Any advice on CD player upgrade?

I'm in the same boat as Outlier, and have a new system that's WAY too resolving for my old CDP (Rotel 855). I tried the ARCAM 9, and although I found the midrange very well fleshed out, I'm afraid I have to agree with other posters who found the ARCAM rhythmic prowess wanting...the old Rotel simply keeps my foot tapping! Nonetheless, its top octave is rough as hell, so my search includes the Res Audio CD55 (Sedlund: it's just an op amp, and, although a good one, not expensive enough to sway a decision; even RA suggests using a GREAT preamp instead if you already have one.), the Wadia 850 (not 830!), or the Bel Canto DAC1/PioneerDVD, or the new Perpetual Tech stuff. Anybody heard these? I want a finely resolved top octave and reasonable bass weight, and NO compromises in the midband. Thanks.

Hi Doug (Sedlund). I indeed get your point, and wholeheartedly agree: I only became wildly dssatisfied with my Rotel AFTER getting an Aleph P to drive my Aleph 2s; only then did a great preamp lay bare the inadequacies of my CDP! My last post's comment re Res Audio was only to illustrate that RA agrees with this strategy: a great preamp is better than their internal analog stage (which is, according to them, although a fine op amp, NOT a high percentage of the cost of their CDP, and therefore one reason why I bought the Aleph P). Back to the thread's intent: assuming one has a fine, revealing preamp, can we hear from people's successes with digital front ends? (Anyone heard the JOB DAC?...especially compared to BelCanto or Perpetual Tech?) Thanks. Ernie

Outlier...see my comments on my BelCanto demo on the "Job, BelCanto, Perpetual Tech DAC" thread. Whereas my time with the BelCanto wasn't all that satisfying, it's clear that it imparted significant changes in upper frequency info, and that these were easily perceived through my Aleph P. Perchance you could swap in a more resolving preamp, as suggested before? I'm glad you're having fun...I'm getting frustrated!