The BCD-3 is well under $10000 and a solid performer. I've had one in my system now for just about a year. It betters a Sony ES5400 CD/SACD player that I still have in my system and a 20 year old Meridian 508.24 which it replaced. I would be surprised if you could find a better player for the price but if you are willing to go to the upper limits of your budget I suspect you could find a better player...but the returns IMO will be diminishing. As much as I enjoy the BCD-3 I find I am using it less and less as I have added digital streaming to my system and am finding that the sound quality of even modest streamers/dacs approach or equal the quality of the BDC-3. All this to suggest that might not want to go all in with your budget on a CD player unless you absolutely sure you will never get into streaming your files.
Best redbook-only CD Player under $10k - Bryston BCD3, Resolution Audio Cantata 3.0, ....
I’m interested in hearing thoughts on great CD players under $10k. I prefer single box and not separate DAC and Transport. I’m ok with high quality used gear too. I’ve read good things about the two players in the title and I’ve heard the Esoteric K03x and was impressed (it outperformed the Wadia 781i quite easily). I’d be interested in hearing if anyone did some side-by-side comparisons too. I don’t have any SACDs so I don’t need that functionality. Thanks!