hi-end universal players?

I am thinking the same way, going with a universal player, mostly to save real estate on the rack, my main concern is for regular CD playback. I too was thinking Esoteric DV-50, or even Linn unidisk.

From what I've read if you can handle the price you can't go to wrong with the Meridian 800, it's supposed to be incredible with regular CD as well as the other formats. It's just too much dough for me, but that's the one I'd go for if price were not a concern.

I had considered several high end players, including the DV-50, Unidisk, Compli and RT-10, but the route that I am giving a go is to have Dan Wright modify a Denon 5900 for me. The stock 5900 is a respectable machine (especially after the latest firmware upgrade), and Dan's mods have had rave reviews here on Audiogon and elsewhere. While I am a bit nervous about purchasing a product and having it extensively modified without first having heard a similarly modded player, from all I have read, and from my communications with Dan, I feel very optimistic.

It'll be a while before it comes in, but I'll be sure to share my results.

Tom.

Few more to put on your list:

Primare DVD30 MSRP $3,995?
Luxman DU-10 MSRP $8,999
Luxman DU-7 MSRP $3,499
Integra Research RDV 1.1 MSRP $4,000

Another link to Integra Research RDV 1.1

the key question for me is how good is it playing CDs which is by far prevalent software I use

the secondly SACD

then actually it would be picture quality, then finally DVD-A, given the lack of software

so by just judging by CD, which player is the best?

I briefly tested the unidisk and found it a bit disappointing, though perhaps it was I ABed ti against the Linn CD12.