Add a DAC or buy a new CD player?

I agree on the cd player. Whenever I put my cheap cd player into a system, it ruins it. You can just hear it's signature digital harshness through the whole system. I have owned the adcom 750, and I think it's a good player. You can get one for $750 ish. A better player is the Sony XA7ES which has high quality variable outs thus bypassing the need (and versatility) of a preamp. You can find these for $1300 or so. I think you have to get into the $2000+ dac territory to beat it. A third approach would to buy an older, high quality DAC such as the meridian 203 (seen for $195). These had 1991 era digital circuits, but very good analog outputs. My baseless personal opinion is that a high quality analog section is worth more than the latest digital circuitry. Has anyone compared the new msb's with an older, high end dac ?

i guess ewe yust have to try for yourself - my experience, & that of my brother-in-law, are prety much opposite that of john & elizabeth. w/a nice tube preamp, the difference between $500 cd-changers up to $3500 cd players are nominal, & the $500 cd player w/toob preamp is much nicer than the $3500 cd-player & nice solid-state preamp. oh well... ;~) doug

Is Rotel replace their cd player with new model ?? Elizabeth ?? I am on going to buy one, please e-mail me !!

I really like my Bel Canto DAC1. Check out these reviews, I think they might answer your questions. Good Luck,Charlie http://www.onhifi.com/product.shtml http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/belcanto_dac1.htm http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/belcanto_dac1_followup.htm

My situation mirrors yours, and the advice of Elizabeth et al is pertinent. MY Rotel 855 sounds wonderfully rhythmic and taut with my new high-rez (Pass Aleph P) preamp, but woefully grainy and etched on top. My first demo of the BelCanto w/DVD was better, but ultimately flawed by a perceived upward spectral tilt and "whitishness". So I'm chasing a more highly-resolved CDP that doesn't lack pace (like the ARCAM), nor sounds uptilted. My rack (nor wallet) can't support the Electrocompaniet, so.... Philc: dealer told me the Rotel 991 (adjustable dither, $1300) is discontinued, NOT the whole line. I'm on the waiting list for the new Millenium DAC2, but my patience is waning.... (Oh...Kadlec: several years ago my 855's motor failed. Factory-rep service here in MA (EQUITY) replaced analog op-amp with one from the current series, a cap, AND the motor for $90 total. The top end and was clearly more resolved...but, again, consequently grainier. It was an easy mod, and satisfactory until this recent system upgrade.) I found the YBA-designed ARC CDP to be a smooth compromise for $700--not reference quality, but especially good at taming bright commercial CDs while retaining musicality. Good Luck! Ernie