IMO, no music server/streamer type of device, betters a dedicated cd player or cd transport/DAC combo.

One day, the technology will be there...today/tomorrow is not that day.

Follow up;

last week I had the pleasure of auditioning the Ayre CX-7eMP cd player in an all-Ayre system.

Very good to excellent sound along w/ Vandy speakers and AQ cables/cords. This system could have used better cabling in order to make it outstanding! Happy Listening!

The sky is falling the sky is falling...  But I kid.

I've experienced a similar thing since making the switch from my CD Player to streaming ALAC to an airport.  Accepting for the shitty dac in an Airport, it just doesn't sound as good.  And that's okay, because CD's never sound as good as the LP when I have both, and I'm making the move to a streaming system for all of my digital to make life easier and unload some equipment.  I'll supplement it with a better DAC when I have the cash.

If you want to better a 5k dollar CD player, go buy a 1-2k dollar record player and lots of records.  It doesn't matter how you spin it (pun intended) CD's will never be all that great.  That's not to say don't listen to or enjoy digital.  Just keep in mind, CD's just don't have the resolution needed for truely great sound.  We are getting there with Hi-res downloads and the like.  But don't fret because your latest attempt at putting Humpty Dumpty back together again failed.  All the kings horses and all the kings men, didn't realize how well the human ear worked in 1979, or how well it would continue to work in 2013.