Best redbook cd-only player ?

If you can find a Zanden 4-box set, do listen to it. It is a remarkable player and second hand the price has come down dramatically and into your range.

In fact, there is a Zanden set in your range on AGon now. Good luck.

Hi Syntax - which ones have you heard? I see you own the CDSA SE which is great. I have heard great things about the latest DAC2X.

Syntax,

Sounds great...and yes, i agree. I have decided to run with the best redbook i could find for a few reasons:
1. large selection of redbook available for 3bucks each on Amazon, etc
2. far fewer hi-res discs/samples available
3. quality to me seems to be more in the mastering than in the format
4. redbook with great players can be amazing
5. redbook players second hand have come down in price which is how i buy my equipment. the latest/greatest digital always comes at a premium

I will wait until hi-res is more readily available (by far) and also somehow manages to make the majority of hi-res files far, far superior to redbook.

John,

congrats! I have heard a modd'd Esoteric X-01SE and an unmodd'd Wadia s7i and they were extremely close in quality, though the Wadia was definitely less expensive. I would be most intrigued to hear a Wadia s7i mod'd someday.

Congrats and hope you get loads of enjoyment out of it!!!

And yes, no doubt great ICs, power cords (and just pure saved money) are all great things. enjoy and congrats.