cd player advice

If you want the very best, buy an Exemplar Modified Denon 2900. It retails for about $3900.

Jim

If you can afford $1080, the Music Hall CD25 with "Performance Stage 3" mods by Sound Odyssey (listed as an ad under "CD players" on 'Gon)will likely not be bettered by any player in its price range and can be the foundation for future system upgrades. I have the Trichord Research Clock 4 and "Never-Connected" clock psu upgrades in my digital source and it has been a huge improvement. Combine the Trichord parts with the top grade transport drive already in the Music Hall player PLUS the analog stage mods with Black Gate caps, ultrafast diodes, etc., and you can't lose for the price. Many used "big name" CDPs are sold on 'Gon for way more and cannot compete with the sound you'd get from this package. I've perused all the CD25 mod packages offered on 'Gon and this one, to me, has the best bang for the buck.

Another cdp to consider at the nad pricepiont would be the line from Cambridge--either their new 640 or the older 500se. Excellent players for their price. I've a/b'd the 500se (which I used to own) with several nads (can't remember the model names off the top of my head [this was about two years ago], maybe the 541?) Anyway, the Cambridge was very clearly better--more dynamic, better bass, more articulate. I've also head the Planet, and it has a very seductive sound.