Best "RedBook" player out there

I think you should forget about a cd player and buy a good turntable.

Overall stock value if you are into SACD as well (have enough of them alklready) would be top end Sony player which has lot's of folks modifying it.Think value buzz lately has been about Raysonic but coudn't say.For ultimate I'd say either the top Linn or the Merdian.But spending tht kind of dough when we don't know what is happening yet between HD and Blu-Ray is kind of nuts.but if you only have three years to live I'd say merdian G808.
Chazzbo

My Naim cd5x continues to impress and wow me with organic and natural sound and retails for $2995.
Many others like Resolution Audio Opus 21 & the Electrocompaniet unit, both are under $3k used.

Rega Saturn should be on your short list too.

Though they're a bit hard to come by I would recommend my Tube Technology Fusion CD64. It's a great Redbook only player that marries the same dac used in Chord's famed DAC64 to a discrete tubed analog output stage with a pair of 6922's. It's a steal for $4K new, if you can find one used jump on it!