The best CD Player for the money

I can easily see how the Consonance beats out most all you mention EXCEPT the Cayin model 17. It may /may not beat out the Cayin 15.
But as you say the Cayin 17 retails for $1800/USA, $1K HK. I think the Consonance is less. Now is it tube? If its not tube, it will not surpass the 15, and especailly not the 17.
ss units are not in the same leauge as tube players. Thats a fact.

For the money? My cayin 17.
why? TRUE BALANCE DESIGN WITH DUAL DACS, A QUAD OF 6922 's for pure musicality, DUAL SEPARATE POWER SUPPLY's.
Weighing in at a hefty 35 lbs. Built like a tank, sounds like an angle singing with my new opamps. All for $1K shipped from HK, opamps tweaks, replaced 6 for $225, and made a HUGE difference. Will compare to DAC or player in the 3-5K range.
And another thing, it only has the number 15 in its title, Not SXLRVTEi, and not a 9000, 560, 300, 480, and other such nonsense.

When i finish the last mod on my Cayin 17 , which is to change the caps to Mundorf's midline caps, this unit might blow away the Denon. I think so.
Price with mods and new tubes = $2K. BINGO. Lesd tahn your 2500 denon