Lakefrontroad:
Well, I went through the Wadia 16, Goldmund 39DA+, Sony SCD1 and now the Naim CDS2 on the one box side (the Naim has a separate, equally large power supply but is still essentially 1-box). And various DACs. Can't say there is an advantage to one or the other at this level as far as 1-box vs separates. Except that for me, the Levinson sounded too analytical, you could here the space between the dots. Too much air, soundstage depth, very unrealistic but grand. The Naim for one, is tightly connected and I really can't discern the digitalness in the sound. The SF Processor 3 and Altis Reference had a similar smoothness but were more muted and less alive and apparent/motivating. Meridian was clear but dry, for instance bass was too over-damped and tight, not resonant. Audio Logic 34 was thick, lush but also dark and not realistic if enchanting. Borrow a cheap Naim and you'll find the PRaT thing cultists rave about. CDS2 does that plus all the other things. Most of all, I like listening to my thousand plus CD collection, from poorly recorded pop to XRCD and HDCD. So I settled on a one box solution by happenstance. If you don't find the holy grail of CD players, separates gives you more flexibility.
