Seeking Budget CD Player Suggestions

Does his Mac have digital ins that will allow it to be used as a DAC?  If so and he likes the sound of his current player then I would spend the $500 on a CD transport

What exactly is on its last leg? Not reading discs? Reading discs but no sound? What’s the problem? It may be worth fixing the McIntosh.

As above.  The actual mechanical transport/laser can be very affordable if you are into DIY (do not know about the McIntosh unit but Marantz/Denon traverse units are not too difficult to replace) -----if you can locate a source.  One would hope a manufacturer like McIntosh would stock these but then again I understand they are not as service oriented as they used to be.

His budget is limiting, I would try hard to get the existing player back to good health.

Has your friend tried one of these lens cleaner discs?

Lasers do get old/weak, not age, but has it done a heck of a lot of play time?

If he finds a used model like his, with little use, then he would have his old one for parts. Perhaps find one with missing remote for lower price even.

Is he handy enough to take the cover off, look twice, perhaps a can of compressed air, a speck of white lithium lubricant on the laser rails and the drawer mechanism.

Some models still have lens assembly kits, what specific model does he have?

New belts are usually available for the drawer mechanism.