I'm torn between three choices: getting a Marantz CD6004, getting some kind of media streamer, or sticking with what I already have.
What I have is a couple of 'universal' players (a Panasonic HDD/BluRay/DVD player, and a Pioneer DV-610 multiregion DVD/SACD/CD player) as well as an AppleTV 2nd gen. The AppleTV and BluRay go into a Marantz NR-1501 av amp with Tannoy Mercury speakers, and the DV-610 feeds both the NR1501 and an Elekit TU-879S with 6L6G tubes into Monitor Audio BR2 speakers.
I'm unhappy with the universal players as CD players because their response time is poor (slow to start up, slow to recognize discs), they have no headphone out, and I suspect the audio quality may not be so great (comments anyone?).
I have about 400 CDs.
So I started looking at pure CD players, and narrowed it down to a Denon DCD-755SE or a Marantz CD6004. I auditioned the two today, and the Marantz had the better dynamic range. Both have the ability to take an input via USB from an iPod or iPad, which would be a bonus.
But the trend these days seems to be away from physical CDs, toward streaming devices like the Squeezebox.
I kind of already have this ability, since I can stream from iTunes (mostly ripped in 'iTunes Plus, ie 256kbps AAC) to the AppleTV, using the Marantz NR1501 as DAC and amp.
So my dilemma (trilemma?) is this: should I, in this day and age, buy a pure CD player like the Marantz? Or should I try to find a nice DAC for the AppleTV, or a Squeezebox, so I can feed my iTunes tracks into the tube amp? Or should I just stick with what I have?
Your advice, opinions, comments, etc are eagerly sought.