Best redbook player under $5oo

The Music Hall CD-25 is pretty sweet. If you're willing to buy used you can get it for less than $500. It's $600 new.

Denon's DVD5000 is a GREAT cd player and can be found under
$500.00 used. It won't read CDR's though. $2500.00 when new.
Joe

Cal CL-15
Right around $500 used. You can't beat it. Neither can any of the others listed. For this kind of money, depending on the rest of your system. You are as close to Hi-Fi as you can get. I use one in my system. I know it is the weakest link in my system. I always think about selling and upgrading.
But I am very happy the way it sounds. So I can't come up with a good enough reason to justify selling it.

I have a Roksan Kandy KC1 and it's just great. I prefer it to both the CA and NAD C542. Just my opinion FWIW.