what cd player ?

personally, i'd buy a really good universal player used, but if you want new the yamaha s100 is $799 at accessories4less and is built like a tank

Lots of good suggestions here. I would like to add that When I was looking into getting a high end Esoteric I first dipped my toe in the used market and bought an Esoteric DV 50. It’s a universal player but I was totally surprised at the detail and overall musicality of this machine. Built like the proverbial tank, very heavy and can be found used well in your price range.

Just an idea for flexibility and sound quality, I bought this unit for CD and video as well. Panasonic DP-UB9000P1K. Audio section gets great reviews. Balanced output for 2-channel. 

Mainstream companies like Marantz, Denon, Rotel, and Yamaha all make very fine all-in-one players in your price range.

I have an Emotiva ERC3 that is a great transport to an external DAC; I second the comments here about upgrading the power cable and getting good isolation. The Audiolab CDT-6000 is another great way to get your toes in the water. I have a Gustard X16 DAC that like the the Emo and the Audiolab.