Wow! Did you open a can of worms! I'm currently using a Cary 306/200 and love it. There's lots of fantastic players at the 5 large price point. It really depends on what you want in your system, as each player will provide you with unique characteristics. I suggest you the research, and try to listen to as many as possible. If you're willing to pay a little more than 5, say $5200 and you want a new, cutting edge player, the Music Fidelity Tri-Vista has been getting a lot of positive press.