Music Fidelity used to make an in-line tube-stage buffer called the "X-10D" or something like that. There were many rave reviews about what it could do for cd players with no digital output. I would imagine you could find one used for under $150. Does anyone out there remember this thing? It was still in production up until about 3 years ago. Check with Audio Advisor. They import Music Fidelity gear. Good luck.
Add-on improvement to analog-only CDP?
I have a vintage 1986 dbx CDP with only analog outputs. The dbx processing circuits generally make this old timer sound better than most new CDPs I've heard, but its still a bit harsh. Are there any improvements I can make to it, or add between it and the preamp, that don't involve a soldering iron or megabuck cables.