best used transport 400-700

Sony dvd 7000 player- astonishingly clear Look here- I can confirm their findings (great video too).
http://www.planethifi.com/planethifi/sum97dvps7000rev.htm

please read http://gonmain.iserver.net/cgi-bin/cl.pl?dgtltran&1004426717&class&3&4&
The Theta data and data II use transport mechanisms which aren't manufactured anymore.

EAD transports -- viz., the pioneer stable transport mech., like the thetas, no longer manufactured. Great products however. Also I wouldn't expect very large differences in sound based on upgrading the transport a step or two. Cheers.

Theta data II, EAD T1000, or EAD T7000(cd/ld), Monarchy DT40b universal CD/LD. I have Monarchy DT40b coupled with EAD DSP-700 MK2 this overall $700 combo blows away cd players like YBA, Muse, Krell which are way over $1k

Mejames is correct about the Data and Data II using discontinued mechanisms. This was confirmed for me by Ed Deitemeier with Theta Digital. He said they were looking for sources for the Phillips CDM-9 which the Data uses.

I bought a used Theta Pearl 5 months ago for $600 on Audiogon. I like this piece very much. It uses the Pioneer Stable Platter as do the Jade and Miles. At the time of my purchase, Pioneer was still manufacturing this mechanism. However, someone stated here in the forums recently that Pioneer had stopped production of the Stable Platter. I haven't confirmed this, so I'm not sure if it's true or not.

Either way, Theta makes a very good, affordably priced [used] transport. And the others mentioned here are definitely worth a look too.

Good luck and happy hunting!