"tube" cd players?

Hi Joeb-
The best sounding tube CD player I've ever heard was a Cal Audio Labs Tempest II SE. It was manufactured in 1989-1990. 18 Bit O/S Burr-Brown DACs and a Philips CD-4 drive mechanism - my favotite drawer of all time. It's kinda hard to find one used, but if you see one for less than $700-800 or so, I'd grab it as long as you could hear it. They were $4000 new in 1989 (gasp!), but were commonly considered one of the best ever made. It's a large (very!) two-box unit, with the power supply in one chassis and the drawer & electronics in another. Caution - it does not have digital out, so you can't use it as a transport - but why would you want to? I owned one for years, and heard one just a few weeks ago, and it's very musical. Non-fatiguing digital - what a concept! BTW, Cal Audio Labs still supports service on that model - they're actually still proud of it!
Good luck,
Ed

The Audio Matiere Tube CD Player was really good. It was designed by the same person, who designed the Audio Aero Tube CD Player. Also, the Cal Tempest 3 was very good.

the California audio lab player mentioned above isn't in the same universe[much less the same league]as the Audio Aero Capitol

If this post makes it past the moderator, and offends someone, I apologize in advance. :-)
To Mejames: Are we (The AudiogoN Community) to infer from your post that you have owned both the AAC and CAL units, heard them in your home, and thus can comment on their relative merits? If that is true I most certainly would like to hear the AAC, since I've heard the CAL and think it sounded pretty good. If it isn't, upon what are you basing your opinion? I'm certainly open to anyone's opinon, but I hope it wasn't based upon something you heard or read. When you see a post above my name, it will be based solely on my familiarity with that subject, or piece of equipment. I don't jump into threads about equipment that I've never heard; although reading them certainly has provided me with a lot of ideas for possible future purchases. I take no stock in reviewers, since they don't own what I do and can't tell me how something might sound in my home, with the rest of the system. Because of that, I've tried lots of equipment - which is the fun part of the hobby - although, sometimes I've purchased something blind that turned out to be not very musical - the not fun part of the hobby. An example: A friend of mine was recommending that I try out an amp. He directed me to an on-line review which praised the amp very highly. Upon checking the reviewer's ancillary equipment used for the review, I noticed that he was using a set of speakers that I've heard, and thought sounded dreadful - absolutely flat dynamics until you turn them up REALLY loud. So, am I to assume that A. The reviewer plays his music at room shaking levels, or B. That he simply doesn't listen the way I do. Remembering Occum's Razor: In light of all the facts as you know them, the simplest answer tends to be the correct one, I chose B. I may try the amp someday, but I'll make my own decision, thanks.That is what I advise to all of my hi-fi friends - hear something in your home, in your system, before you make up your mind. And don't put down anyone else's preferences - I've heard very musical systems assembled from components that I swear wouldn't work well together.
Sorry for the long rant, but that's the way I feel.
Biting my tongue,
Ed

sorry didn't mean to offend you. Heard the California audio lab player many occasions at a dealer when in production way back years ago, dealer replaced with Theta pro basic II which totally killed the California player. Owned the Theta until bettered by EAD-700 and 700 II, bettered by Encore Piramid, bettered by Wadia 27 bettered by Audio Aero Capitol.