CD PLAYER

At the level you're at now, the question is not what is better as much as what is different and more to your taste. What don't you like about the EMM Labs player? Do you care about SACD playback capability or just CD? Some of the candidates you'll see suggested should include the Playback Designs and Esoteric units, but until we know what you're looking for we can't make informed suggestions.

If money were no object I would certainly look at Metronome Technologies.

Esoteric P/D02.

Find Fcrowder; he made the leap from the EMM to the Esoteric.

Depending on what you do not like about your unit the Ayon CD5s may be worth an audition - Rock solid reliable and really refined yet exciting sound. I preferred to the Meridian 808.3

How about a Burmester 069?

I would look at reliabilty. And that means players outside of the ultra high-end. Marantz, NAD, Yamaha, Oppo etc... All CD players will break sooner or later. Why invest a lot.
Cheers

It might help to understand what you feel is deficient in this setup. I thought the XDS1 was extremely resolving and the most neutral DAC I had. It does help pairing it with a tube preamp like an Audio Research Reference 5/5SE that I am using now.

The next step up from EMM is the two box combo: TSDX/DAC2X which 3 of my friends have upgraded to. Separating the power between the transport and the DAC is supposed to improve the performance significantly.

I hear the Audio Note Fifth Element with separate DAC and power supply sounds nice and one can usually pick it up for only about $200,000.00 and have a few bucks left for some CD's.

Do yourself a favor and audition an EAR Acute 3. It's remarkable, and well worth your consideration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGI5pxkggrQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Good luck

Thanks! Acbc. I would love to spend some time w/ that EAR Acute3.

I love my Ayre....comes damned close and sometimes and in some ways surpases vinyl

I had an EAR Acute and liked it a lot. Now I have an Ancient Audio Lektor Prime and like it even more.

Rilou,

which other gear is in your system?