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

I can't believe no one listed the Ayre C5xe in the list. This is the one to beat. You must use it in balanced mode however.

Kops..Have you heard the Ayre in balanced mode in a good system? If you had you wouldn't ask that question.

Audiofeil... You were booed by many contributors on the Vinyl edition of Audiogon, and here you are again with your snide remarks on the digital section.

There is not a single product that pleases everyone, but surely ranking CD players, the Ayre unit should be listed in the handful of top players - those that provide real music in real time.

..by the way gentlemen, the Ayre C5xe is a single box player, and as I said before has to be used in balanced mode. I heard it set up this way with dcs and through Audio Research top electronics and Wilson Alexandrias. The results in the room were defined by the tastes of the listeners...the music being played, the strengths of each of the units. The Ayre should be auditioned correctly (as should all exquipment) before final judgements be dictated as truth.