Looking for a CD player


Dear community,
I listen to CDs only and I have owned an entry level AMC CD9 CD player for the past 15 years.
Over time I modified this unit to the max with very good results.
Now I think I am ready to move on to the next level so I am looking for a used CD player under $1,500.
One that can be further improved would be also interesting.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
sounasega
MHDT DAC Tube R2R   i use this with my Emotiva ERC-4 and with streaming. not fatiguing, musical
Modwright mods upper-end DVD players to very good effect.  I'd contact them to see if they think there's anything currently available that would lend itself to your project.  
Couple other thoughts on this. I also use an Emotive ERC-4 cd player but normally use its AES/EBU outputs with appropriate 110 ohm cable using XLR connectors to great effect into my Holo Spring DAC. Effectively this outperforms by a substantial margin using a computer based music server via USB outputs either straight into the same DAC, or into a Singxer SU-1 converter which then can feed a multitude of different connections (AES, Coax, I2S, BNC) into the DAC. Again I much prefer the AES connection with this setup, but even that does not sound as good as ERC-4 to DAC via AES. For $600 this player is hard to beat.

Another transport that has not been mentioned is the NuPrime CDT-8 ($850.00) which is a transport only but receives outstanding praise. NuPrime has also released the CDT-10 this past year at double the price ± a bit which is said to be significantly better. Both units use the same Phillips transport as I understand it that the Jays Audio and the Denafrips Avatar use. 

As a final note, I have yet to hear a Coax connection perform or sound as good as an AES connection, and I've tried quite a few coax cables. 


sounasega OP I would connect to my primaluna dialogue premium integrated,

It has poweramp inputs on the back (HT), so still get a dac with volume ability as direct will sound better than the preamp of the PL (which I think could be passive anyway), by going direct it gets rid of many input switching contacts, and it’s volume control wiper contacts in the signal path.

Cheers George
I love my Rega Apollo player, and you can get a new one within your budget. It gets very good reviews. I love the top-loading feature, as there is no motorized tray to go bad.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/rega-research-apollo-cd-player

Conclusions
Forced to sum up the Rega Apollo's sound in a sentence or two, I would write: This player has a sonic brilliance—a clarity of detail and of musical line, allied with a spatially up-front presentation—that enhances musical engagement. The Apollo doesn't gladly suffer bright or timbrally threadbare CDs—something I dimly recall being even truer of the original Apollo—but with most discs I tried, it provided enjoyable, involving, nonfatiguing sound.

My thoughts on value are even more concise. As with other Rega products—their entry-level tonearms come to mind—few other audio components of my experience, and no other contemporary CD players, offer so much music for so little money. Unless your system has an egregiously bright sound, you can't go wrong with the Rega Apollo. And if your heart is set on spending $10,000, go ahead and buy nine of these and spread the love. Robustly recommended.