Vinyl guy seeking recommendation for a top level cd player

The Aesthetix spinner includes a very lush organic DAC. Stuff it with great tubes from Andy at Vintage Tube. Andy and Jim white of Aesthetix know how to get great sound.

The Ayre decks have also served me well over the years.

I will give my 2 cents. I have a Luxman D10x. When I play the redbook layer of Analogue Productions jazz SACDs and then A/B it against the corresponding 45rpm record from AP, the difference is almost negligible. In fact, I have started replacing some of my AP 45 rpms with AP SACDs. I used Nina Simone's Little Girl Blue, Grant Green's Idle Moments, and Cannonball's Something Eles, to do the comparison. On the flip the DSD layer of those SACDs sound flat compared to vinyl.

Moving to rock, the AP DSD layer of Pink Floyd's "I wish you were" sounds no different than the most recent release on vinyl. The DSD layer of my Japanese SACD of Fleetwood Mac's rumors is noticeably better than my copy of the Bernie Grundman's 45 rpm cut that everyone claims is the best version of the album.

My analog rig is Rega Planar 8, Sound Smith Paua MkII cartridge, PS Audio Stellar Phono. Amplification is Pass Labs XP-20 preamp and Parasound JC 5 amp. Hope this helps.

I like the ARC CD3 MKII.

Arize84 wrote:  I have a Luxman D10x. When I play the redbook layer of Analogue Productions jazz SACDs and then A/B it against the corresponding 45rpm record from AP, the difference is almost negligible. In fact, I have started replacing some of my AP 45 rpms with AP SACDs. I used Nina Simone's Little Girl Blue, Grant Green's Idle Moments, and Cannonball's Something Eles, to do the comparison. On the flip the DSD layer of those SACDs sound flat compared to vinyl.

This is particularly helpful, thank you.  The D10X has to be pretty good.  It got a great write up in Absolute Sound this month.  Marantz ,too, gets praised constantly.  Have not found much on Esoteric.  I am trying to work with a local dealer so will have to inquire about availability of some of the other recommendations.  The only one I would not consider is Audio Research.  Not because it is not good, but because of a bad experience years ago.  I am an elephant.  I am a tube guy.  All of my amplification is top level Conrad Johnson:  GAT/2, ART150, TEA1/series3.

The D10x is very good, but if I wasn't specifically looking to play SACDs, I would seriously consider Holo Audio May DAC and good CD transport. I haven't heard the DAC but it is getting rave reviews everywhere for its analog sound.