The best CD Player for the money

Lindemann CD1, but I do not know if they have an American distributor (they are a small, family-run German company). The Rega Planet that has been suggested is an excellent option as well, but the Lindemann CD1 is far better.

I can't believe no one has mentioned either the Ah! Tjoeb '99 or the Njoe Tjoeb 4000, both of which are available from Kevin Deal at www.upscaleaudio.com. Compare the reviews by consumers (like me and you) of either of these units to ANY of the others mentioned in this thread. I've got close to $20k in equipment and the Ah! is possibly my favorite piece. Partly because it only cost me $475 brand new. The 4000, which is less than $600, will be added to my system along with the Ah! shortly.

Well for the money, probably a Onkyo DV501 used... about 80% as good as the real thing and about $200. Now for the music and the money an RA55 used... about $2000 and terrific!

I have a Wadia 860 but for the money I would look at the Linn Ikemi.

The Muse Model 9 Signature is one of the most underrated CD players out there plus it is drop dead great as a DVD player (even without progressive scan). I've made extensive comparisons of my Model 9 sig with my Sony 9000ES using CD/DAD/SACD. As much as I like the Sony, and I like the Sony a lot, the Model 9 was a notch above it in every aspect, including video. The real suprise was that on every 2 layer SACD that I've tried , I like the CD layer on the Muse better than the SACD layer on the Sony. Maybe it's the super bit mapping, over/up/thru/around & behind sampling or whatever the Muse does, but it's the best CD play back I've come across yet. A used Model 9 Signature can be had for around $2600. Good Luck