I will also continue to use my 8000CD which, to my ears, is the best CD
player I have heard at the price to date.


Interesting, as the 8000CD is meant to have no sound of its own.


"Meant to"? What's your feeling?


I haven't heard the 8000CD myself (though a hi-fi shop here had its
successor,
the Tag CD20R at 40% off) but if it is anything like the traditional
Audiolab
approach to sound, then it should be (using the usual terms given to such
kit)
colourless and analytical.

Myself, I would rather get an Audiolab DAC than a CD player as I have
multiple
digital sources.

That's why I kept the BB500, but the Audiolab sounds best without the
Arcam's influence.

I used an Arcam BB500 with a DVD transport for a while - this was lovely
and, I guess, coloured. The Audiolab 8000CD just seems to lift a cloud
off
of any disc I play - I prefer it.


Interesting. I am not familiar with the Arcam Black Box in question (is it
multibit? bitstream? much older than the 8000CD?).

I didn't know the answer, so looked it up. 1 Bit DAC, 20 Bit filter,
apparently. In my experience, single bit DACs have been more fun and less
"analytical", but that might be coincidence and the spec might be wrong!
It's a lovely DAC, though.