Is this the END of DAYS for the high end CD player

For those who don't choose wisely YES.

Mrtennis - My advice - consume as much of the mighty B3 as possible :)

Mechans,

IMO, DAT killed the cassette.

Just bought Burmester 001 cd player,could not be happier.Also have Thorens tt,that I kept for all these years when Lp's were
supposedly 'dead',along with thousand or more Lp's.Now its same thing with cd's,but again have them thousand or more,will
stick to them same as I stick to records.Anyway,having music in Pc is ok with someone,but I guess if you are seriously into
something you will prefer to have it and hold it in the hand,just like the books,the ones I like i keep them at home,not in the virtual world.Than there is matter of searching,and buying some realy rare editions,that's something that some music file never will be equal,so buying and having a great cd player goes in the same category with other stuff that are not maybe rational,like vintage or sports cars,great single malts,books or realy good looking women that makes you spend much money,but you do it with a smile,because thats the spice of life

BTW, now is probably a good time to buy a high end CD player if you need one to get the most out of your existing CD collection for the foreseeable future because the prices for the players labeled "high end" will continue to go up over time (much like good turntables have over the last 25 years or so) as it becomes more and more of a niche market.

The flip side is that the technology will continue to only become better and cheaper so the real value of a "high end" player may diminish as a result of inexpensive players offering better competition.

Also, always watch out for snake oil. Higher price generally means better build quality and aesthetics but does not always translate into better sound/performance.