The best sub $1000 cd player

Go to the used market and get youself a used Micromega and the matching DAC(with the old chip).... Very musical sound! Nearly all the modern day digital equipments are crap! They sound too agressive and edgy.

Stan Warren modified Pioneer DVD 24/96 player. It is way under $1000, yet it is way up there sonically with the $3000+ "audiophile" players. (I know of many audiophiles that have $30k+ systems, that are using this particular unit in their front end! Obviously, these guys could afford a seriously expensive player, yet they are happy with the sound of Stan's modified unit).

I have a Stan Pioneer DV333. It does best most/all sub $1K players. It slightly bested my Rotel RCD990 ($1.5K list). I just picked up a Stan MSB Link DAC and Aiwa Changer combo from a friend of Stan's in Oregon. Assuming they demo out similar, the DV333 will probably go to the den system, so I can also play movies on the Sony TV in there.

Currently, I find myself choosing the Rega Planet over the Adcom GCD-750, which I chose over the Rotel 971. Of course interconnect makes a difference also. I'm currently using the Audioquest Turquoise with the Rega Planet.

I saw some Theta DSP Gen III used for sale. Will this DSP significantly improve my Sherwood 980?

Jack