Best CD player now made.

If you are going to go by what others suggest, just look at how many Wadia 850s and 860s grace the systems at CES 2000. Those guys sytems have to sound their best, their livelyhood depends on it. If you don't have to have a preamp go for the Wadia 860. I was in the same situation as you wondering which way to go and I talked to some Wadia owners and they said that the #39 wasn't nearly as good as the Wadia. Read the May 98 issue of Stereophile for the review of the 850. In that review they dirrectly compare the BAT player to the 850 and the 39 to the 850. I think the descriptions say a lot about the sound of each player. Good luck

sony SACD1 no contest

I'd definitely pit my CD-50 against anybody's Wadia 850 or 860, Melos DVT 24/96, Levinson 39...JUST BRING IT ON! Wadia's filter is down 3dB at 20 kHz. WHAT GOOD IS A SLOW ROLL OFF FILTER IF IT BECOMES A TONE CONTROL WELL WITHIN THE AUDIBLE RANGE?? Upsampling COUPLED with a slow roll off filter is another story, but we're talking about one piece units here. Yes, I can hear 20 kHz, and beyond...most of us can, unless we're old...

Hmmm Accuphase 75V and Goldmund 37DA ++.....then maybe Wadia

THE ONE YOU HAVE. AT LEAST UNTIL ONE FORMAT EMERGES AS THE BEST FOR MUSIC. I BOUGHT A BETA VCR SEVERAL YEARS BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE PICTURE WAS BETTER. I HAVE A 15 YEAR OLD SONY THAT IS STILL GOING STRONG. I'VE LISTENED TO SEVERAL OTHERS AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES. TO MY EARS THE DIFFERENCES ARE SUBTLE AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO HEAR CONSISTENTLY EXCEPT IN A DIRECT COMPARISON. I DON'T WANT TO IMPLY THAT OTHERS DO NOT HEAR SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES. OUR OWN EARS ARE THE BEST JUDGE OF WHAT WE AS INDIVIDUALS HEAR. PAYING MORE IS NOT ALWAYS AN ASSURANCE OF BETTER SOUND.