The best CD Player for the money

Hello everyone. I recently obtained a Sony XA7ES, in impeccable state, for $1000. It is most pleasing to my ears. I respectfully recommend its audition. Good luck in the journey. -Sam

You didn't specify a price range, but I'm guessing by the nature of the question you're in the Class B price range. I recently did a little downsizing and sold my Wadia 850 and purchased the Arcam FMJ CD23. After spending a day A/B testing using my buddy's system as reference (mine's being rebuilt) I can honestly say the reviews are deserved for this model. High build quality, very listenable and no bad characteristics. A solid Class B performer, and far better than the Adcom GCD 750 I also owned in the recent past. The Ring DAC only disappointed by comparison after we used the Arcam as a transport and a Timber TT1 DAC. The Timber revealed a more open, natural, nuanced sound, with better soundstaging. Of course, that's an unfair comparison, but the point is the Arcam is a quality piece and good value for the money.

I have to agree with Vegasears - CAL stuff. I have the Delta/Sigma II. It's not the last word in detail, but it does not make my ears bleed the way some other CD players do. Alternately (much better !) get a good turntable

Sonic Frontiers SFCD1 is my current player, but the upgrade path is limited and expensive. They are rumoured (good source to be downsizing their building so I don't know if SF will make available an SACD player. It looks like DVD-A will not make it. Therefore, my next CD player of choice came down to the Sony DVP9000Es and, judging by the reviews here, I will be making the correct choice!

I understand Cary 300 was with tube output stage but it is dicontinued by Cary. Instead Cary now has replaced 300 with
all electronic model Cary 303 which is supposed to sound better as 300 was missing out some details on low freq reproduction.