I also recommend a good quality outboard DAC. I use a Muse Model Two with Sony CA9ES and XA7ES CD players-- excellent results. The CA9 definitely needs the quality of the outboard DAC, but the XA7 doesn't. I used to have a CD63SE, and thought it was a little thin and analytical using its on-board DAC. I never did hook it up to an outboard DAC, but I would think the 63 would make an excellent transport. I like the many play/program features of inexpensive CD players and the music quality of good outboard DACs. I also use Theta TLC and Sonic Frontiers jitter reducers between CD player and DAC. Besides yielding better music, they also convert Toslink to Coax.. There are many good DACs under $1K.