Looking for a CD player

Modwright mods upper-end DVD players to very good effect.  I'd contact them to see if they think there's anything currently available that would lend itself to your project.  

Couple other thoughts on this. I also use an Emotive ERC-4 cd player but normally use its AES/EBU outputs with appropriate 110 ohm cable using XLR connectors to great effect into my Holo Spring DAC. Effectively this outperforms by a substantial margin using a computer based music server via USB outputs either straight into the same DAC, or into a Singxer SU-1 converter which then can feed a multitude of different connections (AES, Coax, I2S, BNC) into the DAC. Again I much prefer the AES connection with this setup, but even that does not sound as good as ERC-4 to DAC via AES. For $600 this player is hard to beat.

Another transport that has not been mentioned is the NuPrime CDT-8 ($850.00) which is a transport only but receives outstanding praise. NuPrime has also released the CDT-10 this past year at double the price ± a bit which is said to be significantly better. Both units use the same Phillips transport as I understand it that the Jays Audio and the Denafrips Avatar use. 

As a final note, I have yet to hear a Coax connection perform or sound as good as an AES connection, and I've tried quite a few coax cables. 

sounasega OP I would connect to my primaluna dialogue premium integrated,

It has poweramp inputs on the back (HT), so still get a dac with volume ability as direct will sound better than the preamp of the PL (which I think could be passive anyway), by going direct it gets rid of many input switching contacts, and it’s volume control wiper contacts in the signal path.

Cheers George

I love my Rega Apollo player, and you can get a new one within your budget. It gets very good reviews. I love the top-loading feature, as there is no motorized tray to go bad.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/rega-research-apollo-cd-player

Conclusions
Forced to sum up the Rega Apollo's sound in a sentence or two, I would write: This player has a sonic brilliance—a clarity of detail and of musical line, allied with a spatially up-front presentation—that enhances musical engagement. The Apollo doesn't gladly suffer bright or timbrally threadbare CDs—something I dimly recall being even truer of the original Apollo—but with most discs I tried, it provided enjoyable, involving, nonfatiguing sound.

My thoughts on value are even more concise. As with other Rega products—their entry-level tonearms come to mind—few other audio components of my experience, and no other contemporary CD players, offer so much music for so little money. Unless your system has an egregiously bright sound, you can't go wrong with the Rega Apollo. And if your heart is set on spending $10,000, go ahead and buy nine of these and spread the love. Robustly recommended.

Another really good CDP with preamp out and DAC input is the Cambridge Audio 851C. I have one and it sounds very nice and not bright whatsoever. It is a fairly revealing player so poor recordings are still going to sound as they are. Change out the two fuses which I did with the right power cord it’ll be tuff to beat and for what they go for used these days it’s definitely a player to consider. I also own a stock Oppo 205 and the Cambridge is more refined. Still would consider separates but for what a used Cambridge 851C goes for, you could start there then later add a DAC which is what I did, but don’t underestimate the 851C on its own. It’s also nicely built. I would think going through your Primaluna will sound great as the Cambridge is an open/transparent player. Also balance out sounds better to my ears if you have that option.