Cary 306/200 vs Wadia 850 what player is better

I'm going to get the 306/200 when a silver one pops up on audiogon...

The 306SACD is just too costly...

I have no personal experiences with the Wadia, but I do for the Cary 306/200. The Cary is one great Redbook CD player. There are so many good qualities about the player. For one, its built very good and weighs like a receiver. It also has a metal (reliable) transport, eight Burr Brown 24bit/192khz DACs,numerous digital and analog inputs and outputs. It can be used as a dedicated transport or a dedicated DAC. However,matching the Cary is very important, with the right components and cabling, this player can have a great balance of accuracy/analyticalness and warmth/musicality. It can sound very impressive, one of the best redbook CD players around. The used prices that it's selling at is a bargain for the sound quality and features it provides. The limitations would be more on the medium than the player.

Good luck

Thanks for the info it really helps considering that you have almost owned all of these units.

I have owned the MF, SCD-1, and the Cary. I liked the Cary over the others by quite a bit. SACD from the Sony is very good but the redbook is not. I have heard several Wadias, but never in my system. They were always nice, but I think I would still get the Cary. Good Luck.