My experience was much different. I replaced a $350 Cambridge Audio CD player with a $1000 Eastsound player.
I wasn't sure what to expect. Had already upgraded speakers, amp and wires. CD player was the last component upgrade.
The difference was substantial. Every and I literally mean every area was an improvement right out of the box and only got better on burn-in. On the same magnitude as the amp upgrade.
A few caveats though may account for the significant difference.
1) This as menitoned, was the final upgrade and as the weakest link the original CDP I'm sure allowed the other upgrades to show their merit.
2) Speakers are $3000 Focus Audio FS688's. The difference while still very notable was not nearly as substantial when I used a couple of pairs of $500 bookshelves in the same system.
3) The Eastsound is not the average "$1000" CDP. Its one of those over achieving Chinese players. It spanked the Jolida and Cayin CDP in a shootout at Audiocostruzioni and bested a $3000 Copland 288 CDP in another shootout.
Trust your own ears. Follow the advice of Budget car sells: "If you can't tell the difference, then why pay the difference."
I wasn't sure what to expect. Had already upgraded speakers, amp and wires. CD player was the last component upgrade.
The difference was substantial. Every and I literally mean every area was an improvement right out of the box and only got better on burn-in. On the same magnitude as the amp upgrade.
A few caveats though may account for the significant difference.
1) This as menitoned, was the final upgrade and as the weakest link the original CDP I'm sure allowed the other upgrades to show their merit.
2) Speakers are $3000 Focus Audio FS688's. The difference while still very notable was not nearly as substantial when I used a couple of pairs of $500 bookshelves in the same system.
3) The Eastsound is not the average "$1000" CDP. Its one of those over achieving Chinese players. It spanked the Jolida and Cayin CDP in a shootout at Audiocostruzioni and bested a $3000 Copland 288 CDP in another shootout.
Trust your own ears. Follow the advice of Budget car sells: "If you can't tell the difference, then why pay the difference."