Okay......best single box reference CD player

A single box player that can "outperform" your current setup, particularly since you like your current setup, would be a bit hard to come by.

I've heard a very similar DCS rig and liked the sound a lot, particularly for its smooth, relaxed and musical presentation (perhaps at some sacrifice in dynamics and detail). One box players that I've heard that may give you a similar sound are the Nagra and the Linn CD 12 (I heard that Linn may be bringing it back). It's been a while since I've heard a Burmester player, but the one I heard struck me as being very sweet and smooth sounding.

I like the player I have, the Naim CD555, though it is actually not one box (separate power supply and a combined DAC/transport). This player does everything well, though it still has a touch of "transistor" sound to me (slightly artificial "edge" to the initial attack of a note -- a kind of hardness to the sound).

correction to my post above regarding the Playback Designs;

i said;

"it uses an Esoteric VRDS transport"

i had thought that all the Esoteric digital transports were VRDS and that there were various levels of VRDS. a friend pointed out to me that this is wrong. other levels of Esoteric Transports are called different names. so to be clear; the Playback Designs has an Esoteric transport; but i don't know which one it is. it could be the VRDS-NEO, but i seriously doubt that due to it's cost.

i hope this is clear.

Nova Physics Memory Player

I don't know how we can determine the type of transport much less anything else about the player considering the manufacturer doesn't have a website and the distributor hasn't even attempted to provide specs or much else other than grandiose bluster.

APL NWO-3.0 GO-SE !