Best sounding CD player

having owned the Cary 306 I can vouch for it's sonic beauty, on the other hand it's reliability is sub-par IMO. My current 'spinner', Marantz Ruby has been perfect.

I also own an Ayon CD5 tube Signature Player! Like a separate DAC and Transport. Have had Levinson 31.5 Transport and Blue Circle top DAC with separate power supply etc. There are differences in all the set ups in regards to warmth and detail and Soundstage etc. The Ayon is a wonderfully but expensive player with Streaming optional! I prefer like others to have the CD to look at the info etc. I also like the hands on experience! As we get older we get more lazy but I still like the sound better of CD compared to Streaming! Just as some prefer Vinyl to CD which I also use. It really boils down to Preference! I miss the 31.5 Transport that was built like a tank but progress marches on! There are so many other things that make a difference in the overall sound  experience that are highly overlooked  like the wiring in our homes! I had my Audio room rewired separate from the rest of the house and WOW what a difference that made! Speaker placement is also critical and I could go on and on but CD is the topic. I love my Ayon from Austria! Tubes all the way!

Go for the Border Control Dac

Also own the Ayon CD5s as well as CD35. Use both as Pre/CDP/DAC and sound incredible. 

As a further clarification to my earlier post, the Device that made myself give the use of CD a permanent role as a Source in my system is a use of a Bespoke Built Valve DAC, that as part of the design had swap out custom built decoders supplied to offer additional options on tuning the sound to a preference.

The Valves used for a CD circuit idea become attractive after being loaned for extended periods, for use in my system, a few versions of modified CDP's, which were with a design to utilise Valves in various places in the circuit.

From my recollections of all encounters with CD in use, the most attractive to myself and indelible as an experience are those demonstrated with Valves in use.  

My Valve DAC has been Tube Rolled and has a Vintage early 60's Valve as the final selection, having the flexibility to fine tune the sound with easy to exchange components, such as the Valves and Decoders has really made the interaction with the Source a Joy and one that is not such a common option if other circuitry was in use.

Interestingly the EAR Acute is a Valve Circuit CDP, it was very impressive with stock tubes and has found a place of betterment using the same valves I selected as a result of Tube Rolling. 

The supplied info' on the positive impression Valve Circuit CD replay is able to make, is worthwhile noting and if possible, attempting to experience a demonstration, even better if able to be arranged in the home system.