best cd player for 300-500 bux

New or Used? Just off the top of my head, I know both the new NAD C545BEE and the Marantz CD5003 have removable power cords, and both have gotten decent reviews. Btw, why do you want to get rid of your NAD C541? I think in the $300 - 500 range, you're not going to do all that much better in what you got. Your money would be better spend, either jumping up to a CDP in the $800 - 1000 range, or perhaps adding an outboard DAC to your NAD. If you want to have the capabilities of adding a removable power cord, I would think that shouldn't be a difficult (or expensive) mod to have done.

i concur with cleaneduphippy--use your $300 on a used dac like the cambridge. your nad isn't a great player, but it'll do just fine as a transport.

The best move I ever made was to a stand-alone DAC. I have the PS Audio Digital Link III and can run coax digital in from the CDP, Optical digital in from a Mac, and USB in from my laptop. Great sound, flexibility and reliable. On sale here at Audiogon for under $500 and new for just a bit more. I don't have one for sale nor do I know any of the current sellers. It will make a new source out of your old one. I have even used it with an inexpensive Oppo universal player and it is fantastic. Good luck in your quest.