Has anyone compared the CD 3 Audio Research to...?


has anyone compared the audio research cd 3 to other players or other dacs in this price range. I have compared to krell and mark levinson and the cd 3 seemed the most musical of the 3. This is the only products the local store carrries and I would like some insight on on other brands I presently have a arcam cd player and quite frankly it is not bad for the buck. But as the hobby goes it is time to look for something else.
eralff
You might consider the Electrocompaniet EMC-1. People say it is similar to the CD3. Both top-loading, analog sounding. There was a review in a recent Stereo Times:

http://www.stereotimes.com/trans070302.shtm
I compared the CD 3 to the Cary 306/200 in my system and bought the Cary. I have a large collections of cds and found the upsampling and HDCD Cary more musical and detailed than the CD 3. An added plus is that the Cary can be used as a DAC for other digital products.( I use it for a dac for my DAT player) The CD 3 is an excellent player but in direct comparison in my system the Cary was the clear winner. Good luck.
Someone on audioreview.com compared the CD3 head to head with the Electrocompaniet EMC-1(24/192) and found them to be very similar except that the EMC-1 was about half the price, so that was that. Go to audioreview.com and look under EMC-1 if you want to see the actual review. For what it's worth...

Tim