What cd player should I buy?


I need the help of an audiophile!

My system includes:

BAT VK-60 amp
Audio Research LS 15 preamp
Vienna Acoustic Mozart speakers
CAL Audio DX-2 cd player hooked to MSB Link Dac III

The cd/dac combo is not to my liking. I want something "warmer" with more of an analog sound. My budget is $2,000.

What should I buy?
128x128ghellen
Add the Linn Ikemi (used around $2.2 - 2.4K) to your audition list. It is very nice. Joel
It's not clear to me that you need a warmer sound; rather that you current combo has a hard, grainy edginess to it that you'd like to lose. If you're loking for a cd player that adds nothing and takes away nothing, then I think the built-like-a-tank Sony XA7ES is a great call. The guy who sold me mine then bought the Meridian 508.24, referenced above. A month later he called and asked if I'd swap the players with him! (I kept the Sony).
Audio analogue Maestro CD, Electrocompanient EMC1 seem to fit your set of requirements perfectly.

Cheers
Bad
Ttathompaolcom Do you have that DAC? If so, what are your impressions? I have the 1.1 and the ART di/o, I'm not too sure about that one and whether I should upgrade it but love the Bel-Canto.