Budget of 7000gbp what top flight one box cd player do i buy any recommendations please

I recommemd you should seriously look into computer audio. Rip your CD collection to a hard drive and look for a DAC. For gbp6000 you could buy an excellent PC or MAC a back up hard drive as well as a great sounding DAC. I use iTunes interface with BitPerfect application to ensure my DAC gets fed the original file sample rates (no PC sample rate conversion). I use optical Toslink out from a dedicated Mac mini for music playback. Other options include USB to the DAC.

I had well over 1000 CD and it took me a few months to burn everything.

Excellent DAC are Benchmark, Mytek, Bryston just to name a few. Better to get a brand new DAC to ensure latest in format support and interfaces as well as those with reputable jitter rejection (like DSD format, Tidal MQA format if you like that, USB interface in addition to conventional digital audio)

Buying a legend in its day but what is now a used boat anchor does not make a lot of sense given the direction that audio is going (streaming). Over the last few years CD are less and less available and stores like HMV are shutting down - whatever your opinion on streaming vs discs the future is forcing us all towards computer audio....

@mains

The reason the world is moving to digital files streamed or on hard drives is because the digital files can be identical to those on the silver CD. They can also be much higher resolution and 24 bit - so better than CD quality. These digits or bits are identical and provided you have a high end DAC like a Ayre QB-9 or Benchmark DAC3 then these digital files residing or streamed from your PC will sound better than any older generation high end CD player.

The performance of the latest DACs are a major improvement over previous generation technology - look at Benchmark DAC tech specs or NAD M51 or Bryston BDA 3 or Chord Hugo or many others - on all measures S/N, jitter rejection, channel separation etc - these players are way better than old boat anchors.

Of course if you like a particular tubelike euphonic coloration then you can find that in modern DACs too (Ayre have slightly more harmonics and sound great) or if you are looking for a certain sound then an older generation high end player might be the way to go but it will be your taste that should be the deciding factor -NOT an Internet forum as there is no best coloration but ONLY what you prefer. Best only applies to neutral performance as it can be measured ruthlessly with instrumentation - and this kind of "best" is not necessarily what many audiophiles are looking for but a few of us prefer a neutral sound (generally it means we are totally happy with the speakers we own and are not trying to fix a problem there)

@mains.

If you get a Benchmark DAC 2 or the latest DAC3 then your computer source can be whatever you find convenient. For example, iTunes works perfectly as long as you pay attention to get the correct settings in the software. You don’t have to worry about jitter at all and as long as the bits are hitting your DAC at the correct sample rate of the source file and without any adjustments (bit perfect) then every computer source used to read your files will sound the same.

The only thing you need with a Benchmark DAC is a pair of speakers that are right for you and a high end amp capable to drive them cleanly to whatever SPL you need. If you don’t like your speakers 100% then a neutral DAC may not work and a DAC with some coloration (usually warmth or some pleasant emphasis in bass, treble or mids as needed) would be a better option.

Here is a review of the DAC2 which I use currently. I am waiting for a DAC 3 to arrive to replace it:-

http://i.nextmedia.com.au/Assets/20160901051421_benchmark_dac2_hgc_review_test_lores.pdf

If you have perfect speakers for your taste then the Benchmark neutral sound will be a perfect fit. I can’t emphasize this point enough as there are plenty of other great DACs out there to suit many tastes...and speakers are the largest variable with often the most coloration => the speakers make system synergy an important consideration.