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Which is the best cd player under $10k?

I am trying to find the best cd player under $10k (new or used) either a current or recent offering which has a warm, vinyl-like sound, wonderful holographic imagining, large soundstage, nice details & beautiful tonality without being hyper detailed, etched and which avoids the two extremes; cold and analytical to too warm and syrupy?

Choices so far have been Accuphase dp-500, Audio Research cd-8 (but lacks up to the minute digital inputs), Playback Designs MPS-5, EAR Acute & Luxman DU-80. Given the many choices, i'm pulling my hair out. Let me know your thoughts!
melbguy1
karelfd
476 posts
 
... yeah, this is tough. Your description would seem to fit yet another machine, though. So here is a must-audition in that price bracket:
AMR-CD77 (first version or 77.1 update)
onemalt
35 posts
 
Add the McIntosh MCD500 to your audition list. IMO it meets most, if not all of the criteria you've listed.
philjolet's avatar
philjolet
2,262 posts
 
Are you able to audition Audio Note gear? I do not have a specific model to recommend but in general you described their house sound...
tbg
5,263 posts
 
I strongly suspect that the Exemplar mode Oppo 83 will outperform those you name for $2500.
rcrerar
215 posts
 
The Electrocompaniet EC-1UP comes up for sale used regularly on AudiogoN. This is the finest CD player I have ever heard, and I have heard plenty, including many machines two and three times the price of a new EC-1UP. It sounds exactly as you describe your dream player. Used you could probably buy three of them for $10,000.
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