New amp or new cd player?

Personally, I’d change those interconnects first. Maybe a power cord as well.

Not familiar with the Onkyo CDP, but a great source is key to having a great system… so starting there isn’t a bad idea.

Doesn’t Gallo make a sub unit for that speaker system?

Once you have a good signal producing item, the improvement in downstram components will become more apparent.

Farjamed

Uh, IMO Monster cables are Monsters… but that’s just me.

I feel they, as well as the lack of synergy in a previous system were responsible for the outcome of that rig… which wasn’t good.

Right off I’d think long or hard about what I want to wind up with… Are these thoughts towards a new CDP or amp the end of the road? Or are these merely stepping stones to another level of performance which will likely then change again?

In other words, are you attempting to build a quite high end, most resolving and musical system, or just trying to iron out a couple issues and be done with things entirely?

RE Cables
Regardless what CDP or amp, you buy, ya gotta have wires to connect them.

To coin an abused but accurate note from around here, “Everything makes a difference.”

Good cables, again IMO, begin at around $250 a pair. Cardass Neutral Ref, AZ matrix II, MIT shotgun S3, etc. and other’s of course.

Just like in devices, mo will get you mo. Let your budget and ears battle that one out. Try the Cable Co. to investigate some possibilities there.

No matter what you get in a digital player or decoder, time will eventually downgrade it by comparison to current markets in it’s genre.

Sony usually makes a very dynamic player, Cambridge now has a well reviewed one but some accounts say it lacks punch, but is most musical. Many here seem to like rega, and the English brands. Other shoot for the Chinese units to get more bang for the buck.

In new CDP, I wouldn’t look to closely at models under $1000… unless they were gaining critical acclaim everywhere and I was stepping up from a lesser perch. I paid about that for a used sony as one of my first moves around here, a SCD XA 777es. I had and enjoyed it for years! Sold it recently. Other Sony models that come to mind as decent are the SCD 777es. Lots of these have been moded to perform far better too.

Mod right has done a lot of good on Dennon models too… and there are a few for sale right now, like in the 3910 modles which play everything I think. Some of these will cost over a grand though.

Maybe for now just shoot for a top Rega preowned and recently bought or lightly used, or a Jolita tubed unit, or for a wee bit more an Audio Arrow. Then add some upscale cables to allow that signal to pass along as unadulterated as possible, by trying some from the Cable co.

You’ve got a lot of headroom right now. Don’t let your head spin over the choices. Many are very good so the choice isn’t that hard. Excellent and perfect cost a good bit more so just get in where ya fit in now, and later on sell the whatever, and buy another!

The note on PC audio is a good one too. That’s why I sold my CDP. The pc performance level had surpassed it.

The better the DAC, the better that deal will be in the end.

Magnumpi205 is right... I have an oppo too. it's performance level, arguably, came within 20-25% of my older xa 777es.

BTW the xa was $3K MSRP. The oppo DV 980H cost $175 shipped.

The comparison was closer with each going thru a good DAC... to the point where it became difficult for me to argue it with myself.

In essence, I've now got $2000 or so into a CDP playback system. But better performance, and lots better flexibility with differing formats and functions.The DAC even made my mega CDP sound lots better with only a cheap optical cable on it.

Taking ‘very good’ to excellent will take a bit more than either an amp or a source.

Given money matters, think carefully here as to which path you choose to follow. Just CDP…. CDP + DAC…. Or ….PC + DAC…

In each case the DAC, either on board or as a separate box, is the key item.

Putting $1000 > $2000 into a one box solution (CDP only), should be an improvement. Especially if it offers versatility and performance, as in a multi format modded player such as a Mod Right Denon 3910 fully loaded… and there are some for sale here now.

Were I to look now for a player, it would need to be multi format. Performance levels have risen dramatically, and it’s cost effective.

So there’s $2K wrapped up in a one disc at a time any disc player.

Apogee, Benchmark, Lavry, or BC DAC 3, amongst others, will bare more flexibility as they will encompass more digital front end sources and gain you still better overall performance.

If you’re eventually going to PC based, way more variety and ease… once done properly.

Consequently, if the CDP one box fix is the thought here and now, and the PC idea is laid to rest on the back burner… you will almost double your investment in the longer run to accomplish adding PC source playback to your options by spending greatly on just a CDP now.

That’s what I did. CDP first…. Then DAC & PC.

In hindsight, I’d have been better off to get myself a great DAC (USB or not), with outstanding jitter control, and gone on from there…. Given the performance level I see now from just such a purchase.

Once the source and cabling are elevated, the down stream items can be reassessed as needs/desires may be in due course…. Or not at all.

Seldom will one move (acquisition) in a system raise the overall performance level to such a state no other parts of it need addressing. Unless of course one’s system is at the very brink of outstanding performance already, yet it is found to be lacking in only one area.

Naturally, each of us makes the aforementioned call…. Or our family and/or wallet intervene to do so for us.

Making additions I think should be those with lasting effect, certain gain, and afford you as much flexibility as possible for current and upcoming affairs.

If a DAC is to be added later on, a source with the best drive should be the thinking I suppose as that’s about all it’ll be doing so it ought to do that exceptionally well. A DAC will definitely change the sound of what ever CDP is attached to it. A thought for one also should limit the investment into a CDP as well.

Getting a DAC which can thereafter be enhanced or receive physical modifications is all the better as you will be able to keep up with the tech changes digital has been experiencing in recent years and will continue to obtain.