The best CD Player for the money

in spite of all of the posts regarding the best cd for the money, the question has no definitive answer, because the criterion set for evaluating sound varies among listeners.

there are many posts like this, with different components as subjects.

instead of eliciting a response to a question like this, listen and do research for yourself.

if i may make an analogy , asking for the best component for the money is like asking for the best wife, subject to some personal consideration.

huh?

Marantz SA8004. $999 list, available bundled with matching integrated amp PM8004 at a discount (and that amp is another giant killer). SA8004 does CD and SACD. It also has Toslink, co-ax, and USB inputs to make use of its excellent upconverting DAC. The noise floor on this unit is subterranean and the sound that comes out is very resolving, smooth, dynamic, and musically involving. And I say this as a vinyl junkie.

An Absolute Sound Jan 2012 digital product of the year, and rightly so.

Metralla, the Oppo BDP-105 may be the ticket. I suspect it will look and sound a lot like the 95, but it can also be used as a stand-alone DAC and has a lot better input connectivity options. (I never could figure out how to use the eSATA input in the 95).

BTW, in my installation, the fan has never come on.....fan noise has not been an issue for me. On the other hand, my DaySequerra MultiMerge 1 fan runs all the time and it's one of those hyperactive 1" diameter jobs. I am going to run a felt lined drain hose to the back of the little pecker, and out the rear of the equipment cabinet into another room.

The Oppo 103 comes out pretty soon, I suspect a modded 103 will be the cat's meow. In fact that's the plan.