I have limited space in my audio area, so I got a Rotel integrated & Denon DVD-900, and the denon (dual burr brown dacs) sounds far better than my panasonic which has been moved to bedroom duty. From what I have read the Denons are some of the best for the buck in playing both DVD & CD, and that is what I required, though I am sure the other names are excellent too. I also like the black aluminum face of the Denons, opposed to the NAD look, it matched perfectly with the Rotel. If interested in Denon the DVD-1600 (or 1200 now) is supposed to sound excellent and plays dvd-audio, one reviewer on this site states that it rivals his NAD CD. If you want a dedicated CD player, those are the names I'd look at. Also, if you are using your optical in to play CD, it may sound decent due to the Denon dacs. A home audition may be the answer...