The best Cdp that have volume control

Camelot Uther V2.0 is a great DAC w/ volume and several inputs. It's only 20 BIT, but as good as most 24BIT out there.

My vote is for Wadia. I recently adjusted the internal DIP switches in my Wadia 850 in order to maximize its output level. Wow, what a difference this made. I am now listening between the 70-90 range comparred to the 45-65 range. Since I am operating the 850 well beyond the top half of its range the resolution and overall weight of the presentation has been incresed dramatically. When comparing the Wadia's w/out a preamp make sure the internal DIP switches are set to match your systems sensitivity.

My vote is for the Resoluton Audio CD50, it is both splendid and mezmorizing. To all those who have tangled with me before on this, I don't need to hear from you again here, or anywhere.

the res-audio cd50 *is* an outstanding cd-player, & can be had used for ~$1700. i finally had the opportunity to hear it on my brother-in-law's system, run thru an audio research ls-16 preamp, feeding an a-r 100.2 amp, driving proac 2.5's. i dint get the opportunity to hear it bypassing the preamp as my brother-in-law sez it's not really listenable, when comparing it w/running it thru the preamp. he also said it's splitting hairs between it & his almost half-as-expensive alchemist cd-player, when run thru the audio-research preamp. he *did* say that it's clearly better than the alchemist if comparing them both w/o the preamp. he *also* said that if he needed the money & were forced to sell either the preamp or the cd-50, and use the alchemist in his main rig, that it was a no-brainer - the alchemist run thru the pre was far better than the res-audio cd-50 run straight-in...

as i said before in this thread, i believe, if ya only got $2k to spend, the combination of a good tubed preamp w/your existing cd-player will net better sound than any $2k cd-player run straight-in to an amp. i a-b'd the same alchemist cd-player w/a $500 nad cd-changer in *my* system, thru my melos pre (and thru the cary slp-98, the short time i owned it), and i had the same experience - no discernable differences between the two players when run thru these preamps, and the nad was much better run thru the pre than the alchemist run straight-in. ymmv...

doug

A differing opinion of the RA. It's an incredible deal. You might find a used one close to your range. I've got the Resolution CD55, and it's bettered stand alone DACs I've owned that cost $2-3,000. I use it with Pass monos and Genesis speakers. And I prefer it run direct to amp, rather than through my tube preamp (now sold). BTW, the Resolution DOES HAVE A PREAMP---it's just built-in. It's an excellent, passive pre that is designed to mate well with the (high) output of the DAC section. Some people like passives better than actives, and some vice-versa. I generally prefer the transparency of a passive, but if you listen to a lot of rock, you might like aan active pre better. I wouldn't call it a smooth-sounding player. It's very detailed witout any harshness. Listen to it and decide for yourself.