Advice on CD transport

Yep: also recommend the Cambridge CXC transport - it has a very good disc drive.  It won't read anything but Redbook CD's however, so no SACD's allowed.  There's no real performance difference between the CXC version 1 and the CXC V2, I've read.  Check out the reviews for it.

I was in the same boat a few months ago, but I wanted to go with something new. I considered the Cambridge, I think the Audiolab, and a Rotel CD-14 and a newer version of it (CdD-15 or 1502). I went with the Rotel CD-14; it was highly rated as a transport (at least in one review). The Rotel sounds really good, but like a lot of newer CD players it's finicky and won't play scratched, dusty, etc., CDs. Don't know about the Cambridge or Audiolab for a comparison in any regard, but they all had pretty good reviews (I think the Audiolab, if that's indeed what I also considered), had better reviews than the Cambridge.

+1 cxc 

I’ve found the Lyngdorf CD2 to be a first class transport, though at your budget you’d need a used one. The other thing of great significance is the Coax cable. In my system all that I’ve tried sound dull, that’s why we made our own, the Network Acoustics ENO Digital Cable Cu is as good as you’ll get.

+1 on the Rega Apollo. I use mine with a Bryston BDA-1, an older but excellent DAC. Honestly, the DAC built-in to the Apollo is very good, nearly as good to my ears as the Bryston.