The best used preamp and d/a converter

If you don't listen to any other sources but CD (i.e. FM, LP's, cassette tapes, etc.) THEN YOU DEFINITELY DON'T NEED A PREAMP. Look for a used Resolution Audio CD-50 player, which will drive the amp directly (the output transistors are HUGE BIPOLARS). It's better than any Wadia. Also much better than the Theta Miles. HOWEVER, if you do listen to other sources, PUT THE BEL CANTO DAC-1 AT THE TOP OR YOUR MUST AUDITION LIST, www.belcantodesign.com. They let you audition them for only the cost of shipping, I believe. The Theta Data Basic 2 was one of the best transports, but they've told me that the new "Pearl" is it's equal, for less. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. I'd just use a DVD player as transport for a while, if I were you. As for preamp, I don't know what you'd like. The competition is baffling in the $1500 range. You'd probably want to settle on a few tubed units, and an equal number of solid state, AND TRY TO AUDITION ALL OF THEM IN YOUR SYSTEM. I'd perhaps try the ARC LS-15 or Sonic Frontiers Line 1 or 2 for tubes. And I'd try a Threshold T-2 or Krell KAV-250p for solid state. OR YOU COULD PERUSE STEREOPHILE'S RECOMMENDED COMPONENTS...most of us do this at one time or another, and we also subscribe to way too damned many of these rags...or maybe that's just me. Personally, I've not been able to get all the way thru one issue ever since I got "internetitis"...and it's becoming gangrinous to the wallet, heh heh heh.

You don't need to buy a used preamp... there is new line stage pre-amp from Morrisson that is outstanding and below your budget (Peter Aczel - the Audio Critic bought one after reviewing it since it was the bestr preamp he ever measured and heard). It is called ELAD and is reviewed at audioreview.com. Using a cd direct causes a problem since it does not have the drive at the low input impedance of your amplifiers. This will roll of your frequency extension. In terms of a transport for digital... there is a lot of confusion out there. If you are using a coax cable you will here a large variance between units. A fibre optic (toslink) connection sounds the same across most transports. The reason is again impedance. If you use coax it is impled that your transport cable and dac are all 75 ohms impedance. If any one of them is not, you swill skew your frequency response. This is the source of most "differences" heard in transports. Using the fibre optic connection eliminates most of the differences, extends high frequency repsonse and gives a smoother sound (particularly the highs!). You can use a dvd player as a transport using the toslink digital out. Spend the money you save on a good fibre optic cable. If you can get a quartz one, they sound better than the plastic ones. Hagen

YOU'RE DEAD WRONG ABOUT CD PLAYERS WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO DRIVE AN AMP DIRECTLY, so go educate yourself about them, and stop showing your ignorance. YOU'RE ALSO WRONG ON SEVERAL POINTS ABOUT OPTICAL CABLE. For one thing, the glass ones and the plastic ones ARE TWO DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS: Toslink is plastic, and AT&T is glass. For another thing, it is widely known that Toslink connections induce large amounts of jitter, where coaxial SP/DIF connections have lower induced jitter. That said, the Bel Canto DAC I recommended above seems to work well with a toslink connection and a DVD player, since it has advanced jitter reduction circuitry. "MATC", TRY IT, and ignore guys with stupid member names 100 characters long...

Hi Matc. Forget about the DAC and buy a used Sony XA7ES CD player-- about $1200. and a Sonic Frontiers Line 1 pre-amp, about $1200. to $1400. The XA7 makes an excellent "stand alone" CD player or an excellent transport. The SF Line 1 adds smoothness and helps take the etched, electronic character out of ordinary CDs. I use this set up either with or without a Muse Model Two DAC, and the differences in music character/quality between the to systems are neglible. I've noticed that the Muse can be had for about $700. used, and it is an excellent DAC if you choose to use one. The Muse only has BNC inputs, but high quality BNC to coaxial RCA adaptors are available from Muse.