Upgrading cd player

OP,

Correct, ARC stopped making CD9SE’s because their supplier stopped making the transport. I am sure they have lots for repairs. But these days transports tend to be pretty reliable. They used to be terrible. 
 

While I do not know this, I suspect ARC will not invest in producing another CD player… it is a market that is contracting quickly. 
 

MacIntosh and Audio Research are on very different sides of the sound spectrums. Mac typically lacks detail compared with Audio Research. Their house sounds are very different.

@ghdprentice Thanks for the update about that transport. I thought I heard that. I originally did want that CD9se. But now I’m not so sure if I can’t get another transport years later. Also thanks for that information on the Mac. I figured they would be in very different sides of the sound spectrum. Never owned Mac before. I am going to demo the MCD12000 cdp next week but it will be on all Mac gear. So the sound will be very different on my system which is all ARC. I asked the dealer if u could take home the Mac to demo on my system and he said he can’t do it. So I don’t even know if it’s worth hearing it on their Mac system. 

@wharfy  I’m gonna email ARC and ask them about that CD9se laser assembly. 

There's the Audionet Art G5. It's a top loader that uses the Streams Unlimited CD Pro8 drive that Pro-Ject uses in their CDP, as well as Gryphon and Acoustic Arts but the last two go for well over your budget limit whereas the  Art G5 is about $1000 under it. Digital food for thought.

 All the best,
Nonoise

@nonoise   Thanks for the info. What do u think of the Mc  MCD12000 ?