New amp or cd player?

good options i will look into them. ok this may be a stupid question but here goes. can i use my tube preamp with my old school pioneer elite 39tx reciever? i mean just use the amp part of the reciever. i like the tube sound but would like to use the amp power from the reciever. thanks again

If you "hate" the NAD CDP, then get something you like. Why keep it if you don't like it? But I doubt you'll improve the sound significantly if you stay within your price range.

Have you thought about using the NAD CDP as a transport and purchasing a good DAC?

Does the NAD have toslink out? If so, Music Hall Mambo or Maven as suggested above both have digital inputs and would be a great yet simple upgrade.

no i guess i need to research that. i dont hate the player itself just that i cant replace the power cord. its leaps and bounds better than my old pioneer player. just thought i could get a better cdp without spending a ton. what would be a good dac to look at? thanks guys.

Maybe clean house (cdp , amp annd pre) get into say a peach tree decco (integrated with tube pre and dac $800). This would give you options for digital sources. Universal player, or DVD/CD (digital out to decco), or wadia itransport. Or later you could use the decco as a pre with an amp. or keep the nad for now and use as a transport.