Vinyl guy seeking recommendation for a top level cd player

Arize84 wrote:  I have a Luxman D10x. When I play the redbook layer of Analogue Productions jazz SACDs and then A/B it against the corresponding 45rpm record from AP, the difference is almost negligible. In fact, I have started replacing some of my AP 45 rpms with AP SACDs. I used Nina Simone's Little Girl Blue, Grant Green's Idle Moments, and Cannonball's Something Eles, to do the comparison. On the flip the DSD layer of those SACDs sound flat compared to vinyl.

This is particularly helpful, thank you.  The D10X has to be pretty good.  It got a great write up in Absolute Sound this month.  Marantz ,too, gets praised constantly.  Have not found much on Esoteric.  I am trying to work with a local dealer so will have to inquire about availability of some of the other recommendations.  The only one I would not consider is Audio Research.  Not because it is not good, but because of a bad experience years ago.  I am an elephant.  I am a tube guy.  All of my amplification is top level Conrad Johnson:  GAT/2, ART150, TEA1/series3.

There are a couple of things I don't want:  Any kind of a computer integrated directly into my sound system or any other kind of an Erector Set of subcomponents such as disc drive, DAC and clock just to play silver discs.  I view this as a secondary source.  That it why I specified a one box solution in my OP.  As far as PS Audio is concerned a couple of thoughts:  First, their two box solution does much the same thing as the Marantz SA10, different approach but net effect quite similar, but at twice the price.  Second, the company screwed their dealer network over last year and have effectively fixed their prices in an anti-competitive manner.  I own their excellent power supply equipment, but don't think I want to get further in bed with them.
Back to the Marantz SA10, What HiFi is the only resource I have found so far that has rated both it and the Luxman D10X (although there are other ratings for one or the other).  The ratings were done at different times, however, and I don't know anything about the credibility of What HiFi.  Can anyone offer insight?
I am unfamiliar with Hegel.

This thread has been extremely helpful.  Thank you all.  I ordered a Luxman D10X today and I did so with confidence that would not have been possible without the input from this discussion.

Thanks again to one and all.  I will report back once I take possession of the D10X and get some time with it.  In the end I think it came down to a choice between the Ken Ishiwata (Marantz) voicing, which tends toward lush mids and highs and more forward, versus the Luxman more analytical and more distant perpective.  The Esoteric that was on offer was older, used, and I was afraid of it for that reason.  Other suggested brands in this discussion were not available to me.  I do have the right of return if necessary, but that is unlikely.

Bill