3 player shortlist, help me make a choice.....

Hello, Can I make a suggestion? I would encourge you to try the Mark Levinson 39 Cd Player. It has many features to offer many more than any other you mentioned above. Also it can be ran directly to your amplifier if need be. It has an anologe volume control so that you dont lose bits of information when you turn it down it just gets quiter. If you have your heart set on the above mentioned then I would go for the Meridian that has the warmest most sweet sound out of all your choices. I think you would love the 39. Best of luck

I have a YBA 2-Delta CD player which I am very please with. My system is very revealing, and the YBA works very well.
The YBA just sounds like music.

I encourage you to be careful with the 39 as it is about to be replaced by the 390 or 390S.

If it limited only to the three you have mentioned, I would probably recommend the YBA. I have not heard it in quite a while but was extremely impressed when I did. The Meridian 508.24 is pretty good as well, but I was not blown away by it. I actually compared it head to head with a "cheapie" Rotel 955 (if I remember the model correctly) and the Meridian was only marginally better. I was a bit surprised. Unfotunately, I have never heard the Copland so I of course immediately kicked it off the list. :)

In response to Jtinn warning you away from the Levinson 39. He is correct about it being replaced by the 390 but you can buy a used 39 between 3,000 and 3,500 and at that price there isnt a cd player that even comes close to the 39 even at full retail which is 6,000 it is a hard player to beat. The 390 will cost around 7 or 7,500 and that is a very big investment. The 39 just won best of 2ooo or 2001 as far a cdplayer goes and thats pretty impresive seen how long it has been in production. I would encourage you to read all the reviews on the 39 and also take one home and once you do all of the above I know you will be sold as was I. Good Luck

why limit yourself to three players?

for under $2000 used (or new (DAC))

wadia 830
sonic frontiers cd-1
audio research cd2 (new cd3 coming out)
cal delta with EVS Millennium II dac ($1050 new)
(one reviewer said the Millennium I (without upsampling) blew away his Meridian 508.24)

The previous suggestions are all good. I have one concern about your existing system. The LS2 (I owned an LS2B for three years) is very bright and a better digital front end might not sound good to you through that line preamp. I replaced mine with a Sonic Frontiers Line 3 and the improvement was incredible. I liked the LS2B in a lot of ways but it could drill you into the wall with bright treble. If your system is not bright now then disregard my comments. (I was driving a Krell KSA200s and Thiel 3.6s..all on the bright side.)

Keis

not to jump away too much from the initial thread

thanks for the response

The LS2 is a little bright - I've tamed it a bit with Cardas Gold Cross and HT Pro Silway II cables.

I have tried out an Audio Research LS5 which is incredible, dynamic and not bright on the top end. As for front end I ended up going with the Cal Delta transport and EVS Millenium II dac. Have a set of ultimate attenuators coming to test out bypassing the preamp for now

thanks

Tom