DAC or new player ?

Ahaju, I am sure I must be right--thank you--but I did not say it was nonsense to buy a dedicated CD player. I have not compared my setup with an equivalently-priced CD player of recent design (I would be interested in the latest TOTL Shanling, for example). Nor have I subbed my computer into my system to compare it with my transport. So I can't say which setup produces the best sound, and I would need to know that in order to make my choice.

What I did say was that you don't need to spend multiple thousands to get a very satisfying DAC these days, especially if you tweak it nicely. OTOH if you have the bucks you can do better sound-wise. You have a very nice DAC and I would love to compare your source with my own.

Thanks for all that input but can someone tell me where I can find exactly what you are discribing;make,model #,approx price? And also where they can be found?

Konky, we're mentioning a lot of things : one-box players, external DACs, transports. You will have to do most of your own leg work searching.

If you're interested in a transport like mine, there's one up for sale (with a matching DAC) here now. Enter "Esoteric" in the search field on the AudiogoN home page and you'll find it in the list. Please don't think that just because I use one, that's what you should get! Remember this is older gear. It will need maintenance and repair sooner than new stuff, and sometimes parts are not available.

Search the archives here and at Audio Asylum for transports and DACs that people think well of. An Apogee Mini-DAC with USB will cost from $600 used. Keep watching here and on eBay for availability and pricing info. Also, frankly, the Cambridge 840 is a good player. You could do a lot worse than just get that. Get a listen to it! Mdconnelly has a good suggestion up there.

Thanks Tobias!I will heed all advice before my purchase. I am leaning towards a DAC as the transport would not be such an expensive problem.Nowhere around here close to listen to an 840. Oh well!

You may want to invest only to a relatively cheap teac vrds cd-palyer and use it as a transport instead of a more expensive dedicated transport. I use vrds 10SE, and that is just fine. It may lacks the refinement of many highend transports, but it has a very dynamic and full bandwith soundprint. Surely, better than (for me) than a ML39 as transport.