The best CD Player for the money

1. Rega Planet (old-style)
2. Resolution CD50 (used)
3. Resolution CD55 (new)
4. Any Muse digital product
5. Metronome CD2
6. Spectral 1000SDR; ancient history but very smooth, dynamic, and not etched, very natural sounding, includes
a very nice preamplifier as well; under 2K if you can found one used.

Get a good DVD player and put it through a Assemblge 3.1 DAC.It gets no better than this.

intersting Shubertmaniac, my top would be very similar:(FOR THE MONEY)
Tjoeb 4000
RA CD50 (I should have never sold it)
RA CD55
My current set up with an AN dac1.1 has been very impressive so far and has yet to break in. I might start part swapping pretty soon once I get a feel for its sound.Very undigital.

Find a used (If you can) Cary 300, superb sound quality.
The absolute best soundstage I have ever heard. My wife
said for the first time it actually sounded like Diana Krall
was standing right in front of us giving a live performance
and she is right.
I also have the Arcam FMJ CD 23 (also very nice) but it
just does not sound as real as the Cary. Find a Cary 300
or 301 for around $1400 you will not be dissapointed.
Great bass and sooooooo smooth.

I heard a MYRYAD MC100.for 1295 new its pretty special.its a class b in Stereophile.Deservedly so.