Scott Nixon - Sarudac+? TubeDac+? vs CI Audio

Hi Nathan, I recommend you visit Scott-nixon.com for info about his SaruDac+, and TubeDac+ which are upgrades from his classic Anodyne ATAS DAC with tube output. Ten years later he has perfected the art of simplifying, and miniaturizing, and improving on his own musically satisfying past design work. When I recently had my ancient Anodyne ATAS repaired, Scott provided the highest level of repair and upgrade service at a cost so reasonable it was as if he were a philanthropy not a commercial enterprise. Why don't you email him to find out about component matching since there is no substitute for getting info straight from the man himself? I have used Anodyne, EVS, and Assemblage external DAC's and they all improve on the built-in DAC of a moderate price all-in-one player. But, there is the extra cost of one digital interconnect between transport and DAC. and one extra power cord or power supply for the external DAC. In the tube unit there is the opportunity to change a tube to optimize musicality. This is just to say that there is always an option to upgrade whenever you wish. The Scott Nixon units are quite modestly priced for the higher performance provided so it is an easy recommendation. Since no component stands entirely alone, what will be the rest of your system beside the CD player/DAC? Other Audiogon members may already have used the exact units you are considering, and can be more specific. I personally lean toward a design with a tube output, like the TubeDac+.