help a Die hard ANALOG guy choose a budget CDP

Save your money and buy a gamut CD3 .
Excellent

The marantz is very good at that price point. You may also want to consider the rotel player at a similar price. Cambridge audio also makes good value and sounding players

fossda mentions three companies known for their high value to price ratio. IMHO, the Marantz would be the most analog sounding not just for the linearity of its frequency response and smooth texture but also for the dynamics that so many digiphobes find lacking in the medium. I used to own a Rotel CD player. I bought it mostly in reaction to the crappy sounding player that preceded it. It was replaced ASAP because of a lack of dynamic involvement. Cambridge Audio again is high value but the sound flavor varies considerably from one model to the another within their line.

If you r interested in redbook cd playback only and want extremely high value (i.e. low cost, high quality) look toward the Emotiva ERC-3. It can be had new for under 500. Otherwise go Oppo 105