I will start with my bias, that I've never warmed up to any low to medium end sony gear. When I heard Sony SACD I thought that I was doing quite as well with RedBook at home.(Krell CD1 and Spectral)
Now, that is just a reference. I would think that any BAT, the Audio Arrow, Cary, or Audio Research or Merridian would go where you want to go. If the New Appollo isn't top loading, (I don't know) you might want to go hear one. If not, that Audio Arrow would get my bucks. The only reason I didn't snatch one up is that I'm saving for more recent (can't hope for the newest) Cary units. I say this as a Krell 280CD owner. Solid deep bass, big sound stage, clear and deep imaging, smooth clean extended highs and detail and focus all the way. But it's not warm. So I'd rather go warm "all in one" than use it as you could your sony, as the detail transport into a tube D/A.
Now, that is just a reference. I would think that any BAT, the Audio Arrow, Cary, or Audio Research or Merridian would go where you want to go. If the New Appollo isn't top loading, (I don't know) you might want to go hear one. If not, that Audio Arrow would get my bucks. The only reason I didn't snatch one up is that I'm saving for more recent (can't hope for the newest) Cary units. I say this as a Krell 280CD owner. Solid deep bass, big sound stage, clear and deep imaging, smooth clean extended highs and detail and focus all the way. But it's not warm. So I'd rather go warm "all in one" than use it as you could your sony, as the detail transport into a tube D/A.