Best CD player $500 or less used

Sony PS-1 !!!!!

I think the Rotel RCD-1072 is very hard to beat for the used price.

With the gear you have, the 1072 will sound mechanical IMO. I just didn't care for that player at all. I had lots of trouble getting real music out of it in my system, as well as a local buddy's system. Ditto the 640C v2. They are both too dry and lack the harmonic development to get woodwind timbres just right (if that matters to you).

The Rega Planet and Arcam 73 players are much better in comparison IMO. Also, the Marantz 8260 was really good. But after all that, I ended up with a Creek CD50 mk2 (which is no longer for sale - I don't know what I was thinking). The Creek can't beat my Audio Aero but for the used price, it is fantastic and suits my second system perfectly.

Arthur

Hi Arthur, I see you've got the AA Prima 24/192 MkII. I'm eyeing a used Prima 24/192 in the MkI version presently. Have you ever heard that one, any comparison possible with the MkII?
Karel

Aball-
I owned a Marantz 8260 at the same time I had the RCD-1072. I agree the 8260 sounded better, but I constantly had issues with the Marantz reading discs. I finally had to send it in for service and it never worked properly again. I ended up selling it to someone who was familiar with the issues, for really cheap.