If it was me, I might consider the Underwood XCD-5 which is factory authoized modification of the Onix CD-5. I believe cost of the player with the mods + package is about $870. Btw, the Onix CD-5 is pretty much the same player as the Music Hall 25.2, except it has a three year warrenty instead of Music Hall one year warrenty.
Another interesting affordable source is some of the tube based CD players - the Bada HD22, for example retails for about $549, and even though there is not a lot information on this player, what is out there is pretty postive. Recently, talked to a gentlemen who has a modded version of this player and he compared it with a similarly modded version of a Jolida JD-100 players. And he and the technician who modded both players thought the Bada sounded much better, and this was before he had replaced the Chinese tube in the Bada. Also, he mentioned that the Bada was better built that the Jolida.
You might want to stop by the Pacific Valve and Electric site for some of their offerings such as the Bada.
Bottom line, there is quite a number of excellent CD players in the $500 to $1000 range, especially if you're willing to have some mods done on them to bring them up to their full potential. I know that's route I'm going to go when I buy my next CD player.
Another interesting affordable source is some of the tube based CD players - the Bada HD22, for example retails for about $549, and even though there is not a lot information on this player, what is out there is pretty postive. Recently, talked to a gentlemen who has a modded version of this player and he compared it with a similarly modded version of a Jolida JD-100 players. And he and the technician who modded both players thought the Bada sounded much better, and this was before he had replaced the Chinese tube in the Bada. Also, he mentioned that the Bada was better built that the Jolida.
You might want to stop by the Pacific Valve and Electric site for some of their offerings such as the Bada.
Bottom line, there is quite a number of excellent CD players in the $500 to $1000 range, especially if you're willing to have some mods done on them to bring them up to their full potential. I know that's route I'm going to go when I buy my next CD player.