Entry CD player question?

Back from my day in getting college money working at a shop that repaired video game consoles (lots of PlayStations) I learned to hate all CD transports made by Sony or (more so now) one of its suppliers.  They sadly dominate the industry.

Now it seems that TEAC makes the better transports (the actual mechanical disc reader).  They are just much more solidly built that the various Sony lines and suppliers.  They end up in some of the highest end — e.g., Esoteric.  While some supposed high end (e.g., Mark Levinson, which is normally excellent) has a literal PlayStation plastic-internals transport on a little foam pad as its high end solution.

Long way of saying, figure out what sub manufacturer built the transport in your chosen model and look for TEAC. 

if it wasn’t for advancements in DAC, I’d hunt down a mid 1990s CD player with a metal tray.  If you’re at all handy, I’d still do that and put the old transport into a new model or get one with a digital out and stick it into a new DAC.  With rare exception, they literally don’t make them like they used to make them.

@wyoboy 

The easiest, of course, is to crack one open and look at the sticker on the transport.

But, assuming that is not an option, a little Google-Fu can get you there.  The manuals are generally on-line and a little deep reading of the legal bits you ignore normally (e.g., “manufactured under license from Sony Corporation by ABC corp in DEF China) will tell you you’re dealing with a re-badged PlayStation.

The alternative (if you just want to get a TEAC) just look for TEAC subsidiaries or suppliers.  There are plenty reasonably priced models made.  Again, I very much enjoy a Esoteric K-03XD which is a TEAC transport with really nice multiple DACs, a good clock, and nice isolation of the noisy digital components.  Not exactly entry level, but you can get them used or from Japan very reasonably.

Other ways: Google repairs of the player in which you are interested.  Someone will have cracked it open.  I did that to confirm my recollection that Mark Levinson CD player had a low-tier PlayStation transport on a pillow they sell for an amazing premium before I slandered them unfairly. Absolute garbage, which disappointed me to no end because I generally like the brand.