DAC or new player ?

In this situation, my choice would depend on whether I eventually wanted to go for a computer-based source or not. If not, I would save for a better Redbook player, the Cambridge for example. If I did want a computer as my transport and music library, I would get an external DAC with USB or Firewire, and use it with the Sony and S/PDIF for now.

I've heard the Cambridge 840 and preferred my present transport/DAC's sound although the 840 was impressive. However a good dedicated transport is hard to find for little money.

Here's a suggestion... the CA 840c can operate as either a DAC or CDP. Get one on 30 day eval and compare standalone versus as a DAC to your Sony. Of course, the DAC won't help the SACD output of your Sony so you need to decide how important SACD is to you.

Thanks guys, you are all awesome with your insight! AS TIME GOES BY THE sacd is less important to me.Much to think about.I bought the Sony after reading a good review on it.......but now SACD is pulling a dissapearing act(for the most part).
I have considered analog but the material seems to all be(most) re-issues and that does not excite me. And not even considering the prices of required equipment.It is not out of the running though.
I did study Absolute Sound's piece on hard-drive record/playback and found it VERY interesting.
Tobias, what transport are you using?
Loads of thanks!!!

Along the lines of this thread, can someone explain to me why stand-alone DAC's are so much more expensive than some of the great-sounding integrated CD players? Given the high quality DAC's already built-in to many modern CD players, I can't get my head around the insane prices some separate DAC's sell for, especially when the chips are mass-produced in the same factories these days.
Are they that much better, or is it more related to low production volume or being hand-made that artificially pushes the prices up so high?

CARL,I think that stand alone DAC's maybe start out as higher grade units(usually) that have key components that are of better quality than players like caps and resistors
and the really good ones are very expensive. I really don't understand it well either but it could have a lot to do with production but on the other hand a lot of stuff is being produced in China.So go figure........I just wish decent components were less expensive.
I originally started this thread because I wanted to embrace the digital way and was confused about the directions to choose from.I'm still up in the air about it all.