Need help with choosing a transport.

In my experience, I would strongly recommend the CEC TL2, if you want to see what transports are all about. The TL2 is, unfortunately, a bit above your budget figure.

In your price range, there is currently listed a Parasound C/BD-2000 transport that is certainly worth a look.

pmboyd I have the same TADAC and I ended up using a Macbook connected to the TADAC with an audioquest toslink. This has been the best sounding combination I have ever heard. Will compete with all the multi-thousand dollar high end names. The Macbook also gives you the flexibility to use it as a server or internet radio. But as a redbook transport this combo is tough to beat at any price range. I'm using Bugle boy 12au7 at the moment. The RCA clear tops also sound as good for allot less money.

I'm in no hurry, my Apollo is just fine for the time being.
If I sell some stockpiled tubes, I could go up to $1,000 for the transport. Incidentally, for all those TADAC owners, after trying many different NOS 12AU7s I like the early Amperex long plates best of all.

California Audio Labs Delta, maybe? May seem like a dated and not very exciting choice, but a lot of people have them and keep them, or sell them and later regret doing so when they realize what they 'upgraded' to didn't really increase their enjoyment all that much. $300-400 used, typically. With your budget, you could add a Monarchy DIP to reduce/eliminate any residual jitter (~$150). I've had my Delta for going on 13 years (!), BTW. Had to have the laser assembly replaced in '04 (cost ~$175) and no reliability issues since. Sound -wise, it has always sounded 'just right' to me running straight into a CAL Alpha DAC via the balanced 110ohm connection.

Or, maybe one of the Pioneer Elite CD players with the Stable Platter transport? I know you don't want to use a CD player as a transport, but that might be worth making an exception because of the quality of the transport alone in those units.

One more idea - an Audio Research CDT1 - a very nice transport, though your $700 budget might not *quite* get you there unless you get a little lucky and find a real deal.

Good luck!

Thanks for the input, Steve. Wow, the CAL Delta is OLD! The price is attractive but do you really think it will hold up against the latest transports? Don't know anything about the Audio Research CDT1 and haven't been able to find much comment about it. The TADAC is a jitter-free design and mates well with anything.
CEC TL2 gets consistently great reviews. What about Theta Pearl or Madrigal Proceed?