Czilla,
What Vert and Kelly are trying to tell you is that you're getting a very high quality source that the rest of your components might not be transparent enough for: in the end you'll find that they're veiling the signal and you'll want to upgrade your system -> remember that Vert ended up rehauling his entire rig after the Arcam graced it. So, unless you're ready to make that type of commitment, you may want to look at something less revealing and expensive (such as an AudioNote CD2.1) and invest the difference into an amp and different headphones. The Alpha 9 is very close to the CD23 (I a/b'd them when the CD23 first came out) but I've been told by collegues that the CD23t sounds noticeably clearer than its predecessor. I haven't heard a CD23t myself, only the version with the old transport (and I believe filters, going from the PMD100 to the PMD200 in the current units).
If you're set on getting a CD23 its worthy of its cost and hype, you'll be getting a fast, detailed, extended player that doesn't get in the way: I've known some people who thought it was bland at the first listen but came to appreciate that its just not emphasising any part of the chain and trying to impress. Its trully an effortless player, notes swing in time and redbook just doesn't get much better than what the Ring DAC lets through.
Also look at the Creek CD53, a player that gets bass lines a little fuller and has slightly more body than the Arcam (which you prefer more is a matter of taste, I prefer the CD23 but can see how others would like the CD53). The Arcam in turn sounds faster and has better transient response and in the end feels like its doing less to the signal.
For what its worth.
carlo.
