Get an old one. Oppo was making some decent disc spinners but they are getting out of that business. It might be a sign of things to come. If it were me, I would look for an older Sony ES model, Esoteric, or even a PS Audio. You might find a new old stock unit from Sony like the 5400ES. That might be a great idea and run out the digital cable to a really good DAC, like the Ayre Codex.
New or Old CD Player?
Let's say I have $5K, tops, to buy a CD player. I don't need digital inputs, outputs, etc. I don't need to spin SACD's. I only intend to play Redbook CD's and want a one-box solution. Would my money be better spent on a new unit, like maybe a Hegel Mohican? Or should I buy a component that was close to state of the art a decade ago? Like maybe a Simaudio 750D, or an Audio Research Reference CD8? Thoughts?