balanced connection player

The 506 does not have balanced connections. Good luck finding a 506. I have been looking for that or a 507 for months. The only one I saw in that time was a faulty 506 on Ebay. oh well! Arthur

also can't lose with Muse; 8 transport, and 9, 9sig, 10, and 11 (DVD) players.

Thule has a couple of CD players that are balanced.
Good value. You can pick one up for around $600 used here when available.

since most of these brands are not available in my area(even san francisco), i almost have to rely on reviews alone...search goes on

A Wadia 830 can sometimes be found in your price range, but keep a sharp eye out because they usually sell about 4 seconds after they are listed.
Also, if you are looking for true balanced design, be sure to read the fine print in the owners manual or research the product on the internet. AES/EBU XLR terminals does not necessarily imply a balanced circuit. Some put them there for convenience only, and they are unbalanced.

(Sorry if you knew all that already)

Cheers