What is the affect of cd player?

Mlauner is on point,your source is always the most important component in the chain.It doesn't matter how sophisticated the equipment downstream,if you don't have a premiere front end you're just blowing smoke.

Jack
It's just getting better and better, huh?

All the above input is valid.

My exp is such that no one piece is more key than the source... but one wouldn't put a $5K CDP on a $500 INT amp, now would they? some sense of balance generally pushes things towards higher levels. The culmination of things allows the signal to be realized as being improved upon.

some will stick to spending more on speakers first and moving towards the front end (source), other's will think exactly opposite of that and drop tons on the front end.

The relationship between speakers and amp is pretty important, very, actually. once that is in place, either first or later on, or even last for that matter, the source is going to be where many go to get system wide gains.

simply throwing money on a source, without bringing up to par other pieces of your gear, you're spinning your wheels.

try out some new footers on that Cambridge... or play with it's power cord next. If you've not done that you aren't done addressing the source completely.

You seem to have liked what the new Cambridge did for your rig already. good. Perhaps now address some other area of your gear next. Maybe cables, or conditioning, even isolation.

My ideas are based on simply what I've exp'd. I've heard great sources, with great preamps and amps, on modest speakers, and it sounded beter by far than mid fi electronics on great ($$$$$) speakers.

Seemingly minor changes too, can be remarkably interesting and most positive... and fun.

Enjoy.

I like Blindjim's post. In my own system, the analog and digital sources represent the most expensive components by a clear margin but not an overwhelming one. That's just the way it worked out, but I do recall listening with less good sources in the system at times. It was easy to hear their deficiencies.

If you want to know if source improvements will make a difference, try Blindjim's suggestion and swap in a new power cord, some good footers ( try Herbie's Audio Lab ) or an isolation transformer. You can use these items on a new player if and when you get one, or resell without losing much if they turn out to have no effect. IME, though, they do work, and well enough to be considered indispensable.

Here's what I have learned from my experience; if you know what you are looking for, you'll know it when you hear it. That's how it worked for me.
When I listened to my current cdp a few years ago it was a revelation as to just how good cds can sound. That hasn't stopped me from looking for better but through numerous players of various types I haven't found one that beats my old Resolution Audio CD-50. Same applies to my current speakers. Numerous, more expensive contenders have come and gone but none allow me to relax into the music the way the Kestrel HRs do.
Good luck with your search.

You can have a great source (upstream) and a downstream that isn't it's equal and you won't know how good the source is or how poor the downstream is. You can't have a great downstream and a poor source, it's short comings will be evident immediately so I think you should stay downstream until you find the Cambridge isn't doing the job, you'll know when the time has come!!!