I have wanted to hear RA CD-55, and I have heard the 860, 860x and today the 861. Hifinut604, this is a fair comparison, since the RA products advertisement holds the claim that it will blow away players more than 2x the cost. Digital volume on the wadias is less than perfect, and I would rarely hook them direct. For a tweeky listening session, yes, but for every day use and convience -- my preamp and all of the other analog sources that comprise my system need to be switched in and I would not buy all of the A/D converters to make the wadia a front end in my system. It is just wrong to put a quality turntable and phono amp into a A/D and then do a D/A then digital volume. Getting back to the original subject, I think there are other players that are better than the Wadia for the price. Linn Ikemi is one of my favorites that i have auditioned...
