In my own rig, AMR CD-77 fits the bill (although at $ 8.5k perhaps not what you meant by moderately pricey). Admittedly one third more expensive, there is YBA Le Lecteur CD1 Classic Sigma (or Passion 1000 which is the same player in a different outfit) that recently led me to think it would have been very serious competition for the AMR, had I heard it before, exactly for the reasons you mention (and some more).
I very much agree with what has been said on CD mastering, in particular the lack of dynamics, though: junk in, junk out. I guess that is what you get if you produce for all-day-long sonic drizzle out of small dickey boxes that only digital made possible, muzak instead of music (am I getting old or just a bellyacher?).
I very much agree with what has been said on CD mastering, in particular the lack of dynamics, though: junk in, junk out. I guess that is what you get if you produce for all-day-long sonic drizzle out of small dickey boxes that only digital made possible, muzak instead of music (am I getting old or just a bellyacher?).