Preamp Rec

new rotel preamp RC-1082 = $1200
new rotel cd rcd-1072 = $700
new rotel amp rb-1080 = $1000
total $2900
I threw in the amp because I just cant see spending $3000 on gear to shoot into a old
$400 amp
Good luck

RA Opus 21, has volume, digital in and is about the best cd player you can buy regardless of price.

Thanks for responses. After a visit to my one of my favorite music stores, I am currently auditioning a Creek Destiny integrated and am quite impressed with the match between it and my PSBs. To help keep the budget in balance, I am running a Music Hall CD-25, which is significantly better than the old NAD T 550.

Question: How much of a difference is there between the CD-25 ad CD-25.2? I can get the floor model CD-25 for $475. Is the $125 in savings worth it?

One other question: The Creek sounds fantastic. Before I pull the trigger on this unit, is there anything that I should be thinking about?

Thanks....

I would pick up a used Bel Canto DAC2 with a used Acoustic Zen Silver Bytes digital cable to use with the NAD player, assuming it has coaxial output.
This will be a pretty big step up from where you are now or from where you will be with the Music Hall units.

And I would pick up a used preamp as well. Adcom GFP-750 comes to mind and should match pretty good with your Adcom amp. On the upper end, Pass X2.5 preamp would be nice.

This will summ up to under $3k, will sound better than what you're auditioning now and you will have some money left to buy more music.

The components you are currently considering will most likely satisfy you for a year the most and then you'll be on the merry-go-around.

Audphile has some good ideas,Try the dac2,hard to go wrong there,preamps,Adcom a fair choice,or Forte,Coda,Threshold,you will not one bit regret spending what you can on a nice preamp,cables where do even begin?His last paragraph,could not be more true.