The best CD Player for the money

so far... it is a little $49 Sony PlayStation 1 player that sounds exceptional for the money. Hey, quit rolling your eyes!

I sometimes tie on a little Sony discman for beach or sandpit listening. Vinyl gets too messy and my tapes are waaaayyyy too valuable to see sand.

Best high end sound I've owned for under $1k is the NAD C565BEE CD/USB player.

+1 on the NAD C-565BEE.

I have a Sony CD Player, modified by Tube Research Labs (TRL), and could not be happier. It has a very palatable presentation, yet the resolution is amazing. The bass goes to beyond believable, yet is well controlled. The treble is natural and extended. The midrange is mind blowing. The imaging is mind blowing. And, the dynamics, both macro and micro are spooky good. I can not recommend TRL enough.

My advice is to contact Paul Weitzel at TRL. They have modified MANY brands/models of CD players. They say some lend themselves to improvement more than others. Don't be surprised if Paul recommends a very inexpensive player. You have him modify it, then you can take it up against your friend"s mega dollar players.