Abbingdon music research AMR cd-77 is how good?

I share John's values as to spending money on digital and would not spend the kind of dinero the AMR costs. Prejudices now noted, I'll say I listened on two different days for an extended period to the AMR player in all AMR system with Rosso Fiorintino speakers at Axpona this year and thought the system was one of the best sounding at the show. But unless you auditioning the player as the only new variable in a system you are very familiar with, it's hard to give meaningful advice. I did have the impression Bill (Audiofeil) mentioned, there were ultimately better values out there. But being more expensive doesn't mean a product lacks merit.

One other point that would be paramount to me if I were looking at the AMR player and "value" questions is whether I preferred the sound of the AMR to a "better" value like Esoteric. When we were listening in the AMR room, we were rotating sources between a good analog source (forget what it was) and the AMR player. No doubt the AMR had a quite analog like quality to it. I've not heard the particular Esoteric players Bill prefers to sell, but if you don't care for their particular sound vs. the AMR, what's the point of seeking that kind of value? If you're thinking of spending the money it takes to buy at this level of product, time and money spent to attend an audio fair like RMAF or something like it is money well spent. Really helps put things in perspective IMO.