CD Player

NO KIDDING!...I sell Theta/Wadia/Sony Super/Bel Canto/Aud Research and I used to deal in Sonic/Meridian, and some of the people I know in the business with expensive gear use the Panasonic DVDA310 DVD player CD's!!!...Terrific in fact! I have listened to some of the best DAC/Transport combos in the world, and this unit hangs with some of the most expensive gear out there!...No kidding!! If I were looking to upgrade right now (givin the current uncertainty of SACD/DVD-A) I'd spend as little as possible..But that's just me. Unless someone is looking to go SACD or buy a $10000 DAC that does 24/192, I don't see it! I first hear about this player (with sceptisism) in an audiophile magazine, and the reviewer raved about how it was (overall) better than his several thousand $ Levinson DAC/Trans combo! Well years later a friend of mine told me he was using this with his Electa Amators/Coda amp/Pass pre, and that it was really musical!...So I decided to pick one up and try it for myself. And, long story short, I now own 3 of these players along with gear such as Thiel/Coda/Classe/Aud Research/Harmonic/Mit/etc! for about $300 you can pick one of these DVD players up(that will do 24/96 processing) that's extremely musical/detailed/dynamic! OK, so the dynamic contrast (parts quality?) isnt as good as what comes out of the better transports out there, so what! I use the CD STOPLIGHT from Audio Prisms with my DVD player and it's at least a 25% improvement!(that helps even the playing field in the dynamics dept.!) Anyway, If your into staying into the more upscale product names, I completely understand! However, if you want to pick up one of these guy's to try (I'm looking to sell one of my Three units at pressent), you can get one in the $300 range...And it will spin DVD's and 24/96 discs!

I've seen the Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1 selling for just under your $1500 minimum, and it was Stereophile Class A in its time. I have one and find it very musical, and have had Sonic Frontiers separates and a Parasound 2000 Ultra too. The SFCD-1 is the best I've had, and you won't get a Wadia 830 for $2000, which is the next step I hope I'll be taking.

I would get Linn Karik-Numerik combo, also "class A"(stereophile) and as good as any digital-end even at today standards.

RESOLUTION CD50 if you can find one . ONE OF THE BEST PEROID .

My recollection is that the 200 series transports are pretty good, with a lively and rhythmical presentation (many say - better than the 500 transport, which is dynamically dead). But unfortunately Meridian DACs are not good - I have owned the 200 series one and a 566-20, and I most certainly do not recommend them. So, in your position I would trial a DAC that was upgradable to DVD-Audio, and which preferably could upsample too, and keep the Meridian transport. The amount you save by doing this will probably compensate for the fact that the Meridian DAC will be almost worthless on its own. This leaves you the option of buying a "new standard" transport later.