What's best CD player one piece price no object

Tbg - very good point. In my experience there really is no "best" one box player for every situation. At the top of the heap, they are all very good however each has its share of shortcomings - unfortunately. No matter which digital source I used, I always wanted something more. Certain tweaks took each player closer to some of those wants yet somehow opened a gap elsewhere. Regardless of player, I always felt something somewhere was missing and I was never truly content regardless of which player was on my rack.

After investing relatively small amount of money in an analog source, it became apparent how far off I was in my perception of each players "perfection". What once seemed like steps in the right direction now seemed more like a host of "digital effects" which masked and somehow audibly alleviated several of the flaws primarily related to CD media itself.

Side by side, digital to analog, even at the highest levels of digital technology ... digital sounds incomplete and hence echoes the feelings I had all along - something was missing.

CD only has so much information on the disc. We know this, yet we hope that by using better sources, we can overcome the deficit of information and/or perhaps correct some of the problems most of us hear. In many cases this works and we are happy... However, I often feel as if the difference between various players is more-or-less a simple digital effect employed by the manufacturers to cajole us into believing there is more. Much the same as how companies building Home Theater Receivers (for example) have "Church", "Stadium", "Hall" type settings designed to make us feel as if we are in a different environment.

How far off are we before a manufacturer has an effects switch which changes the sound of a player from Sony to Audio Aero, Accuphase, Audiomeca, Electrocompaniet, etc. at the push of a button?

It doesn't really take gobs of oversampling to make CD's sound good... (Audio Note) but in some cases multiple DAC's sound fantastic (Accuphase) so who is right and who is wrong? They are both worlds apart in how they achieve what they set out to accomplish yet both make the most out of the format.

Of course I am a bit frustrated right now with digital but that said, I have a feeling we are listening to effects in one way or another with each of these "best" players. It all boils down to which of the effects we like the best I guess.

I enjoyed and very much agree with your post Bwhite. But the topic is digital. I also agree that no one will agree what CDP is best. I still have high hopes from the Spectral CDP. I keep hoping someone will come out with a CDP that will come close to a fine TT setup. I am a dreamer. A shortcoming I have never overcome. Maybe Detlof can offer this poor boy some much needed help.

here i am......and yes, the Linn CD-12 is still the best i have heard in my system.....one or two box. i have not heard anything at dealers or shows that i feel is better......but the differences between the better redbook players are not substantial......although they are important. the Linn has less of it's own sound than most other players i have heard.....it is less colored. whether that is what you may want is another question. the Linn has that excellent detail and dynamics, without ever sounding hard or etched....always natural.

the build quality and audio jewelry factor are standard setting.....and it's interface is beyond any other player.

there are 2 CD-12's......an earlier 20 bit.....and a later 24 bit version. my 24 bit player has slightly more detail and dynamics......the earlier 20 bit version has adjustable dither.

if you own any of the other's listed here and are considering upgradeing to the CD-12......save your money and buy a vinyl setup......the performance ceiling there is much higher......believe me.

In a German review, the Lindemann sacd player, the D680, playing cds was judged superior to the Linn CD12. I do not have a Linn to compare, but the Lindemann on cds is better than any transport and separate dac, I have heard.

Linn will soon have multiple sacd players but only the ultimate one is to replace the CD12, and Linn is not saying when it will be out.

First of all, thanks for all of your thoughtful responses. I will wait for Spectral, but may audition a few other things, such as ML 390, Audio Aero. My Spectrals are DMC 30SL, DMA 150 SER. 2. I also have Basis/Graham 2.2/Benz TT setup (Benz PP1 phono), and it seems substantially better than my old Wadia CD player. Hopefully my new CD player will get close.