I first bought a Marantnz CD5001 then a CA 540 C V2 which was good and exchanged it for a Denon DCD 700AE which i was not impressed with. It may have been faulty as it took around 7 seconds to read a CDs and CD-Rs and the midrange was muffeled. Then exchanged that for a CA 640 C V2, at first it sounded in your face but good, i then read on the internet that it takes 70 to 150 hours to run in. I then left it on repeat and random play for a week changing the CD a few times when i got home from work and noticed the sound has become less forward and more relaxed, and think it was a excellent £225 well spent. I can hear detail more clearly that used to be in the background and the stereo seperation is very good, but it comes down to personal taste the voice in the midrange is clear and the bass does not dampen out the midrange or stereo image. I using it with Gale 3040, QED Silver for mids and treble and Gale 315 XL for bass and a Kenwood 3060 R amp and CA Artic interconnects i am very pleased. I am considering which amp to get to get the full benefits of the CA 640 i'm looking for an amp with a deep bass line.(CA 640 A V2,Rotel RA 05) Overall i think its a very good CD player and get my vote compaired to others i have had or heard.