I also started my journey at around 18. I ordered a Rega Planar 3 from a dealer in Swiss Cottage. At that time Rega was having trouble keeping up with demand and after 3 months of waiting I realized that I had saved up enough money to buy an LP12 instead. So I cancelled my Rega order and my LP12 was ready a week later. I still have that LP12 and it has had some upgrades over the years since it was pre-Valhalla. I started with the LP12 an Nytech amplifier and a pair of Linn Kans. The Nytech was replaced by a chrome Naim 42/110 and I have stayed with Naim ever since. I did sell the amps and speakers when I moved to the US but then over time built back the system with Naim OC amps and Avalon loudspeakers. It stayed that way for about 20 years but within the last year I was able to replace the amps with the NC series and replaced the Avalons with the ATC SCM40s.
How does the nDac sound with a CDT?
Once you use an external dac then you are basically listening to how that dac sounds.
I would say that over 90% will be dac, and the other part will be how good the transport is.
By that i mean how noisy the transport is, how good the correction software in the transport is, also the cable used to connect the transport to the dac, and finally what sort off connect you are using, ie, optical, aes, usb, etc, etc.
But the new transports and software that has recently been developed certainly looks to be much better than what went before it,
Not much different to my Allo streamer, which is also run into my nDAC.
So my thoughts are pretty much like @Dunc’s
I agree. I searched out a CD5XS but they don’t seem to be that common. The swing drawer is the nicest way of loading CDs!
Very similar set up here went from the CDT6000 transport to the 9000 and love it. Then added the Chord Epic Digital cable to finish things off running through the Nova as a DAC. Best of both worlds love playing CD’s and still buy them but much more selective these days and only after streaming them. Tidal music suggestion is also brill but only after you have trained it as to what you like 
What Ripper have you been using? I did about 1500 Cd’s using DB PowerAmp. I think I had one disc that could not be read.
Core.
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