Which Vintage CD Player To Use As A Transport?

If you're looking for cheap outlay with maximum sonic return, almost any single-play player with a digital output paired with an outboard semi-vintage DAC will work well. I am partial to the MSB DACs from the mid-to-late 90s because of their tank-like construction and neutral sound. Currently running a Sony XA20ES through an MSB Gold Link DAC / P1000 Powerbase combo and the sound is excellent. Two Rotel players in other systems are run through MSB DACs with similar results.

Just as a follow-up to my previous post (and because I forgot a great example due to my advancing age), I was so pleased several years back when I went down the road you're contemplating, I decided to go whole-hog (on a financially small scale). I snagged a beautiful Sony 707ESD player and a couple of years later, found an MSB Platinum DAC to go with it. Total outlay for those pieces was somewhere around $1200, and they are teamed with a Musical Fidelity A-308 integrated and a pair of Dali Helicon 400 speakers. This suite would hold its own against many mega-buck similar combos, I'd wager.

CEC TL-1x. A monumental transport! Neal

Technics SL-P550. It also has a digital output.

I still use a Denon DVD-2900 transport in my main rig and a Pioneer DV-F727 300-disc carousel in my office.  The Denon has digital and 5-channel analog outputs as well.  It's a very substantial, nice unit.