With the explosion of mp3 downloading on the internet, it's hard to imagine the lowly old compact disc having any kind of a chance at a comeback.

Given the Convenient nature of Mp3 downloads, why does anyone still choose to purchase a music CD? There are certainly advantages.

For starters, the actual CD players themselves are considerably cheaper than mp3 players. Furthermore, There is no need to purchase expensive storage media such as external hardrives, flash drives, etc.

However, perhaps the most compelling advantage of the CD over Mp3 is the quality of the music itself.

Audiophiles have long cringed at the concept of music 'compression', which is what makes mp3 files so much smaller than their CD counterpart. This compression process effectively reduces much of the original recordings audio information.

The end result of this is sound quality that ranges from 'near' cd quality down to just plain annoying. While it is true that many mp3 recordings are close to cd quality and cannot be discerned on playback equipment such as car stereos and computer speakers, the fact remains that those who really 'listen' to music can hear an audible difference between the two in a more controlled listening environment.

So then, if you're one of those audiophiles who insists on purchasing their music on CD's, what use do you have to the internet and it's mp3 laden environment?

The online world represents an excellent marketplace to discover new music, and sites where limited edition and hard to find CD's may be purchased - often for substantial discounts.

Our site takes a look at some of the most popular types of music CD's bought online as well as a variety of places where they may be found.

Enjoy the site!