New amp or new cd player?

Definitely do your front end first.

Although I have also read that a decent cdp used as a transport, and a dac such as the bel canto dac 2, sound nearly as good as some of the very good cd players out there.

You might also want to look into PC Audio if that holds any allure to you (having your entire music collection at your fingertips. If done right that method can also sound better than "very good CD players". Yes, you certainly could get a nice DAC and use your current transport, or a better one. A great DAC will make a significant difference to my ears. I don't know how discriminating you are. My wife couldn't care less about this stuff and claims to hear little difference. It's in the ears of the beholder, as it were. It would not be difficult to improve upon an older Onkyo DVD player IMO. To clarify what may be confusing you: Your CD/DVD player already contains a DAC inside. If you used it as a transport you would be bypassing the use of that internal DAC by sending the digital output signal to an external DAC (assuming it has a digital output) via a cable. By all means, it can make a big difference. I'd probably go for a better transport too, especially if yours is old. If you don't have much experience in these realms, I'd suggest you go to a dealer, or to an audio show where you can hear a few examples and see if the differences made in an investment in your front end actually matter to you (or that you can hear them at all). If you have a friend, or a local audiophile club, or anyone who might be patient enough to demonstrate to you what potential may be there for you that would be a big step in the right direction and may save you money, and or open up new worlds.

Assuming all entry level cdps around 1500-2000 sound the same, i would also assume they sound much better than my 150$ onkyo dvd/cdp?

I didn't say they sound the same. It's all about the diminishing return of the investment. What I have suggested is to spend around $500 to buy an entry level dedicated CDP, and use the rest on other area. CDPs with modern design and good quality parts such as Cambridge Audio or even Onkyo DX-7555 are very well received, and you'll probably hear immediate improvement. However, the incremental difference in sound quality between those $500 CDP and $1500 CDP is probably going to be smaller than the difference between $1500 and $2500 amps. If you have higher budget, say $3000, then sure, go ahead and buy $1500 CDP. If your budget is $1500, don't spend them all on one component.

Changing your CDP will make a huge difference and replacing the Monster Cable I/C's will have just as large an affect on the quality of sound. A Raysonic 128, one on Agon for $1175 OBO, is a good player for the price plus you can modify the sound by rolling tubes, a big plus IMO. You would still have $200-300 to spend on I/C's( Transparent Music Link ?) and this would bring the rest of your system up to the level of the Gallo's and Mac, you don't know how good these are because the CDP and I/C are so poor. These changes will blow you away with the improvement and put a BIG smile on your face!!!

For your setup definitely the CDP first. Soundstage, imaging and 3-D realism will be improved by leaps and bounds depending on the quality of the player. You may hear sounds that have not been heard previously from your CDs as detail is improved. Good quality recordings will benefit the most with a good source, and you may find poor quality recordings especially rock music CDs sound worse in comparison to your existing DVD player due to the added detail.

For an audio enthusiast, there will be a perceived difference in changing the CDP.
For a non-audio enthusiast, there wouldn't be any difference and they will all sound just the same.

Farjamed

Uh, IMO Monster cables are Monsters… but that’s just me.

I feel they, as well as the lack of synergy in a previous system were responsible for the outcome of that rig… which wasn’t good.

Right off I’d think long or hard about what I want to wind up with… Are these thoughts towards a new CDP or amp the end of the road? Or are these merely stepping stones to another level of performance which will likely then change again?

In other words, are you attempting to build a quite high end, most resolving and musical system, or just trying to iron out a couple issues and be done with things entirely?

RE Cables
Regardless what CDP or amp, you buy, ya gotta have wires to connect them.

To coin an abused but accurate note from around here, “Everything makes a difference.”

Good cables, again IMO, begin at around $250 a pair. Cardass Neutral Ref, AZ matrix II, MIT shotgun S3, etc. and other’s of course.

Just like in devices, mo will get you mo. Let your budget and ears battle that one out. Try the Cable Co. to investigate some possibilities there.

No matter what you get in a digital player or decoder, time will eventually downgrade it by comparison to current markets in it’s genre.

Sony usually makes a very dynamic player, Cambridge now has a well reviewed one but some accounts say it lacks punch, but is most musical. Many here seem to like rega, and the English brands. Other shoot for the Chinese units to get more bang for the buck.

In new CDP, I wouldn’t look to closely at models under $1000… unless they were gaining critical acclaim everywhere and I was stepping up from a lesser perch. I paid about that for a used sony as one of my first moves around here, a SCD XA 777es. I had and enjoyed it for years! Sold it recently. Other Sony models that come to mind as decent are the SCD 777es. Lots of these have been moded to perform far better too.

Mod right has done a lot of good on Dennon models too… and there are a few for sale right now, like in the 3910 modles which play everything I think. Some of these will cost over a grand though.

Maybe for now just shoot for a top Rega preowned and recently bought or lightly used, or a Jolita tubed unit, or for a wee bit more an Audio Arrow. Then add some upscale cables to allow that signal to pass along as unadulterated as possible, by trying some from the Cable co.

You’ve got a lot of headroom right now. Don’t let your head spin over the choices. Many are very good so the choice isn’t that hard. Excellent and perfect cost a good bit more so just get in where ya fit in now, and later on sell the whatever, and buy another!

The note on PC audio is a good one too. That’s why I sold my CDP. The pc performance level had surpassed it.

The better the DAC, the better that deal will be in the end.