Yamaha CDS-1000 or Denon DCD-1600ne

OP, I also listen to some classic rock on my Denon/Sonus Faber system, and agree that it's a good fit.  And $899 for the Denon is a very good deal -- less than I paid about 2 years ago, and notable in this inflationary economy.  Give the Denon sufficient time to break in, and I doubt you'll be disappointed.

I have the Denon, and like the OP, Sonus Faber speakers (Olympica III, used with a McIntosh power amp).  I considered the Yamaha, but didn't buy it because of reliability concerns.  The Denon took several months to break in, and originally, I was not impressed.  But now I think the Denon is a good match for the amp and speakers -- it's detailed, crisp and dynamic.  By contrast, I tried a tubed CD player with the same setup, and it didn't work well -- the sound was tubby and slow.