As the subject states, I'm beginning my search for a good CD player. I don't mean one of the millions of $50-120 players, not that there is anything wrong with those. I'm looking for suggestions based on firsthand experience or at least a good artice My budget would be in the $300-600 range. I know Marantz makes a nice player in the $800 range. I don't feel the need to be a brand whore so I'm open to all suggestions. Small companies, big ones, whatever. I want it to be able to play the newer formats if possible, but most importantly, I want regular CD's to "come alive" like so many people who review their Marantz players describe.

TIA.

If you don't want to go for the Oppo below, I have an excellent older Rotel. Here is a more recent Rotel within your price range.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1177018682

http://www.rotel.com/products/specs/rcd1072.htm

http://www.oppodigital.com/dv981hd/dv981hd_index.html

If you are planning to use a digital connection to the Model 1070, then a good transport will get you on track. As Aaron points out, many people are using the OPPO 970HD or 981HD as a good budget transport ($150 or $230 for upscaling DVD, DVD-Audio, SACD, and a good basic transport for CD). If you are thinking about something with better DAC's (like one of those Marantz players) and an analog bypass connection to the 1070, then you may end up looking in a different direction. Some of the discussion in the RR2150 CD player thread may be of interest to you.

Just read this review of the Oppo line-up and it made me think of this thread:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0307/oppo_dv971h_dv970hd_dv981hd.htm

The Oppo players are really good, great priced, DVD players. They are not really great CD players. Though they may play all of the formats, like other universal players, they won't get you the full resolution audio that's on the discs, even as a transport.

You know, about 6 months ago, I would've laughed at myself for making that last statement. Then, an audiophile friend gave me an audiophile CD transport. I put it into my system as my transport and compared it with my Sony player (that's on the same level as an Oppo) and my jaw dropped. Not only my jaw, but my wife's jaw as well. The difference was very obvious and not minor. Remember, that's only using both players as transports, both connected digitally into my Outlaw 1050.

I would buy an Oppo to replace my Sony as my DVD/SACD player. I would not buy one to serve as a CD only player. Of course, that's just my opinion. Enjoy!

If, as was stated earlier, you're going to bypass the 1070's DAC, I can personally recommend the Cambridge Audio Azur 640C. It is now in a version II iteration and can be had for around $600 online. Apart from that, and in the same price range, I hear Music Hall has a loyal following.

Beyond that price point, you may want to pursue the approack Jason J mentioned: get a good transport (or a CD player with a decent transport), use the 1070's DAC in the short-term, then get a really good DAC like the Benchmark DAC-1: http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/.

If you're not into SACD and play a lot of Redbook CD like I do, that would be a great long term strategy that would give you a digital front end that would compete with players in the mega buck range.

I'd like to better understand something.

If I use a digital output from the CD player, does that automatically mean I'll be using the 1070's DAC?

Also, how, in your opinions, does the 1070 DAC stand up? I like so far the NAD units and Rotels. I've been thinking a CD Player w/ superior onboard DAC. If I end up getting one of these, is the "best way" to hook one of these up via simple (quality) analog jacks and then use the bypass on the 1070?

Thanks so far for the suggestions guys.

Yep, if you use the digital output from a CD or DVD player, the audio remains in the digital domain all the way to the 1070 - and all the way through the 1070's DSP section. The 1070's DAC's are responsible for the digital-to-analog conversion.

I'll let 1070 and 970 owners chime in with their thoughts on the performance of the DAC's...

while we wait, I just want to clarify, that yes, hooking a Rotel or Marantz player is most typically done using an analog pair? or is it done using a multi-channel analog?

If it's a CD player only, it'll only have stereo analog outputs, in which case you would connect it to a stereo analog input and then configure that input to use the analog stereo bypass (which insures that the 1070 doesn't convert from analog to digital and back for DSP). If it's a DVD player and it supports DVD-Audio and/or SACD, you would want to use the multichannel analog output to allow the use of those two formats. For a DVD player without DVD-A and SACD support, I'd treat it just like a CD player for these purposes and use stereo analog output. For either DVD player (with or without DVD-A/SACD), I'd still retain a digital audio connection to use with DVD's.

I'm aiming for CD Player only Gonk - thanks again. I was looking for an image of the back of a Rotel before I asked the question. I couldn't find one, but now it's making sense to me.