How much difference in sound?

If you upgrade the CD player, and cables ( unless you already have good ones ), you might not need to upgrade other parts of the chain.

I like the NAD/PSB combo.

I would try this before the amp.

Look around on agon there are so many nice amps to pick from,yes you will notice a big change,much bigger then a cd player change

I respectfully disagree - at least in my listening experience, I found the source to be quite important part of the chain !

The onkyo CDP is holding you back - while the rest of the system is good mid-fi.

If you get something like this, you will definitely hear a difference - hopefully satisfied enough not to upgrade, at least for a some time.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1240452353&/McIntosh-MCD-7008-CD-Changer

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1239488831&/McIntosh-MVP831-original-packi

I don't know which one is better - you might want to read reviews on them - but I have 7000 series, and I simply adore it!

Hope this helps...

Coffeey,

What's lost upstream (at the source) cannot be recovered downstream (amp/speaker end). That said, upgrade should occur at the weakest link of the chain--whatever it may be in a given system.

Kenobi

But once you have a decent cd player, at that point thwen is when you notice just how big a difference a nice amp will do.