I've had both the ARC CD2 and the Meridian 508.24. The ARC is a very sweet sounding, uncolored cd player. It puts the listener around a third or half way in the music hall. The Meridian 508.24 puts the listener very close to the soundstage. Instruments are more detailed with more air around them. It's really a matter of listening preference. I wanted to keep both, but after having the ARC CD2 for a little over a year, I decided to keep the Meridian. You should try to hear all the units you're interested in because all your equipment will contribute to the sound of each cdp.
