Ayon CD2 is AMAZING

I would definitely take it slow before dropping down 5K on outdated technology. The Minimax is that good and it does get better with tube rolling. Telefunken smoothplates didn't work well in my system, better focus, detail, imaging but the soundstage lacked in comparison to 5814A. I have some Mullards boxplates coming soon which are very musical tubes and should match well in my system. I have updated the fuse to a silverstar hi-fi fuse and JPS digital AC powercord. The level of detail, richness and imaging is fantastic with a deep soundstage. The CD2 is great player but it's even better with the EE. EE sound is much smoother and less fatiguing.

Wig,
Wow sounds great, no doubt about it in your assessment! Thanks, I am jotting down your upgrades for reference. Good point about the improvement in DAC technology, which is why the quality of the CD-2 as a transport was a deciding factor in my purchase
Damn, it is not that much. I wish it had usb so that when it becomes second fiddle I could use it on my Mac.
I heard changing the tubes on the Minimax was tricky, I am new to tube rolling, What do you think?
Constant nonstop temptations in this hobby!!

It's easy, unless you have fat hands. Just 1/4 turn to remove tube sleeve and pull tube straight out. I wiggle mine a little and it comes right out. The smoothplates were wonderful in my pre-amp but not that good in the Dac which was eye opener since they are $100 and my $20 Jan 5814A are more musical and satisfying but the Mullards will be better when them come in since I have used them in the past. Give the unit time to break-in because mine is sounding better daily and approaching two weeks in which it should be done, just needing 100+ hours on the digital cable now before I can really hear what the Dac can do.

Wig, are you calling the 1704K chip outdated? Sure they are no longer produced, mostly because true ladder DAC chips were expensive to manufacture compared to cheap to make Delta-Sigma DACs. My understanding is that Saber DAC is a hybrid ladder/Delta-Sigma chip. The best CDP and DACs I've heard use the NOS ladder DACs (TDA1541, BB 1704, etc). The Saber DAC may look great on paper and sound ultra detailed, but many do not find them, well, very analogue sounding. Some of the NOS "outdated" chips are highly sought after because of their analogue sound, much like some NOS tubes. So far, my experience with new DACs using new generation chips have be a mixed bag. Many sound too sterile, too digital for my taste. But some like this sort of sound. I've heard the WFS DAC using the Saber chip and was not particularly impressed. The only new generation DAC that has me salivating is the MSB Diamond DAC. It is, however, a ladder DAC variant using aerospace grade ultra precision resistors.

After reading the Audio Blast by Doug Schroeder on Dagogo about the Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC, like sheep I went out and purchased the Minimax DAC and connected it exactly as Douglas describes to my Ayon CD5. $650 + tax later, I am sitting in my sweet spot, dumbfounded. The sound was completely 2 dimensional, thin and brittle.
I already own the W4S DAC 2 and the soundstage was little disappointing with the CD5, so I removed it. The CD5 is PERFECT by itself, just Like the musician is in the room!

Don’t waste your time and money

I am using the Synergistic Research IC's with the CD5, SR speakers cables and it blows away the Minimax DAC EXPERIMENT, which failed terribly in my system. I have a pair of Ayon Orthos mono amps, the CD5 and a pair of Lumenwhite Artisan speakers.

Mike