top 5 cd transport/dac cost no object

One of the best is also the cheapest. Pick up a new old stock Aiwa XC-37M on eBay for +/-$75. Then pick up a used MSB Link DAC for +/-$175. Have both modified by Stan Warren; which is about $130 for the Aiwa and $250 for the MSB. Total investment +/-$650. Adding a better power supply, like the MSB P1000 or other compatible supply will help make a huge difference. (Cost $300 to $400.)

This setup is the favorite of the Chicago Audio Society. They use it as their reference player I believe. You can check them out, and contact them with questions at http://www.chicagoaudio.org/
You can also search old thread on Stan Warren, Aiwa, MSB. You will find Stan's contact information there as well.

I will nominate the Levinson M37 transport and M360S DAC-- from long personal experience. I haven't heard the really expensive Levinson Reference products, but have read reviewer comments that indicated they are only slightly better than the 37/360S combo. In fact some even preferred the M37 over the Reference transport. I'm sure dCS and Burmester will get nominated too. Cheers. Craig

Do a search of your topic, there have been many threads about which players we all like the best. Since no two people can agree I won't voice my opinion again. But the companies that deserve being mentioned(in no particular order) Accuphase, Audio Aero, Audio Mecca, Burmester, dCS, Forsell, Levinson and Wadia just to name a few.

~Tim

I will suggest (no longer in production) GOLDMUND Mimesis 36+ and for the best converter GOLDMUND Mimesis 20M the Millennium edition.
Don't forget about SUPERB transport from ESOTERIC PO1. You can't go wrong with any of these.