Arcam, Cambridge Audio or Sony: Most musical??

All three sound great, all three are very musical, all three sound very different.

All three sound great, all three are very musical, all three sound very different.

Interesting comment, reminds me of a review some years ago comparing 3 CD players, describing one as like Madonna, one as like Diana Krall, and the last one like Julie London.

Having owned a Sony XA9000ES, and after doing some reading about the other two, I'd also choose the 840C, but that's just because of the way it's sound is described in reviews.

Why those 3 players?

They're all good in their own rights, different, yes. It comes down to preference and synergy with the rest of your equipment.

TO ZD542, Why those three because Sony and Cambridge Audio are on sale on AG. The Arcam is another issue; I believe it is $2200; I have never seen one used on AG, at least not recently. Some members claim the previous FMJ CD-33 player is the most musical, but I have seen reviews that claim the new Arcam is better.

Lastly, the freakin Ayre CX-7emp2 is too expensive even used. An older version of this model can be upgraded for about $500-900 by Ayre. If I could find the original CX-7 for $1000-1100, I would "probably" go for it. But, so far I not seen one at that price on AG, and probably never will.

I fear that the CA 840C will be only marginally better than the Rega Apollo which I currently own; and, I only have the weight of Kal Rudman's review in Stereophile which elevated it into the A category as possible proof that the Sony is much better than the Apollo. I never really associated Sony as a maker of high-end audio. Thank you to all who responded so far.