czbbcl, what kinda preamp do ya have? i, too, was innerested in better cd-sound, but i listen to fm & analog more than cd, so i *really* wanted to upgrade my preamp. in the process, i found that a killer toob preamp (mite be true w/killer s/s preamps, too - i dunno), besides greatly improving my winyl & fm, pretty-much leveled the playing field w/cd-players, at least w/those under ~$3000. an $1800 alchemist cd-player & a $3000 resolution-audio cd-50 offered no meaningful improvements over my retail $500 nad cd-changer when run thru a cary slp98, a rogue 99, & a melos music-director preamp. (i ended up w/the melos). & it's not like my system isn't revealing - my meret re monitors, w/wery detailed focal inwerted-dome tweets & eton carbon-fibre woofs, are wertically biamped w/a pair of electrocompaniet amps, & i run a subwoofer system below 60hz, w/a pair of vmps larger subs. i own the the alchemist, btw, & it's in the basement, awaiting its place in a second system i'm gonna set-up in the compootah room. the nad, w/its 5-disc conwenience, remains in the main rig.
so, if ya got $5k burning a hole in yer pocket, ewe mite wanna consider splurging on a gnu top-line preamp, & spending only $500 or so, on a decent modern cd-player, like an ah-tjoeb or a cambridge audio, or...? that way, yule improve all yer other sources, & if/when the digital format wars are ever decided, yule be ready to buy, awreddy having a great preamp!
one person's opinion, doug s.