The Cal Labs Icon Mk.II w/power boss is a very smooth, musical and overall good sounding player. It doesn't have the resolution of the newer players but it is very musical. You do realize it would be tough to get it serviced however.
The Sony Xa7es player is my favorite for musical players. It is uncanny how it is so rich and non digital but with as much resolution or more than any players mentioned so far.
It also weighs in at about 40 or so pounds and is built like a tank. Used, they are going for $800 or so and worth every penny. Much better player than the Rotel and others. It was a Stereophile class "A" cd player.
These observations are based on owning the Rega's, the newer Rotel that received all the good reviews, the CD67 and both Cals(the CL15 has higher resolution but also sounds more digital.)
The Sony would be an excellent match with your equipment.
Some of the newer stuff is just TOO good except with really good discs. The high resolution really shows the flaws. I had an Ayre CX7e and while an excellent player, I migrated back to the Sony.
I have a new Marantz SA11s1 on the way. I'll see how it does. It is reported to be very analogue like, similiar to the Sony. The Sony and the Marantz are/were $3500 players.
My system consists of a Theta DreadnaughtI 4-ch, Aesthetix Calypso, Vandersteen 5a's and misc. sources (the Sony lately but I have used the Wadia 861se and others recently.)
The Sony Xa7es player is my favorite for musical players. It is uncanny how it is so rich and non digital but with as much resolution or more than any players mentioned so far.
It also weighs in at about 40 or so pounds and is built like a tank. Used, they are going for $800 or so and worth every penny. Much better player than the Rotel and others. It was a Stereophile class "A" cd player.
These observations are based on owning the Rega's, the newer Rotel that received all the good reviews, the CD67 and both Cals(the CL15 has higher resolution but also sounds more digital.)
The Sony would be an excellent match with your equipment.
Some of the newer stuff is just TOO good except with really good discs. The high resolution really shows the flaws. I had an Ayre CX7e and while an excellent player, I migrated back to the Sony.
I have a new Marantz SA11s1 on the way. I'll see how it does. It is reported to be very analogue like, similiar to the Sony. The Sony and the Marantz are/were $3500 players.
My system consists of a Theta DreadnaughtI 4-ch, Aesthetix Calypso, Vandersteen 5a's and misc. sources (the Sony lately but I have used the Wadia 861se and others recently.)