What's best CD player one piece price no object

Glreno, Vsfang is right; the Lindemann is fixed output. I play vinyl also so I would want to have a selector switch at least.

At one level I would agree as different people look for different aspects of sound reproduction and the same piece of equipment can sound different with different associated equipment. But long before the review mags. can cast their spell on new equipment, you do get vibes that it is exceptional or not. Sometimes, however, it is too expensive to have much impact, such as the Linn CD12. I would entirely agree on finding what you like rather than following the herd.

Why no mention ofthe Meridian 588???

I know I am a little behind on this one but I have had the pleasure of listening to a lot of the above players in my system. All that I have heard have been very good.I currently own a EMC1 with the 24/192. Other players I have heard in my system: The Linn cd12, Nu vista, AVM with 24/96, and Resoltion CD55. Also very familiar with the Audiomecca Mephisto II as my father owns it. I have heard the AA only in systems in New York and have not compared it side by side though I can say it sounded great. Here is how I would rate them: EMC1 gets best dynamics and bass. Mephisto II gets the most "vinal sounding" with its non agressinve fall in love with that midrange sound. The Linn is like mixing the two players together but maybe a touch softer that the Emc1. These are certainly the 3 best players I have heard in my system. The Nu vista did not do it for me in my system. It had a bright and light weight sound in comparison. It was very detailed, transparent and fast but lacked the bottom of any of the other players including the CD55 or the AVM. These are the sleepers in the croud as they both retail for about 3k and offer 85-90% of the "state of the art" performance of the top players. My overall vote goes to the Linn. But because it is 20k -one could buy all of the other players mentioned used for what one Linn would cost and play whichever one suits your taste for the day, I will stick with my EMC1 for now...

the dCS Vivaldi One. And that's that.