Best budget CDP?

Used Arcam FMJ CD 23 around $ 750

My recommendation is based on compairing side by side, in my system, the FMJ 23 to three other more costly players.

Musical Fidelity A 308
McIntosh 205
Arcam FMJ CD 36

Compaired to the MF A 308 the FMJ sounded more rich and full with just as much detail ( if not a hair more ) and Just as good in the bass department with about the same depth and soundstage.

The McIntosh 205 had more emphasis in the upper freq. response with a wider soundstage however the FMJ 23 beat it in overall richness and slam. about the same detail yet the bass on the FMJ was a definate winner over the McIntosh.

Finally I have now the FMJ 36 . Compared to the 23 the 36 is more detailed , slightly better depth and bass notes are more tunefull and punchy. ( perhaps better timing and less mud between the notes). However the FMJ 23 still sounds richer/fuller and choosing between the two is difficult for me. The FMJ 23 also decodes HD CDs which to my suprise is a real plus as a good HD cd can open up the soundstage with detail and depth I would not have believed before listening.
that's my two cents
good luck
Matt

If it was me, I might consider the Underwood XCD-5 which is factory authoized modification of the Onix CD-5. I believe cost of the player with the mods + package is about $870. Btw, the Onix CD-5 is pretty much the same player as the Music Hall 25.2, except it has a three year warrenty instead of Music Hall one year warrenty.

Another interesting affordable source is some of the tube based CD players - the Bada HD22, for example retails for about $549, and even though there is not a lot information on this player, what is out there is pretty postive. Recently, talked to a gentlemen who has a modded version of this player and he compared it with a similarly modded version of a Jolida JD-100 players. And he and the technician who modded both players thought the Bada sounded much better, and this was before he had replaced the Chinese tube in the Bada. Also, he mentioned that the Bada was better built that the Jolida.

You might want to stop by the Pacific Valve and Electric site for some of their offerings such as the Bada.

Bottom line, there is quite a number of excellent CD players in the $500 to $1000 range, especially if you're willing to have some mods done on them to bring them up to their full potential. I know that's route I'm going to go when I buy my next CD player.

Many good recommendations here, but I'm still leaning toward the Cambridge units, although the Consonance CD-120 linear also has my interest peaked.

I would really like to hear from anyone that has made a direct comparison between the 740C and 840C. Not interested in the additional features, i.e. XLR's, only how they compare soundwise.

One thing I really like about the Camridge units is the digital inputs. Down the road I could rip my CD's to a squeeze box and run it through the Cambridge.

Cambride sound with a juke box for all my music. Sweet!

I realize the 840 is beyond my original budget, but if it sounds better than the 740 I'm worried I might regret that I didn't get it just to save a few hunderd bucks.

Just wish there was a Cambridge dealer in my area.

Pick up a Cambridge CD500 SE for $250 and if you are not fully happy with it, that leaves a lot of money to either buy a tube DAC (or a tube buffer)or upgrade something else.