I have never bought a stand-alone CD player.
My PC has been hooked up to my stereo amp since I got my first Sound Blaster card-- in 1989. It’s what I’ve always played CD’s on.
The only thing that’s changed is that now I keep my most-listened to music on my hard-drive in .mp3 form, and can listen to my housemates’ music over the LAN.
I haven’t bought any “copy-protected” CD’s yet, but I imagine that if I come across any, I’ll take them back-- possibly after copying them, just for spite.
The RIAA goes on and on about “protecting the interests of the artists”, but it’s obvious that technology has moved on to the point that artists don’t need bloated companies to produce and promote their music any more. The record companies are on their way out-- and good riddance – 50+ years of record executives only promoting music that sounds as close as possible to what is already selling well has given us… well, you know what it’s given us. Looking for music in a record store is like trying to find a pearl hidden amongst binloads of sonic shite.