question about "lower" priced CD players/DACs

I lean towards not making drastic changes in a system unless you 1. get a ridiculously low price (one you can't walk away from) on something you had no intention of purchasing 2). know for sure that that piece of equipment is the problem you are trying to fix. So, you have older Adcom amp and pre-amp and an older CD player. again, I don't know the age or quality of your DAC. But, I wouldn't buy anything without first auditioning it in my system. So, reading what you originally posted and the speakers and amp/pre-amp you have. I would audition a good quality external DAC first. do your research, set a price point for each piece of equipment and go find some to listen to in your system before buying. There are some really great DACs out there and some high quality used DACs also. Same for amps and pre-amps. For example, a Theta DS Pro Gen VA DAC. You would be hard pressed to find a better DAC new now and used you could get one for not a stupid amount of money. The only issue with DACs as with other digital equipment is they always are adding new bells and whistles. Such as HTMI for DVD players and USB inputs for DACs. If you don't need USB input for your DAC at this time, then you really would have a hard time finding a better DAC new or used. The computer audio crowd wants DACs with USB so older DACs that don't have it are on the used list. My standards are quality music and elimination of listener's fatique. If something in my system is making me get up and not listen to music for long, then I will find out what it is and replace it over time. Remember, this is a long term hobby, not short term. Don't do everything quickly or at once. take your time, one piece at a time. Based on what I have read about you, I would do DAC first, Pre-amp second, Amp third and maybe CD player last. But, each time, do your research, set a price point and budget, go borrow or audition in your home that piece of equipment and enjoy the journey.

enjoy

timo, i actually think you'd get the most audible difference by changing speakers, although again whether "different" equates to "better" is purely a matter of your personal preference. since you like your current maggies, and your player/dac are solid, i would look to change your preamp first and (if you're still not content) your amp second. if you specify a budget, you'll get a lot of reecommendations

I would like to chime in here since I used to have an Adcom combo (pre-amp + amp). I agree with the folks who suggest focusing on things other than your digital components first. While I agree that the Adcom stuff is competent, I think it can easily be bettered. Start with the preamp first. I think you will immediately hear the difference. I replaced my Adcom 555II preamp with an Audio Research SP16 and immediately heard the difference. The Adcom amps actually hold their own pretty well. I still have my 545II amp, and it has great weight and punch. The only thing I can fault it for is being a little grating up top, but that is speaker dependant. Your digital front end may not consist of the hottest items out there right now, but it seems decent.

This is always the issue, when a friend comes to you asking about upgrading their system. What do you tell them? Personally, I listen to the friend or associate and ask about the music they like to listen to and how they listen. Background music or actually sit and listen. If they really appreciate and listen to music, the next thing I want to know is price point. So, that evenutually is a totally different subject. How much can I afford for the quality of music reproduction I demand? This is a long term analysis that isn't solved overnight and takes much education, auditionining of equipment and time to decide on the level of music reproduction that the person really wants. Then, and only then, (in my opinion) can a reasonable price point be determined. In this case, the Timoteo was discussing different CD players and asked for our opinion on that. Well to go back to that subject, I would then suggest that Timoteo go and listen and actually take home the two CD players he mentioned and demo them in his system to determine if that really is the problem before purchasing. If either player makes such a drastic difference that justifies purchasing, then go for it. However, please be aware, that once you start on the road of upgrade, it really never ends. There will always be something (typically just outside your price point range) that will make your jaw drop causing you to purchase it. Now when you get to the level of stupidly expensive and really ultimate high-end equipment, jaw drop differences really don't exist anymore. There would be more subtle differences. Here's an example of jaw drop difference. An Audio Research PH3 phono stage versus an Audio Research REF 2 phono stage. I can actually say my jaw dropped. The next question would be, can I afford the REF 2? So, CD players first was the question. So, go demo them. The Oppo unit mentioned is quite good. I don't know about the Audiolab unit, but, my point earlier was after or during the demo session of the two CD players, please take home a really decent DAC also to see if the DAC may have been more of the problem instead of the CD player.

enjoy

As far as I know...cd is still 16/44 and has been since its conception... there have been no quantum leaps...you have a dedicated player by a very well respected audio brand...I wouldnt sweat it...