New amp or cd player?


ok im just wondering if a new amp or a new cdp would be the best bang for the buck right now. Im a low fi type guy so my equipment is psb stratus golds, audio innovations tube pre amp, and a jenky sonance amp that only puts out 80 wpc. Current cdp is a nad c 541 thanx for any info. Kevin
flyin2jz
Yo,Kev--you might mention how much moola ya wana spend. As you might guess there is better in amps and cd players. Your speakers are pretty good and could use some better pieces driving them.
i would like to spend less than 500. wife doesnt understand how expensive this stuff is. I know that amp cant be working very well with the golds. I have heard they are difficult speakers to drive. I dont know if it would be a bigger difference with a new amp or cd player. I was thinking of getting a music hall 25.2 or something in that price range. appreciate the info Kevin
Don't worry so much about wpc ratings. I am sure your speakers would play just fine with Accuphase A-60 with a measly 60wpc. Yes 20 watts less than what you have but it is all class A with power tranny that weighs as much as 100 lbs by itself. In my book class d and T amps with 250-500 wpc don't sound very good. I had 400 watt first 125 in class A Aragon Palladium 1Ks becuase they doubled down and were reportedly capable of handling difficult loads. These were replaced 78 wpc monoblock tube output power amps. I cannot begin to explain how better they sound to me.
so maybe i should go with a better cd player??? i really think this would help. any other ideas about a piece that would be better? i hate the nad because i cant replace the power cable, its hardwired. uggg thanks guys
amp - maybe a Forte 4 or 4a ... probably be a bit more than $500 but a true classic; another possibility is a PSE Studio IV. the Forte would need some breathing room as it runs HOT

CD player - Naim CD3 would fall into your price range; older model but still very good
good options i will look into them. ok this may be a stupid question but here goes. can i use my tube preamp with my old school pioneer elite 39tx reciever? i mean just use the amp part of the reciever. i like the tube sound but would like to use the amp power from the reciever. thanks again
If you "hate" the NAD CDP, then get something you like. Why keep it if you don't like it? But I doubt you'll improve the sound significantly if you stay within your price range.

Have you thought about using the NAD CDP as a transport and purchasing a good DAC?
Does the NAD have toslink out? If so, Music Hall Mambo or Maven as suggested above both have digital inputs and would be a great yet simple upgrade.
no i guess i need to research that. i dont hate the player itself just that i cant replace the power cord. its leaps and bounds better than my old pioneer player. just thought i could get a better cdp without spending a ton. what would be a good dac to look at? thanks guys.
Maybe clean house (cdp , amp annd pre) get into say a peach tree decco (integrated with tube pre and dac $800). This would give you options for digital sources. Universal player, or DVD/CD (digital out to decco), or wadia itransport. Or later you could use the decco as a pre with an amp. or keep the nad for now and use as a transport.
Believe psb and nad share same distributor in n america which is why they are often demoed together how bout nad amp and a dac?