Over the course of four months this past spring, I auditioned some of the players on your list and bought the Cary 303/300, which continues to please me, though I think others are very good as well--BAT VK-D5, McCormack UDP-1 Deluxe, and Lector 7T. I have not heard the Resolution Audio Opus 21 or Meridian players.
I thought the Simaudio players were a bit etched for my taste in music (pretty much just classical and opera), though they may be fine for jazz, rock, pop, acoustic folk, etc.
I thought the Ayre C7Xe too "filtered" for my taste, suppressing the natural bloom of my Cary SLI-80 amp. I felt the same with the C5Xe as well. Not organic or lively enough for the music I play.
Electrocompaniet could be very, very good, depending on your system and taste in music. I liked it, though it seemed more laid back than the Cary 303/300.
There are a lot of used Cary 303/300 on A'gon right now for terrific prices--$2,000-$2,400. I bought mine new and these prices seem astonishingly low.
Used BAT VK-D5 also available. It's harmonically richer, to my ear, than the Cary 303/300. Both have balanced outs.
Good luck.
I thought the Simaudio players were a bit etched for my taste in music (pretty much just classical and opera), though they may be fine for jazz, rock, pop, acoustic folk, etc.
I thought the Ayre C7Xe too "filtered" for my taste, suppressing the natural bloom of my Cary SLI-80 amp. I felt the same with the C5Xe as well. Not organic or lively enough for the music I play.
Electrocompaniet could be very, very good, depending on your system and taste in music. I liked it, though it seemed more laid back than the Cary 303/300.
There are a lot of used Cary 303/300 on A'gon right now for terrific prices--$2,000-$2,400. I bought mine new and these prices seem astonishingly low.
Used BAT VK-D5 also available. It's harmonically richer, to my ear, than the Cary 303/300. Both have balanced outs.
Good luck.