Vinyl guy seeking recommendation for a top level cd player

You misinterpreted my post.  A Laser can go out AT ANY TIME....like a week after you buy it...not because of its age/usage. Thats what I meant.

All CD players are kinda crap at digital. The best possible source for a digital file is a RAM Disk. Its not hard to see why, as its absolutely effortless from your RAM.
I have actually tested this extensively, and an NVMe drive is pretty close to a RAM Disk, with SSDs just behind and HDs behind them. I don't have good CD players to test but regular ones are not as good as any HD that I have heard. CD players just throw the bits, as they read them, at their DAC, or out to your DAC, while digital files have header, so the system knows what's happening.

 Come on kids, I'm nearly 75 and have been tweaking my systems since the 80s of the last century. Computer noise can be pretty well eliminated by using a Pi bridge of some kind, and the Pi2AES hat is so good at this, the signal my DAC sees is very clean indeed, with almost imperceptible levels of both noise and jitter.

Billstevenson,
You should also consider the overall sound that you are looking for.
Some suggestions here are very different and your first question about brands that you are interested mentiones two different ’schoolos’ of sound
I believe that Marantz and Esoteric (speaking in general) have different approach to the sound and Luxman  would be closer to Marant (but perhaps not the  D-10x)
If I would judge by your choise of equipment I would say that ’precission and ultimate resolution’ (overall sound of esoteric digital might be desribed that way) is not your first goal when choosing hi fi components.
Than again, maybe such player would be better in your system than the one of different voicing.
You will need to take both kind home and try it.

I do not use pc audio.or streaming
As far as ’analog’ sound of digital players is concern, I prefer Burmester brand.
I have had few their players, 061, 001 and just recently I got the 089 model
Had Dcs Puccini with clock,which is great on SACD or on new production, but it will make your not so good recordings even more difficult to listen, once had Bryston as well, had a chance to listen and compare Luxman D05 (or 6) and Ayre as well.

There is a brand and player that I would like to recommend.
It is the Metronome, their ’entry’ model Le player 2 s.

https://www.mymetronome.shop/en/produit/le-player-2s-audio-cd-player-dac/

https://www.hifichoice.com/content/m%C3%A9tronome-technologie-le-player-2s

I had it for a year and than replaced it with 089 Burmester.
Still, the Metronome is very nice sounding cd player, seriously built, with very ’analog’ like sound. Also, I had it in all tube system (30w p.single ended amp with 6550 tubes in ultra linear mode) and with single ended connections (I belive CJ also have only se) it worked great, unlike some more expensive models which require balanced equipment to show all of its potential

I have Marantz SA 10, this sacd competes with my SME 10 turntable, the SA10 if you can match it properly, right  cabling and other gear, it will give you the musical dynamic micro and macro, The layering of every instrument do have their space, The SA 10 is a well balance full sounding sacd , it has a very good slam and bass ,It’s a heck of a good player, very powerful sacd player, I don’t even miss vynil when I got the SA 10. My analog set up is excellent as well , I think esoteric stuff are also excellent, I use to have one, and stop working, the repair service can be difficult for the esoteric as well.Iam on my way to buy the MaRantz Ruby sacd player...

PS audio SACD transport + their Directstream DAC. ‘Nuff said. Check out their website. 
I have both and they reveal details I’d never heard.