Best CD player now made.


I am interested in getting the best CD player out there as one of my digital sources. I have a few candidates but I wanted some other opinions. Any suggestions on the Sony's top player or Mark Levinson, or even the BAT tubed affair. I realise the Transport and the DAC might be superior but I wanted to stay below 5 digits. Thanks,
thomasea1
Jthayer,
I have previous top ALPHA model Arcam 6 (1996) and to my dismay it easly outperformed my new SONY SACD (9000ES), Arcam's are a good deal. They are so musical.
I like the Arcam cd33,its very clean sounding,amd after listening to for a few weeks I feel if you dont have decent stuff around it you wont hear how good it can sound at all.Very transparent.
Any Accuphase CD player.

Open, Musical with natural detail. Good as analog. I own analog also and this is one of the few CD players I could listen to for a long period of time.
Cary 303/300 upgraded with RCA 12bh7A gray plates. Haven't heard the Cary 306 SACD, but 303/300 is unbeatable, if you're talking redbook only.
Jay
Jburidan says .....but 303/300 is unbeatable, if you're talking redbook only.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Owners of Reimyo CDP-777, Wadia 861SE, Oracle CD-2500, Accuphase DP-85, Audiomeca Mephisto IIx, etc. may take issue with this. Care to reconsider??
??? when we are talking about players in this price range.I think it comes down to personal taste in the "voicing" of the player.
Two of the strongest advocates for the 303/300 at the audio asylum forum have gone on to purchase the 306 SACD after hearing it.I have heard the 303/300 and until i heard the 306 SACD thought it was the best digital player i had heard......the 306 SACD to my ears is much "better".
'listen to it and you will buy it"....:)
I have no problem with you saying it is the best digital player you've heard. That's undoubtedly true and I take you at your word. However for you and/or the other gentleman to say "it is unbeatable", is simply disingenuous and untrue. If you have a chance to hear any of the players I mentioned I'm sure you would understand.
Just got the MSB CD station III.I was using a Meridian 596 DVD player thru a Magnum opus one preamp.As soon as I plugged in the MSB it made me start to giggle.This unit Attacks instruments.It is still brand new to me but I"mleaning towards leaving the magnum opus one in the picture.It Truley Is Remarkable
Contradictory to Sorlowski findings, I have listened to the Arcam Alpha 7, owned the Alpha 8 before upgrading to the Sony XA7ES. The XA7ES made the Arcam sounded uninvolving and less dynamic.

I always had the impression that Arcam gears are polite-sounding since the Alpha range. Maybe their new iterations have improved but I believe their sound signature would still be typical Arcam- refined and polite.
Try the new Chord Red Reference. I have the Blu/Dac which is truly amazing, but this will blow your socks off...at $ 30,000 it should do too.
TRL/Sony DVP-NS900V SACD/CDP CD Player !

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?rdgtl&1142721653&read&keyw&zztrl=sony

I replaced my Zanden DAC /Oracle Transport combo.... and haven't looked back! So unless you really want to spend the big bucks,and stroke your ego? I can't think of a better sound under the $20K mark
cheers
A modded Shanling from parts connexion is the best Ive heard. Yes I heard top of the line Linn 3 years ago. I could tell it was a CD player. Brassy. I had new tubes and an extensive mod done and it is very smooth. I have a Acoustic Signiture TT with a Graham 2.2, Benz L2 and a Acoustec PH1-P. The Shanling beats or equals 3 out of 5. Its a keeper. And to all those vinylphiles, I did set the TT up right. Dont get me wrong. I love vinyl and this is the CD player I can live with.
i own a G08 and love it. if you like a slightly warm and very euphonic sound and want upsampling, the G08 is a solid choice. :) it's redbook only though.

based purely on what i have read in mags and forums, i think some other players to consider include the Opus 21, Reimyo 777, Cary 306 SACD, EMM Labs CDSA, and even the Azur 840C.
The best I have personally heard is the APL3910 which I own. But many of those original owners have upgraded their players to the latest model made by Alex Paychev which I believe is the APL 3.0 NWO GO. Those who have heard it swear by it. If you want the best, you have to go with APL.
>If you want the best, you have to go with APL<

If you happen to like that sound you mean.

There are plenty of folks who prefer Wadia, Audio Aero, Meitner, MBL, etc.

There is no universal "best".