Advice needed please.

Wow...thanks for all the responses! I contacted Cary today and was finally able to get the remote code for my Cary 303/100 cdp. Gregg at Cary was very helpful and prompt. The bad news is that I will have to buy another remote control. Clio99- Thanks for your suggestion. Your set-up sounds really nice, but my budget is around $1500. or less. Jond- I'll have to look into the Tube Technology Fusion CD64. What is the retail and where could I purchase it? 55dok- Your suggestion of the eastern sound cdp looks like a good one. Is it difficult to get one since the company changed hands? I'd like to compare one to the Cary. Gmood1- Your dac looks really nice and is of a simple design that I like. Have you compared your dac to any other NON OS dacs such as the Audio Mirror? What is the cost of the Audio Sector dac? Would I benefit by using the Cary for a transport and using a NON OS dac paired together and what could I expect? Thanks again guys for all the great suggestions and keep them coming if you have any more!

Bradz,

The TRL SA-14 might be in your price range. They come up for sale used on Audiogon for around $1200 or so and with the cost of the mod might be in the neighborhood of $1800.

I too like Gmood1's DAC. I checked out the Audio Sector site but couldn't find anything on it. The Audio Zone site had a nice DAC listed which if I understand Gmood1 corectly is designed by the same person.

Gmood1, can you share some more information?

Sure no problem guys. My Dac is very similar to the Audio Zone Dac 1. There have been some upgrades to the design over the last couple of months. There are two versions ..the standard Dac and the Premium version using better parts. I payed $350 for my Dac. I also bought the Audio Sector integrated at the same time. There's is no on and off switch as the designer says it actually sounds better this way ..always on. He designed this chassis just for me. Basically I got a $1000 retail Dac for $350. If you get the conventional chassis it's $700 due to the labor of building it.He claims it sounds better without the traditional chassis. So why pay for it?Everything this guy builds competes well above the retail price.He uses a Mark Levinson Dac as a reference for it's sound.

Since you don't have a distributor or dealer you save a bundle! I don't want to come across like I have proud papa disease or something.LOL But this Dac is truly special.

It's been a while since I listen to the Cary players. I really can't see it not being an improvement by adding a Dac like the Audio Sector Premium DAC 1. He does have a return policy on all his custom built items. Everything also carries a life time warranty parts and labor. Once you hold his work in your hand and see it in person, you understand why he offers a life time warranty. This gear is built extremely and I mean extremely well. His chassis are built by hand.

The little integrated is like a chunk of lead.
It's the only SS amplifier I've seen Srajan of 6 moons go nuts over!LOL That's why I had to try it myself.My integrated has the same hardware as the Patek SE with a passive volume control. It's cheaper because the Patek's chassis is custom milled and built by hand..which is time consuming.

Here's a few comments on the Dac at the DIY forum.
DIY Forum.
You really have nothing to lose but shipping. My guess is you won't be returning it!

Oh yeah to add what you will hear with the addition of the Dac. Almost immediately you'll notice how much more defined the soundstage is. There will be more focus..nothing will stand out unless called to do so in the recording.There's no roll off highs or tubby bass. You'll have more of the whole picture instead of what some players do . Which is high light certain areas of the music. No hash or grainy highs. Cymbals and top hats have that metallic shimmer...no white noise for highs.

The bass is so tight and controlled ,you feel it vibrate the chair you sit in softely ...if the other equipment allows.Pianos key strikes are also more distinguishable. Instead of a blurr of notes. You can hear them separately and the over tones of each strike.

btw, i heard the tube technolgy fusion cd player...... it is the most musical digital soutce i have heard to date ( blew away the big esoteric at the local store)...

detailed, musical, flowing, does everything right imo ( it stopped my vinyl vernture into a vpi scoutmaster with upgraded tonearm and xlr)

My thoughts now are possibly doing a shootout with the Cary used in conjunction with the Audio mirror dac and the Audio Sector dac. Another consideration is comparing the Esound cd-e5 to the Cary with and without the listed dacs. Is the Burr Brown 1704 dac in the Cary Still considered good compared to the Cirrus 4390 dac in the Esound cd-5? Should I also consider sending the Cary to be modded from a modding company? The tube technology fusion sounds like a good suggestion, but it is out of my budget, if it is above $1500. and is hard to find used. Please keep the advice coming. Thanks again Agoner's.