Which warm sounding cd player for under $400?

I've been extremely happy with my NAD C-541i for more than six months now (love that HDCD). That's a long time as on line buying makes it so easy to switch. I also owned an Audio Refinement CD Complete Alpha for a few months but sold it recently as I actually preferred the NAD. Good luck.

Thanks for the responses. Out of the three described above, I'm lean toward the NAD. Although I read great things about the Rotel, I really like the NAD sound.

I have another question, would the C541i match well with the Adcom GTP-400? How about a Rotel?

Thanks Alfredo

I also liked the Music Hall the best of those mentioned here. Warm and musical. New it's $500 I think. I've listened to most of these, but unfortunately none in the same system. The Music Hall was paired with a Red Rose system, the others with less expensive systems.

I originally didn't like the NAD when paired with a NAD integrated, I found it mushy and indistinct. I liked it better paired with a brighter integrated (Cambridge Audio).

Been awhile since I listened to the Rotel and the Rega. I found the Rotel uninvolving (connected to Rotel gear) and eliminated the Rega because I didn't want top-load.

Hope that helps.

- Eric

Thanks Eric. I just recently looked at your system and saw that you have a Yamaha CDX-410u. I have a CDX-910u and boy did it sound awful. Although it image better, everything else was harsh and thin to me so I went back to the NAD.

Highend,

Do as I say, not as I do (as my stepfather used to say)! I've spent the last couple of years trying to extract my modded CD player from Stan Warren, who seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. That was to have been my replacement, and would have (I believe) sounded better than any of the players we're discussing here. As it is, I'm back to the drawing board myself.

Best of luck, and enjoy your music!

Cordially,

Eric