what cd player ?

I had a cdt6000, but returned it.  It just didn’t sound good in my system.  I was considering buying the latest iteration of Jay’s audio transport, but got sidetracked with upgrading my streamer and DAC.  I once again considered Jay’s, but decided to first try using a cheap Amazon cd drive and DBPoweramp to rip CDs to my streamer’s storage and the musical reproduction was greatly improved.  Currently, my CDs streamed approaches my analog and that is a major compliment.

One of the most common questions, here.

Search discussions.

Denon, Marantz, NAD, Rotel, Yamaha.

I went for Sony xa5400es, SACD/CD player. I found one with light use, i.e. less hours use of the laser, they do get weak after a lot of use.

My saga to find a new to me CD player, I went thru 9 different maker’s units, until I got, love, kept this one.

Surprisingly, they hold their value, selling for as much as when they were first introduced.

here’s a nice, lightly used one, right in your budget, $1,100.

Crutchfield still has info on old units

After preliminary top of the list from research, I asked for advice here:

Also, complete laser assemblies are available on ebay, some models, no parts at all.

If you do not care about SACD, this CD only unit is also a definite keeper

Integra CDC-3.4 Mark II

I got the Mark II model, there is a letter after the serial number on the back. Mark 1 may be just as good, I do not know the difference.

Wanted SACD, got the Sony, sold the Integra.

other threads I started about CD players, this one about NOT converting DSD to PCM

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/sacd-players-models-with-dsd-processor-used-and-new-not-dsd-conver

the search saga prior to selecting the Sony xa5400es

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/better-cd-sound-the-search