Oppo Vs Esoteric

Has anyone compared these higher end CD players to any of the tube modified players?  For example the Marantz sa8005 with modwright tube analog output stage mods? Puts the marantz cd player around $4k all in. 

Thanks guys. I plan to visit about 5-6 shops today and see how I go about choosing a loudspeaker and what budget it leaves me for the digital player. With all the feedback that was provided, there is not a 0.0001% doubt in my mind that the Oppo can better any dedicated CD player. But the option of using the Opportunity as a transport for a outboard DAC is also tempting.
How would a outboard DAC like Bryston BDA3 compare to the Esoteric or Marantz or Luxman?

Hi I used to use many brands and spending money trying to compare sound. And I finally ended up with accuphase. Ofcours It was always my dream to own accuphase, but I was thinking about myself, I'm not gonna be one of those crazy  people who spends $$$$$ and might not hear the difference . I was wrong. If you like audio don't go cheap , if you want to go cheap don't go at all . I like accuphase for sound , functionality, and ofcours quality 

Please do not say Esoteric and Oppo in the same sentence.  

For those who prefer the more expensive players mentioned, can you describe any efforts you may have taken wherein you played the same exact music (duplicate CDs) through both players at the same time through the same preamp, switching back and forth between the two, and to the best of your ability exactly what difference you have heard?  I have done this many, many times with players costing between $700 and $5,000 and have heard very negligible differences.  Never any Esoteric though for me (Sony, Oppo, Meridian, and Ayre mostly).  What I have heard (when there were differences) might represent a 5% overall difference/improvement, and it was in the area of reproduction of the space of the recording venue (sense of realism), some increase in clarity/resolution (which would contribute to the first part).  Differences were in line with cable swapping.  When a $1k player sounds incredibly close to a $5k player, I would label that a tremendous value in my book - and I'm not just talking about Oppo.  But if you have an incredibly accurate system, as with everything else in this hobby the differences might be worth the investment.  I agree with what Chayro said above in this regard.