I have owned a Wadia 301 and Audio Aero Cap MkII. Admittedly, the 861 will be a better player than the 301, but to the extent they share the same sonic signature, I prefered the Cap.
The Wadia was fast, articulate and transparent. Its problem is upper frequencies, especially on less than pristine recordings -- they are bright and aggressive, and exhibit quite a bit of smearing to my ears. I could not, for example, listen for any length of time to Joni Mitchell's voice or Coltrane's soprano sax on the Wadia. Some people don't share my view on this. As always, YMMV. In any case, Great Northern Sound Mods are supposed to eliminate these problems.
The Cap is warmer, smoother, and generally more listenable than the Wadia, but slower, with less bass impact and softer highs. It's an excellent player, and not a bad deal for the $4k or so they're going for used. On the other hand, you may want to consider even cheaper players, like the new Arcam or the Ayre CX-7. I haven't heard these players but their reviews are excellent. I'd be surprised if the 861 or the Cap is twice as good.
Of course, a $2000 analogue set up will blow them all away . . .
The Wadia was fast, articulate and transparent. Its problem is upper frequencies, especially on less than pristine recordings -- they are bright and aggressive, and exhibit quite a bit of smearing to my ears. I could not, for example, listen for any length of time to Joni Mitchell's voice or Coltrane's soprano sax on the Wadia. Some people don't share my view on this. As always, YMMV. In any case, Great Northern Sound Mods are supposed to eliminate these problems.
The Cap is warmer, smoother, and generally more listenable than the Wadia, but slower, with less bass impact and softer highs. It's an excellent player, and not a bad deal for the $4k or so they're going for used. On the other hand, you may want to consider even cheaper players, like the new Arcam or the Ayre CX-7. I haven't heard these players but their reviews are excellent. I'd be surprised if the 861 or the Cap is twice as good.
Of course, a $2000 analogue set up will blow them all away . . .