If your whole system costs $40,000....

I have spent about $31000. Including CD player. Simaudio Andromeda (about $12000 at the time). So CD player 38%. Contrary to some opinions, it made my music at a more emotional level than before (compared to Simaudio Eclipse also very good). Simaudio Eclipse not included in total above, it would be $36000 then.

I listened to many CD players including much cheaper ones before deciding. Over 3 years. thanks.

Bill

My TT will end up being a little under twice as much as my CDP which was almost twice as much as my next less expensive component, which is my Preamp. Don't scrimp on your source(s).

I will never own a disc player again. I think they have lost their relevance. The DAC was always the most important part of the player anyway, and now a stand alone DAC is much more important than the machine that spins it.

Download the info to a music server, then let the DAC take it from there.

Well Said Macdadtexas. You are absolutely right. Yours is the sensible answer. Players will go the way of VCR's...

Forget CD players. Rip your collection to harddisc and get a good USB Dac or a USB to S/PDIF converter and DAC. You can achieve SQ of very high grade CD players this way, and the convience is unsurpasses. Ripping the CD's is the real bitch though...