've come along way!

BTW - if anyone knows of an inexpensive fix for my CD changer - i'd appreciate it. i'd still like to use it! i don't really like to buy/collect/manage music - i'd prefer someone else to be my DJ - but every once in a while it'd be nice to be able to listen to that old CD for nostalgia sake!

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

Yeah, I'll grab one occasionally. They're like a quarter each at the local book store so I picked up a few Mariah Carey and Celine Dion cassettes.

It doesn't bother me too much.

That's right!

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

I actually still buy a good portion of my music on CD since a lot of it can't be found on iTunes. I've also started importing Japanese pop and rock CD's from the early 90's and late 80's. This music actually isn't available on any digital music stores.

I actually just made my first digital music purchase back in December. There was a CD that was out of production in Japan and no store had it available to purchase without me flying there and going to a used CD store. I got a hold of an iTunes Japan gift card and bought the album. I hate buying digital stuff but it was much cheaper than a plane ticket.

FrankReynoldsCPA

Well, it looks like I will be bidding CD's a fond farewell.

I bought a 2012 Fusion with SYNC. I'm going to spend some time getting aquainted with the USB and bluetooth functions.

SW17LS

Congrats! The Fusion is a nice car...

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

that's not completely true. no firmware can make a CD changer capable of reading dvds let alone bluray discs. the newer discs require different lasers and precision hardware. i said not completely true, because new file types (let's suppose there was an MP99 format) burned onto an existing media like cd, dvd, or bluray, might be readable with new firmware on a player that can read that existing type of media.

but it's all moot because burning discs is on the way out.

physical discs, even usb sticks, memory cards, etc., are only needed if a networked data source is not available or inadequate. with blutooth, wifi, cell data, lte, etc., the need for physical media becomes less and less.

but as this thread shows, many still like their discs, and they're not going away any time soon, but i still think it will become an option vs. a given in the next 5 years.

gengar

Lexus might be one of the last holdouts to remove the CD slot, just as they were with the cassette. If that's the case, then the CD slot will be around for a while...

Blackraven

Makes sense

In fact, the 3rd Generation Lexus GS (3GS) was AFAIK the last Lexus that still retained a slot for Cassette Tapes



Though in Japan, the JDM models utilized a Minidisc Player slot instead



We learn something new everyday

UDel

Getting rid of the CD player anytime soon would be a terrible trend, not sure why it is even really debatable now.

There are plenty of things wrong with modern car interiors other then a barely noticeable CD slot . Why would someone want a car with less audio capability? CD's are still sold in every music store/department store, they are still popular and still offer the highest quality sound now that DVD-A and SACD are basically dead. I have probably 200CD's and still play them in my car or at home. CD's don't have any real disadvantages like cassette tapes do, no need to phase them out for MP3 that many still don't have the equipment or knowhow to download/save. Instead of getting rid of the CD player, just add more capabilities to the audio systems like bluetooth, USB slot, and to easily save, sync, or play the content on the system. I still burn music I download to discs and play them in my car, I don't want to lose that capability.

I have a few old cassettes I still listen to on my cassette player in my GS every once in a while, I am glad it has one and don't see anything unattractive about the cassette slot, my parents 08 TL has a cassette player, once in a while play a old cassette they find, it is nice having that capability.

I don't totally trust having all my video/audio/games on a hard drive or a USB, hard drives can crash and it is easy to lose USB drives, I like having physical DVD's, Blu Rays, PSP, PS3, XBox discs, and CD's and players and will never get rid of them.

Also you can't get CD systems to play SACD, Bluerays, or DVD-A discs with just firmware updates, they need special lasers and hardware capabilities.