Which CD Player? Talk Electronics or Shigaraki?


Help me to pick the best player for my system. I have VTL MB 750's, Hovland HP100, Klipsch KLF 30's.

TIA
Rich
Richdeben@hotmail.com
128x128richdeben
I'm on a $3,000 budget. I think the best money can be spent on a DAC. I have an optical output on my TASCAM CD player. Maybe a transport is not the most important thing to spend my money on? In other words should I spend all $3,000 on a DAC and get a transport later down the line? Any help appreciated.
The talk electronics thunder3.1b is pretty good.I own one which I changed a classe cdp10 for. It may be better than average seperates at that price point.
I use the Consonance CD-120 and am very pleased with it. I think you would find that it would be a good match with the rest of your components.
The Talk 3.1 is the best bang for the buck. I don't know anything that can beat it at that price point. To get anything better you would have to spend thousands more.

Just my opinion, but the best bargain CDP I’ve heard is made by Jolida - about $1K and has a tubed output stage. If you can go to $3500, I’d recommend the Modwright/Sony XA5400ES. Dan Wright’s mods make this (already great-sounding) player ’world class’, and you get the benefit of excellent SACD playback as well.

Breaking your budget, my absolute favorite is the EAR Acute CDP. Ayre also make a nice sounding player, but the Acute is ’magic to my ears’.  I hope that helps.