Bbro, I would also suggest putting the following on your audition list: 1) Ensemble- It's a terrific sounding player, retails for $9000.00, but can be bought used/demo for around $4600.00 and the build quality is first rate Swiss. 2) Accustic Arts' new redbook CDP- Another wonderful sounding player,retails for around $7000.00, and is built in Germany to a very high standard. I have heard the Reimyo, Meitner gear, DCS, and many more and still think these players are rank right up with the best. It really boils down to personnal taste and system synergy, but if you could purchase the Ensemble CDP for around $4000.00 it would be an amazing player for you, in my opinion, and to best its overall performance on redbook would cost you many more thousands of dollars. Hope this helps.
What should be on my short list...
What should be on my price no object (well ok $10K or under) short list of red book CD players. Music type is mostly jazz, classical,some older folk, but typically no headbanger stuff. Speakers would be Quad ESL 63's, Soliloquy SM 2A3's or Spendor SP 9/1's. Amps and pre are low powered triodes.