Are There Any Really Good $500 CD Players?


Time to upgrade my years old Marantz cheapo CD player, which works fine but sounds horrid compared to my server/DAC and turntable front ends. Even feeding the player's output into my $3500 DAC it still doesn't sound great. Understood everything is relative and more money buys better sound, but is there anything around the $500 price point that sounds at least moderately "high end"? I’d consider used as well as new.
jaybe

Showing 2 responses by mesch

Cambridge Audio makes a transport that could be used with our DAC. Retails at $500 however I understand it is discounted. I think it is sold by Audio Advisor. Of course elsewhere also.
If I enjoyed the sound of my server/DAC and wanted to stay close to the sound of it (and at $3500 I would want to use it),  and I have a budget of $500, then I would purchase the Cambridge CXC transport.