What CD drive to use with DAC?

BTW if you have your cd's in your computer then connect to the dac with a usb cable and use a gui like itunes...you don't need a cd player

Larryken - thanks, I just purchased a Squeezebox Touch and am in the process of re-ripping all my CDs to AIFF. However, my computer is in my upstairs office and I think I'd still be able to pop in a CD right at stereo. Just not sure what i really need. Don't want to spend a fortune, as I don't think it will be used much.

i use the emotiva erc 1 digital out. great reviews and has 5 yr guarantee. around 400 dollars. is not a universal tho so it will not decode sacds. it will play them in 2 ch. for universal i use a marantz 6001 that i found for 200 bucks. the oppo has lots of fans but is a bit more. or you could get a cheap laptop????

I highly recommend the Denon 1650-AR. As far as transports go cannot be beaten with out spending FAR FAR more money IMHO, They are as bulletproof as a Mcintosh amp IMHO. They sound great. They play through the tracks quick and easy and will read almost any disc no matter how beat up. There 400 or so usually, look on craigslist people sometimes dont know what they have. I can tell you a 25LB+ Transport will last forever give or take. I was going to buy one once and the store owner told me in not quite these words "Why would I sell that its worth way as a demo piece than what youll buy it for"

Personally, I'd go with a higher end older unit as a transport over a cheap newer one. Many of the cheap ones only have toslink out and my preference is coax. Also, you should get a better power supply, better sound dampening and better connections by buying an older unit. Open up a $99 special and compare it to a 10 year old unit and you will see the quality difference.