Budget CDP upgrade: DAC or new CDP?

This is really a difficult question. In your price range, you have many, many good options. Personally, I was not very impressed with the Musical Fidelity DAC, even though I LOVE my Tri-Vista SACD. If you shop around, you could probably get a Chord DAC 64 for close to your price. The Chord DAC is amazing even at retail. However, I think you should also consider a Modwright "Universal Truth" Pioneer DV-47 with the tube output stage. It is an amazing machine, and it will play all formats with aplomb. If you buy a new unit online and pay for the mods, you could still come in less than $1.5K. I won't even go into all of the reasons why some might prefer an outboard DAC versus a one box machine, but if you go for one box, you will at least save some money on cables.

Thanks Thsalmon. I'm just trying to understand what's the advantage to go with DAC vs. more expensive CDP (or vice-versa), in the given price range. Multiple reviews for inexpensive (~$1000) DACs all tell that there is a huge advantage of DAC over 'just cdp'...

Would you name some of the besr CD players in this price range - where to start from...

Dmitrydr

i am exactly at your situation, i am now currently using the MF A3 cd-player. I am not sure what to do next, i have consider the wadia 12 dac or the wadia-32x... i am so confused,,, i have also look at the Shanling T-100 ... ,now i really dont know what choice should i go for .. ? anyone knows if the wadia will give out those warm and rich soubding like the shaling with its valve output ?? help ...!!

If there was something perfect as a transport (lowest jitter) even with not the best DAC section, paired with some pretty good DAC, it might beat some best CD players around. But I find difficult to determine CDP with the lowest jitter...