Wow, and I started this asking wether a seven thousand pound Naim CD Player was really the thing to go for and could it be so much better than something costing so much less.

From reading through the responses I think I conclude that there isn't the "jaw dropping", "night and day" , or whatever adjectives one uses to justify buying outrageously priced components over other more modestly priced components from CDP's to Amps to Canles/Interconnects.

I am really surprised to see an almost abject fear of any kind of blind or double blind testing from those who state they can definitely identify their "superior" components. If they are so superior, why be afraid and so antagonistic???

There are others who have good kit but seem to be open minded about DBT. I really can't understand it ..... but then there does seem to be a number of dealers on this forum who are going to have vested interests and others who are so one eyed and evangelistic that they would argue black was white.

No one has commented or countered Dunlavy's article about the great cable scam. He had a vested interest but made asses of the "Golden Ears."

It's been a most interesting thread and I guess the feeling I come away from it is that I'm probably not missing much by not forking out seven thousand pounds for a CDP. 

I genuinely have to thank all - from both sides - who have contributed their views  and assure all that my questions were genuine and I feel the forum and this thread has been helpful and meaningful to me and, FOR THE TIME BEING, prevented me from making a "blind" purchase of a very expensive item I was considering. (This was my problem ... I would have had to order "blind" as I have no opportunity to audition these esoteric products in Vietnam.

Many thanks to all.