Need a New CD Player

I just returned a Marantz 5005. It did not make it to my ears even with an external DAC.
I got a Rega Apollo-R and I am very happy.
YMMV

Crwindy. Can you expound a bit about why the 5005 didn't sound right to you?

I just pulled out a Teac CD 1250 P from over a decade ago to use in place of an even older Technics which stinks until I can get a new unit. The old Teac sounds far better than the Technics. More depth to the sound stage and the instruments seem to be more distinct in most every CD I've listened to.

I've also read the latest NAD CD players are excellent and apparently the QC issues that existed when I last bought one nearly 15 years ago no longer exist. Anyone have any comments about the NAD 516BEE?

Hey Will - sorry 'bout that, didn't understand your budget. As part of the same Distinction series of which the CD3000 is a part, TEAC offers 2 lower priced models. Maybe one of those (CD1000 or CD2000) would work? Did a quick check on Amazon...looks like the 2000 is right at $1K. The CD1000 around $800. They are both CD/SACD players. The CD1000 5 star review on Amazon is worth reading as it cites some hifi publication reviews/awards (for whatever those are worth). There's a lot of great gear out there. I'm not trying to tell you TEAC is the best of the best at a given price point BUT it doesn't seem to have the high profile of other brands so might be something you had not considered recently. Good luck in your search whatever you end up getting.

I could never quite put my hand (ear) on what the problem was. I just didn't want to listen to music, and when I did, I didn't want to keep hearing more.
I tried it by itself and with my rDAC. The sound was best with the rDAC and optical output, but still not great.
I had been using an old TEAC VRDS transport with the rDAC and I was very happy.
I picked up a floor model Rega Apollo-R for $650 and I am very happy with it, both using its own DAC and the external one.
I am not great at audiophile-speak, so the only term that I can use is listener fatigue, that ill defined loss of desire to hear more, rather than disc after disc.

Cwindy. Thanks for the info. Sounds like it may have had a harsh sound then at least to your ears.