hmm, for whatever reason, it works fine now, 12 hours later.

i wonder what was going on there, but regardless--disaster averted, albeit with the addition of another couple gray hairs on my head.

i really truly don't own any other input source other than my computer (beginning audiophile so no other cd player from an older setup or anything, and no tv, so no dvd player) so i was dreading having to go around and knock on my neighbors' doors begging for the temporary loan of somebody's cd player to test my amp. phew.

thanks guys for your help anyway.