ultimate final word best cd set up

I previously owned a Sony DVP-9000ES and personally, I think just about any good dedicated player will outperform the Sony for Redbook CD playback. The Sony is a pretty good DVD player and it has the benefit of SACD support (which I did not use), but it is only mediocre for CD playback when compared to other players that I have owned. Here are the players I have owned and all of them outperformed the Sony (IMHO) for redbook CD playback:

Arcam Alpha 9
Theta Miles (balanced version)
Cary CD-308
Granite Audio 560
Resolution Audio Opus 21
Quad 99 CDP

Of these, the Resolution Audio Opus 21 ($3500 list, $2500 used) was easily the best, but the most expensive.

I currently own the Quad 99 CDP ($1499 list, $850 used) and think it is an outstanding value, especially when used in a single source system using its built-in volume control. If you only have a single source system, get rid of the expensive pre-amp and go direct from the Quad to your power amp.

I love my Quad 99 CDP and think it is an outstanding value. It is not the equal of the RA Opus 21, but it is in the ballpark and cost a lot less.

Enjoy,

TIC

1. Wadia 861 se w/GNS statement mods.
2. M. L. 390S
3.Audio Aero Capitol
4. Resolution Audio Opus 21

All have no need for a preamp, cause no preamp is the best preamp!

It's hard to make any definitive judgment about any single component given the issue of how one component complements another. I have head the $14k Burmester player. It sounds warm and rich and smooth. I've heard various Grand Utopia speakers and they strike me as having a bump in the bass and upper bass that make them sound a bit warm and quite sluggish and dynamically unexciting. I can see how the pairing of the two would exaggerate what I consider to be a problem with the speakers. I am not familiar with the X-01, but if it is leaner and more dynamic than the Burmester, I would expect it to pair better with that speaker. If that is the case, would that make the X-01 a superior player? Yes, in the context of that system and a particular taste in sound.

Audio Aero Prima CDP. I believe it retails for $2200.You won't find a better player at the price or double.

emmlabs dac 6 w/ philips transport. i'm not kidding - cd playback sounds like vinyl, only quieter. i can't wait to hear it with the cdsd transport.

i've also owned the RA opus 21 and, for the price, you will not beat it. there is no dedicated cd player between the two that i would buy. keep in mind that the dac 6 with transport costs four times what the opus 21 does, so value and sound wise, this speaks volumes about the opus 21.

and i'm generally one who gets tired of superlatives when describing audio equipment, but let me say that the difference between the two is not subtle. the emmlabs is, quite frankly, better than my previous vinyl rig of a teres 365, SME V arm, and van den hul colibri cartridge. i never thought cd would best vinyl - but now i believe it has. oh, and the sacd playback on is even a wee bit better than that, as well.