Transport Recommendations Please.

Rich,
Your dac is as important as the transport. I’m not familiar with your dac and have no idea where it rates on a relative scale, however I did read about it within your system.
With that said a real steal on a used transport would be the Parasound C/BD-2000 belt driven compact disc transport (one went on the site last night) {I’m not associated with the owner}. That transport will outperform other transports costing three to four times the new cost. And will sound WONDERFUL!
Regards,

I would recommend a Muse Model Five transport. And it just so happens that I have an extra one for sale (I've upgraded to a Model Eight). It has a silver faceplate and I'm asking $650 for it. It is 9/10, no blems and works perfectly. Contact me if you are interested.

Rich - talk to Steve over at Empirical Audio. He is reported to be doing wonders with modding Sony DVP-S7700 units and I think that a used unit bought here and adding in his mods should be somewhere near your budget target.

Digital cables also make a substantial difference. Cardas Lightning 15 has warm bass and mids while retaining detail in the highs. The cable looks like a Cardas Golden Reference.