What CDP or DAC would you buy with $1,000?

I may be biased since I have one for sale here on Audiogon, but I don't think you can beat the Classe CDP 1 for under $1K. It uses the same Ultaranalog d/a chip that was used in the highly touted Classe DAC 1. It's kinda like a CDT1 and DAC 1 in one chassis. It weighs over 20 pounds and would also make a solid transport. I used to be into seperates, but since I have gotten back into analog, I realize that seperates didn't make that much of a difference. I've owned Proceed, Krell, Monarchy and Sonic Frontiers seperates, and I can't say they were more musical than the CDP 1. The Classe isn't the most detailed player I've heard, you may find other players more revealing, but for under a grand I don't think you'll find more musical, and the bass reaches ALL the way down. As low as your speakers can go, that's how deep the bass will go.

My current system:

VPI HW-19 MK III w/SAMA, Audioquest PT-6 arm, Dynavector 10X4 mk II and Benz Micro Glider cartridges.

BAT VK-D5SE CD player

Sony DVP-S9000ES DVD/SACD player

Classe CP-60 w/phono preamp

Threshold T400 amp

Vienna Acoustics Strauss speakers

Tara Labs Decade cables

Shunyata Black Mamba, BMI Shark & Whale Elite mk II's, Tara Labs The One power cords

Tara Labs AD/6 and Monster HTS-5000mk II PLC's

(2) 20A dedicated, isolated power lines using PS Audio Power Ports.

If you want music I would suggest a Muse Model Two Plus DAC. If you want a "Hi-Fi" sound look elsewhere.

Krell Studio.

You can often times find this $3900 processor on the used market for around $1000. Even Krell states that there was only a SLIGHT difference between it and their $14,000 Ref. 64.

I compared it to the original maga buck Levinson and could hear no difference, and that was in a $200,000 system.

Richard

Thank you for the feedback, fellas. I just picked up a Musical Fidelity A3 24 Dac that I'm going to give a weeks run-in before review, and also have a MSB Nelson Dac and will have a Bel Canto Dac2 soon to shootout. I'll be on the lookout for the Krell Studio, the Muse and Classe to compare the winner of this round with.

Socrates - how was the shootout, and what did you end up with?