Is Wadia 861se close to the best?

I have the 861SE with the Great Northern Sound Statement upgrade. I love it. I suggest calling Steve Huntley at Great Northern Sound (www.greatnorthernsound.com for telephone number). He mods Wadia, Audio Aero and others. He is a good source for info.

Hi,

I never heard it but my friend, who has heard a lot of cd players says its defintely one of the best players around. Wadia excels in the inner details of instruments.

Good Luck!

The 861 is very good. The Great Northern Sound modified one is even better. The only player that I preferred to the modified version is the fabulous Accuphase DP-75V - similarly detailed and dynamic, but with a very analog-like presentation that keeps drawing you into the music.

The SE offers a considerable improvement over the standard 861. I lived with the 861 for almost 2 years before adding the SE upgrade.

If so, the "standard" or "custom"? How much is each upgrade?