DAC or new player ?

sony cd/sacd single disc NS 500

Thanks guys, you are all awesome with your insight! AS TIME GOES BY THE sacd is less important to me.Much to think about.I bought the Sony after reading a good review on it.......but now SACD is pulling a dissapearing act(for the most part).
I have considered analog but the material seems to all be(most) re-issues and that does not excite me. And not even considering the prices of required equipment.It is not out of the running though.
I did study Absolute Sound's piece on hard-drive record/playback and found it VERY interesting.
Tobias, what transport are you using?
Loads of thanks!!!

CARL,I think that stand alone DAC's maybe start out as higher grade units(usually) that have key components that are of better quality than players like caps and resistors
and the really good ones are very expensive. I really don't understand it well either but it could have a lot to do with production but on the other hand a lot of stuff is being produced in China.So go figure........I just wish decent components were less expensive.
I originally started this thread because I wanted to embrace the digital way and was confused about the directions to choose from.I'm still up in the air about it all.

Thanks for all that input but can someone tell me where I can find exactly what you are discribing;make,model #,approx price? And also where they can be found?

Thanks Tobias!I will heed all advice before my purchase. I am leaning towards a DAC as the transport would not be such an expensive problem.Nowhere around here close to listen to an 840. Oh well!

Has anybody listened to the modded Pioneer players by Music Concepts? Are they worth $1500? The web site says it plays them all cd,sacd,dvd-a and is a 24bit/96 unit.

I couldn't stand the suspense so I purchased Musical Fidelity's V-DAC unit and so far, for the money,I am pleased. It sure has "opened" up some of my favorite cd's. I don't know how bass could be any more defined but it is. I "see" more into the music. It gived clearly defined mids and highs.
I am working on interconnects now in hopes of even more exciting results.