DEDICATED CD PLAYER $1K AND UNDER, THOUGHTS?

smer319 I dunno.  The ALAC RIPs I get from iTunes on my Mac sound identical to the to the FLAC RIPS I got from DBpoweramp;  they seem to contain the same audio data (compared using AccurateRIP).  With very few exceptions the files appear to be identical.  Some differences in the way metadata is handled, but I am using Roon, and their metadata solutions more than satisfies me.

I have compared some of the FLAC files and ALAC files I have stored on my hard drive to the CDs they were ripped from.  They sound the same (AB tests running both sources at the same time and over long listening sessions).  Maybe I'm just lucky I do not have the "golden ears" required to tell the difference, but I have decided this is a non-issue.  If this causes you stress, just get DBpoweramp and use AccurateRIP to check their database.

When I decide to play a CD, I just pop it into a Superdrive that is connected to a Mac mini>optical out>DAC>stereo.  I am a graphic designer, so I already had the Superdrive and several old Mac minis laying around doing nothing.  Not long ago, I needed to press the mini into back-up service for my design work, so I took it off the rack and plugged my AppleTV optical out into the DAC (limited to 16bit/44.1, but most library is CD RIPs anyhow).  If I didn't have the Mac hardware, several DACs and extra hard drives laying around, I'd buy the Vault.

In my humble opinion gone the days that hi-res were suppirier over CDs just hook up reasonable CD transport ,quality digital cable to a good DAC and you’ll hear any difference compare to hi-res files.
The current DACs sold today are so good that you can leave in peace with your CD’s collection / CDs ripped files.

Great information, I do appreciate the advise and will consider very carefully...

itzhak

In your scenario you have 2 components, a digital cable (they DO NOT sound the same), an extra power cord, a separate shelf, isolation/vibration control devices AND magically you have to get lucky to find synergy with all.

Before I got my Oppo 105 I was using a hotrodded Pioneer PD 65 (Stable Platter) with outboard power supply, another power cord and a high quality 2.0 Toslink cable from WireWorld, connecting to the 24/96 dac in my Parasound P 5.

The Oppo 105 with XLR outs was also plugged plugged into the P 5, but it crushed the transport/dac.  Now that I am using the 105 direct outs to my amps, layers of noise vanished, which has allowed me to hear everything at a much lower level, but there is the rub, when the Oppo volume control is slightly lowered from wide open, apparently it looses bits. So, I just bought a used Hattor XLR passive pre in hopes of improving bit loss at lower volumes, running the 105 wide open but using the Hattor to adjust volume.

I could have it by Saturday, and it will take me a couple days to figure it out and listen to some music before reporting back .

AND it plays hi-rez formats, and is an excellent Blu-Ray player