Last CD purchase; M.L. 39 or Wadia 850?

Why don't you consider a Resolution Audio CD50? Are you just interested in name recognition? It'd save you a ton of money, and it's just as good as the other two.

No, the (current) CD50 will not play your handful of DAD's. It's THE PERFECT all in one player for CD's, though, AND THIS THREAD IS ABOUT ALL IN ONE CD PLAYERS (neither the ML or Wadia play DAD's, either, and if they did, they'd cost much more). Do you not own very many CD's? The CD50 sounds like music, almost like analog, like the best a CD can get, for your money...and sounds like there's no extra linestage in the way, cause there isn't one. It would hold it back (has a supremely good linesection with good drive character inside it already, much better than the SCD-1's, for example, with it's cheap op amps). However, if you're just going to use cheap cabling and power cords with it, it'll sound like any other average highend CD player. Kinda like an untreated room...why bother? Time spent listening like that is time wasted...

This thread is about CD players with volume control, not DAD players (since neither the Wadia or Levinson are DAD players). No, I've not heard the all-in-one Camelot, but if you're trying to tell me it sounds better when playing CD's than the CD50, I'd have to say the CD50 you heard was BROKEN. If you're in the southeast, bring this Camelot by for a shootout, anytime. How many DAD's do you own, and are they the only thing you listen to? I own 3 titles, and there's just not enough of the titles I want in that format, or SACD. I just bought a 45 rpm reissue of Charles Mingus, and I bet the SACD is no better than the vinyl. And vinyl is more fun to play, anyways.

Alfred is with me!

All the SCD-1 blows is smoke. Bring one by my place anytime for a shootout (playing CD's). I'm serious! And prepare to be embarrassed!

My CD50 has gobs of rhythm, pace, musicality, "ease", and any other positive attribute you can think of.