Best CD player under 5000

I listened to a buch of different players before buying a Cary 303, used, for a very nice price. I'm not going to say that it's the BEST CDp on the market, but I think it's a wonderful player for the money - warm, detailed, harmonically accurate and dynamic. It needs a LOT of break-in, and good cabling, to show what it can do. If I had the scratch, a 306 would be in my system right now.

I would liked to have auditioned an Electrocompaniet, but there isn't a dealer in my area. I prefered the 303 over Resolution Audio CD55, Theta Miles and some other well known players.

I agree with Doug, you get a lot of mileage from a good tube pre...but digits aren't digits, the digital front end is crucial to the sound of your system.

BTW, the Carys are frequently discounted new. Check 'em out.

I listened to a friend's system while travelling, and could not believe how terrific his CD player was. I think it was a Resolution Audio. He really knew his stuff on room setup, also. My own Sony ES 777 definitely did not measure up when playing the CD's that I had with me then, but I still like being able to play SACD's at home. I'm not sure I like the fact that everyone is embracing another Sony owned format, though.

Spend the money on the source.Dont take bad advice from Sedond.He is out of his league to suggest there is no difference between a 500 cdplayer and a 5K player.Tone deaf doug or what.

ya, sure leafs, whatever... don't knock it 'til yuve tried it. no, i dint try a $5k cd player. i *did* try i highly respected $3k cd player, tho, & the results were as reported above. sure, perhaps spending $5k or more *will* get ya more resolution w/a better cd source, but i don't tink cd hardware is worth spending lotsa money on rite now, w/the current state of flux over future software standards. or, perhaps, as ya say i'm tone-deaf.

me, i tink it's a matter of priority tho, cuz getting a premier-quality pre-amp made a *huge* difference in the sound of *all* my sources - vinyl *and* fm, as well as cd. and, these sources *are* worth upgrading, cuz improvements *can* be heard when doing so.

since most of my listening is to winyl or fm anyway, i don't need that nth degree of whatever musical walue cd has to offer. even the best cd rig can't compete w/a good winyl set-up - the most expensive cd-players can only do so much. i got 95% of what *any* top-line cd-format source hardware has to offer, yust by using a great preamp & a decent source. mebbe i'm tone-deaf cuz i've never heard *any* s.o.t.a. cd set-up sound as good as a well set-up $3k analog rig, but i don't tink so. ;~)

doug s.

ps - please find someone else to pick on - don't ewe tink this is gettin' old, yet? better still, try not picking on anybody.

Why spend money on trying to reshape a single.If more Cd player had Volume controls a preamp could be eliminated.Garbage in Garbage out.Garbage in to good preamp =junk still coming out not as bad but still not perfect.You are just adding another coloration.You might as well put Tone controls on.
You make a good point on the Analog.The only Cd set up I heard that approaches is 3K anolog rig is a 9K Canadian $ Audio Aero Capitole.
3K cd players do sound better than 500 dollor ones,in most cases.