Transport Upgrade

Wig - Benchmark is not sensitive to quality of the transport as long as it is bit transparent (no digital volume control etc). I use Benchmark with a cheap DVD player. DVD players have good tracking and inherent MP3 playback. In addition many plays DVD-Audio and SACD converted to PCM. Some also play HDCD.

If you are looking at DAC in the pricerangeof the Benchmark you might also want to check out the PS Audio Digi Link 3 (non-modded) , have it in my second system using an Arcam CD 72 a transport. The amp is a Consonance Cyber 100 Sig - very nice to my ears

I've read here on audiogon that the Rega players have some issues. I'd do a search before I invested.

Thanks guys, I'm looking into the Benchmark DAC-1.

Wig

I've owned both, and indeed both are excellent. I preferred the Apollo to the Rotel. The Rotel seemed, at least in my system, to have just a very slight electronic haze, if that makes sense. The Apollo was more musical, warmer, more natural sounding. But I didn't like the 15-second (or so) delay as it initializes a CD -- not a huge problem, and clearly, many owners have learned to live with it. Have you considered keeping your Rotel and using the digital out signal to drive a DAC? A used Bel Canto DAC2 or Benchmark DAC-1 might be nice. Some people think the Benchmark is overly analytical, but to my ears it's an extraordinarily engaging music-maker.

I love both of those CD players. I'd stick since I think they are (relatively) equivalent.
Rotel has HDCD chip, Apollo does not.