NEED HELP CHOOSING NEW DAC

I thought my Electrocompaniet CD player had a good built in DAC much like the Cary and that to improve would be hard to do at any price. I then heard a Kora Hermes Dac with Telefunken tubes and decided to try one out - for 1500 plus a bit more to upgrade tubes I reached a better situation for what I call minimum High end dollar. The EC is a great transport top loader without a drawer mechanism which makes it quick change in recording . I can make a direct comparison in its DAC and the Kora and you just do not want to listen to the EC by itself. the Dodson was my second choice but a lot more money at the time.

Thank you for all of the reponses it is good to know about my CD player.

Check Muse as well. (www.museelectronics.com)
Very nice stuff.

Audio Note DAC 1.2 offers the closest thing to analog I've heard. A bargain at $1,100.00.

Hi-
If you get a chance to audition one, try the Audio Van Alstine OmegaStar DAC. It's a bargain, and sounds exceptionally good. It might not beat what you have, since I haven't been lucky enough to hear a Cary in my system, but the AVA is eminently listenable, and has some of the best lower end dynamics I've heard from a DAC while still maintaing detail & clarity in the top end without a trace of harshness.
Happy Listening!
Ed