Add a DAC or buy a new CD player?

i guess ewe yust have to try for yourself - my experience, & that of my brother-in-law, are prety much opposite that of john & elizabeth. w/a nice tube preamp, the difference between $500 cd-changers up to $3500 cd players are nominal, & the $500 cd player w/toob preamp is much nicer than the $3500 cd-player & nice solid-state preamp. oh well... ;~) doug

Is Rotel replace their cd player with new model ?? Elizabeth ?? I am on going to buy one, please e-mail me !!

I really like my Bel Canto DAC1. Check out these reviews, I think they might answer your questions. Good Luck,Charlie http://www.onhifi.com/product.shtml http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/belcanto_dac1.htm http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/belcanto_dac1_followup.htm

My situation mirrors yours, and the advice of Elizabeth et al is pertinent. MY Rotel 855 sounds wonderfully rhythmic and taut with my new high-rez (Pass Aleph P) preamp, but woefully grainy and etched on top. My first demo of the BelCanto w/DVD was better, but ultimately flawed by a perceived upward spectral tilt and "whitishness". So I'm chasing a more highly-resolved CDP that doesn't lack pace (like the ARCAM), nor sounds uptilted. My rack (nor wallet) can't support the Electrocompaniet, so.... Philc: dealer told me the Rotel 991 (adjustable dither, $1300) is discontinued, NOT the whole line. I'm on the waiting list for the new Millenium DAC2, but my patience is waning.... (Oh...Kadlec: several years ago my 855's motor failed. Factory-rep service here in MA (EQUITY) replaced analog op-amp with one from the current series, a cap, AND the motor for $90 total. The top end and was clearly more resolved...but, again, consequently grainier. It was an easy mod, and satisfactory until this recent system upgrade.) I found the YBA-designed ARC CDP to be a smooth compromise for $700--not reference quality, but especially good at taming bright commercial CDs while retaining musicality. Good Luck! Ernie

hey, soobieguru, there's a melos maestro reference preamp f/s by melos audio restorations (the *new* melos company) on audioreview for $1k - i bet it'll tame the digital-nasties of yer rotel better than yer pass aleph p does, and no resolution/detail penalty... doug