Help in Selecting CD Player

You miight consider one of the nicer SACD, DVDA, DVD, players with a digital out and use the Benchmark DAC1 for 16/44. The Benchmark was at least as good as the Sony SCD1, at least in our initial comparisons, which is no small feat. I have great respect for the Sony. SACD use changes the comparison, but the major factor will be what you use as software. I have been auditioning the Benchmark and it is better than my Phillips SACD1000 by a large margin in space, articulation, and speed. The DAC1 is not warm and colored as is the Phillips. It is very neutral. Jallen

If you can sacrifice the SACD, you might be able to pick up an Audio Research CD2 for about $1,500 or so. Smooth, liquid and musical, and built like the proverbial tank.

Audio Aero Prima cdp. Had mine well over a year now and no regrets. The $2200 is msrp, so do not let that price scare you, it can be had for less, as mine was. I thought about getting an SACD player, but the AA was far much better as Warren explained earlier. When I am ready for SACD, I will most likely get a Sony SACD player with dvd to go along with my Audio Aero cdp. Another nice thing about the AA is you can skip a preamp and go directly to a power amp. This cdp has a tube variable output stage to this. Good luck in your search.

Eldulcesol, your post confuses me. I own the AA Prima as well. There is NO hookup that allows for a preamp. You're thinking of the Capitale, obviously. I don't understand your post. Is your Prima first generation? I don't get it. That must be powerful stuff you're smoking?? peace, warren

Warrenh, first of all, I do not smoke. So please do not make any assumptions. OK. I do have an earlier version of the AA cdp. What I have is the one that is in the Soundstage review from Ecoustics.com a couple years ago. What I should explain is I can bypass a preamp and connect the cdp directly to a power amp. I have done this with my AA Prima MKI int. amp which has provisions to use it as a pre-amp, power amp and a hybrid int. amp, as I currently use now. When I do connect the cdp to the pre-out power-in, which is the same RCA jack, the volume and input select are bypassed. Therefore, I have to use the volume button on the cdp remote control to adjust the desired listening volume.

I hope this explains to you what I meant in the earlier post. Also, please do not confuse yourself with the int. amp either. Mine is an earlier production model that came with 3 inputs and can be used as a pre amp or power amp.

BTW, I did double check myself before I wrote this to make sure I was not smoking anything. I am not. It works as I explained earlier. Eldulcesol