Okay......best single box reference CD player

dCS Puccini, simple as that.

@Mapman my reply to your question is simple as that:
If you think you have already a good system (speaker+amplifier one match) then for that kind of money, ask for a home demo with your 5000 player (or at least loan one) and you will know the answer.
For many years now I was listening of the capabilities of the "perfect cd sound" only now after the dCS Puccini home demo I enjoyed my huge redbook collection so much (with dsd upsampling) and considering my previous top gear.

So only that way (listening home to your system) you will eventually know the answer to your question, everything else is speculation and I do not wish to push puccini, just listen foryourself or get over it and enjoy your music anyway.

Now if that is going to make you open your pocket is another story, hopefully in Europe it's easier for us to buy it.

hahaha

you're right, I'm listening right now internet radio though from my pc...

what's in the Ayre that's competing with Emmlabs, dCS or other top single boxes?

We are talking about -at least- over 1 class of performance.

Stringreen
I've heard Ayre and it's a very good player but not even close to dCS Puccini and Emmlabs cdsa se. And I guess in PD if the designer pushed further his previous design.\

And the title of this thread is "best single box reference cd player" so I guess that's why it was not mentioned before.