Okay......best single box reference CD player

Most of the players mentioned are top class and you will probably satisfied with any of them. Put EMM LABS CDSA in your list also.

Another vote for AMR CD-77.

Seeing that you have dCS gear now, you may also want to give the dCS Puccini some consideration.

Another vote for the Playback Designs MPS-5. it is set up to work as a DAC for a music server so is quite future proof. it uses an Esoteric VRDS transport. it is also software upgradable.

here is a link to a review of the MPS-5.

[url]http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?rdgtl&1212275915[/url]

What Esoteric VRDS transport is it using?

Bar,

i don't know the answer to your question. it is very quiet and always reads the disc quickly and the first time.

i much prefer it to the Philips drive that was in my EMM Labs CDSD.