high quality transports

I second the Theta Carmen II suggestion. It's the best I've heard.

Check out the Audio Note CD2. It goes for $3300 new, but can be picked up used for under $2000. I liked it better than a Levinson 37, Theta Carmen, and Wadia. Great midrange and soundstage with a natural/organic feel to it. Slightly less bass than the others but not at all objectional--PRAT is well maintained. Highly recommended.

Yes great sound is a must. But what about the warranty? How much can you be expected to pay for a transport that offers only a 1 year warranty? Maybe the transport manufacturers need to establish a different warranty metric - say hours of play, I don't know. I am not gonna plunk down major dollahs for a crummy 1 year warranty on a transport, I don't care how good it sounds.