"As a second source I'd decided that the cheaper Genki would be a good idea, but a second hand ikemi doesn't seem that much more at 6-800 dollars extra. Is the Ikemi that much of a step up in performance from the genki to make it worth while . ??"
It is absolutely worth the extra money. I have owned both. There is something about the Ikemi (and I'm sure other CD players of its quality), that for me at least, pass a mysterious threshold where digital music becomes truly involving. The Ikemi is already a good deal on the used market, and it should soon be even better. Linn is coming out with a new CD player to replace it in the near future, and after that there should be a lot of Ikemi's for sale. It is too early to say how much the price will drop, but reason says it should.
It is absolutely worth the extra money. I have owned both. There is something about the Ikemi (and I'm sure other CD players of its quality), that for me at least, pass a mysterious threshold where digital music becomes truly involving. The Ikemi is already a good deal on the used market, and it should soon be even better. Linn is coming out with a new CD player to replace it in the near future, and after that there should be a lot of Ikemi's for sale. It is too early to say how much the price will drop, but reason says it should.