Hard to beat a HHB with the proprietary upside-down transport and digital (RCA) out. They were Pioneer's answer to the upscale market, retailed for more than a grand, get one off Feebay for about $300 if you're sharp.
CD players that make for a great transport
For those who have an extensive CD collection, own a quality DAC used for streaming, and occasionally enjoy spinning disks, what current model or recent vintage CD players within a budget of $500-$1000 are noted for having a good transport and quality coax digital output?