Considering HDCD players

Is there some reason not to stick with Arcam? Others in their line are HDCD players.

You got quite a selection of cadidates there. I own a Linn
Ikemi and lov it. Before you spend your cash on a new HDCD player check your CD collection to see how many of them a recorded in the HDCD format. Unless the CD is recorded in that format the player won't decode it in HDCD. HDCD was developed a few years ago as a superior method of recording
CDs. For some reason it lost momentum, to give you an example I own about 2,000 CDs the HDCD indicator has come up in less than a dozen disks.

In other words HDCD won't enhance the sound of every cd in your collection, it will just decode those CDs recorded in that format.

As an option, you may want to consider an "Upsampling Player", they will make every CD in your collection sound close to SACD. I have only heard the Classe CDP-10. I was
amazed with this player. Hope this helps, Hector.

i have naim cdx and feel the hdcd encoded discs are comparable to sony combo sacd players in sound quality.

I live in an area where I can audition HDCD, DVD-A and SACD and, yes there are very valid reasons to invest in each format.

However, the above post reminding us that the vast majority of titles are available only in redbook compels me to stick with a really good upsampling CD player.

There are several marvelous units around, the best being the Audio Aero Capitole Mark II and the new kid on the block which is the EMM.

I am going to stick with my Audio Aero at least until the various other formats sort themselves out, and perhaps long after that as the AA's circuit board is upgradable and my investment is in Redbook and I don't want to go out and buy it all over again.