Sony 777 as a transport?

Look into an Audio Note CDT-2

I am in a similar sort of situation. I am trying to get a transport and have been looking at a lot of them out there and I think I settled on one. It is the Northstar 192 transport. I cannot find anyone out there that has heard it, so I am taking a big jump into the unknown. What I do know is it had a very favorable review, albeit a review is a review. And it has a very good transport mechanism, some say the best u can buy.....philips CD Pro 2, it is the same one used in the audio research CD3, EMC1, Audio Aero capitole and probably others.

For what it's worth, check out the review.....

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/northstarcd_e.html

I think I am taking the plunge....got my fingers crossed.

My SCD777ES worked fine as a transport with my Audio Logic, although it is not as good-sounding to me as my Forsell, which has a more analogue-like sound (huge soundstage, bloom around instruments)--hence, I still use the Forsell. Difference was not huge, but musically significant to me. Of the units you mentioned, I know that the CEC TL-1X is a fine match for the Audio Logic, and is recommended by Jerry Ozment.