I bought my Marantz CD6005 player over 11 years ago. It was only 450 bucks back then. About 3 or 4 years ago, when shopping for new speakers for my 2-channel system, I A/B'd it in critical listening sessions against a 3K+ Rega CD player, using the same amp, same speakers and a small sampling of my own CDs that I was very, very familiar with. As far as my ears were concerned, the sound quality was the same. My CD6005 is still in use in my 2-channel system but now as a transport with the DA1 DAC of my McIntosh integrated amp. The difference in sound quality between the Marantz internal DAC and the McIntosh DA1 is infinitesimally slight. My wife and I think the MAC's DA1 provides a smidge more bass extension. The dilemma was trying to decide if the bass was as tight as the Marantz's DAC before re-wiring everything back to the Marantz. It continues to serve as a transport. A fellow audiophile friend was impressed enough with my CD6005 that he went out and bought the CD6006. Before buying my CD6005, I A/B's it against 2 NAD CD players back then. One was its price point rival. The other was around 2 or 3 hundred bucks more. IMHO, there was no contest. My ears immediately discounted the price point rival and the other more expensive deck after 30 or 40 seconds of critical listening.
Moral of this story: listen to a few or several decks that interest you, in conditions as controlled as you can get them, and let your ears decide which you like best.
