BEST CD TRANSPORT

+1 @magnuman, Esoteric are also the best sacd players on the planet. Closest runner up is the McIntosh MCT 500 which also has a USB thumb drive input. 

+1 Charles1dad

Project rs2 top loader no shakey draw or wobble. Fixed spindle with puck. Can connect 1s2 (hdmi) into certain DACs like the rs2 DAC and reclocks ..... Truly superb and betters my Rega Rp8 Apheta often ... Annoying as it shouldn't 

MBL 1621A Transport - makes well recorded CDs sound almost like Vinyl. A  superlative build.

A further mention of Esoteric. The only pure transport Esoteric now make is the Grandioso, now with the Atlas transport mechanism which replaces the previous VRDS Neo. Unfortunately Esoteric no longer supply OEM transports which means that companies like DCS have had to go elsewhere.

@bigkidz

Best hands down Pro-Ject Audio

Then Audiomeca Mephisto II

Next Metronome T1A & AL2 CD Transport & Power Supply

Then CEC TL-2

This is an impressive list of very high quality excellent CD transports. Could not go wrong with anyone of these. I can report that based upon direct listening experience the Pro-Ject Audio RS2T sound quality/music reproduction  is outstanding!

Granted its cost is more than many other transports mentioned thus far within this tread. Due to the superb performance it yields, the price is very reasonable and fair.

Charles

Audiolab 6000 better Marantz CD5400. Mind you so it should.

Esoteric

I'm a very long-term vinyl user, who is now having experiences with Digital as a source in my audio system.

For many years, I could not get along with the impact of the sonic being created from using CD as a Source. This is an evaluation resulting from my attending a limited amount of demo's of a CD Source used in unfamiliar systems, and a recollection of the outcome from the demo' had on myself. 

Today that has changed, I use a Bespoke produced DAC fed by a Perfect Wave Audio CDT.

This combination, introduced as a second Source within my audio system, which has found itself at a place of Parity in relationship to how much it is enjoyed, when it is in use alongside the Vinyl Source.

There has been plenty of same Album A/B comparison to confirm that both Sources are equally enjoyed for the presentation of the produced sound.

I have wondered in the past if there is more to be offered, if a exchange CDT is used. 

The best CD transport on the market is Esoteric, It's very expensive but it has the best CD mechanism out there, the VRDS clamping transport, there's not a better transport made anywhere.

As a mainly vinyl LP guy, I bought the entry level C.E.C. transport that I've used with a couple different DACs. It delivers what's on the disc without any artifacts and doesn't have the sound I used to associate with "bad CD." Some Redbook sounds fabulous. 

Pro-Ject RS2 CD Transport

Audiolab 6000CDT $600 - Too many to list

Jays Audio CDT2 MKIII - $2,500 - Audiolab 6000CDT, Audiolab 9000CDT, Project DS3, Rega Apollo

The Audiolab 9000CDT is a very surprising transport with an amazing ability to seperate instruments providing a great soundstage. 

I sell CEC transports because it is the only transport I ever heard that does not "guess" at what the music is supposed to be. There is no jitter in a CEC transport. The noise level in the signal sets the standard all others try to match. Many of the transports you can buy are actually made by CEC, if it comes out of Japan. CEC products are just the house brand.

The CEC products mentioned here are previous models and not current production. I have customers who will not give up their 20 year old transport and just  want to get it fixed when it has an issue. 

Jay's cdt2-mk3. Still blows me away everytime I listen to it.

Best hands down Pro-Ject Audio

Then Audiomeca Mephisto II

Next Metronome T1A & AL2 CD Transport & Power Supply

Then CEC TL-2

Then Nano

Then Rega Saturn modified

Then the rest go down from there

Cyrus CDT-XR is the best in my system.

Betters:

Cyrus CDT

Jay's Audio CDT Mk.II

Linn Ikemi

CEC CD51

Linn Karik

There's a number of CD transport threads already, you might want to take a look at them.