The new EMM 1 box player is the best digital I ever experienced. Even on redbook, it is supremely musical and very organic sounding player. I am basically an analog guy and I'm currently running a state of the art analog front end (new Grand Prix Monaco table / Dynavector 507II and XV1S arm cartridge combo). This is up there with the absolute best front ends available and sounds absolutely Magical. Although the EMM cannot compete, it gets very high praise because I can actually listen to and enjoy digital for the first time even after I play Lps. It has an analog like sound with superb sense of space, purity, presence and has wonderful dynamic shading which is very important in bringing the music to life. I just compared to the new $8500 Accuphase player and the EMM made the Accuphase sound like a common (very good) CD player. The EMM was in a whole other universe. Unfortunately, at $9,995, it is over your budget, but a true bargain and very analog sounding nonetheless.