CDP / DAC Advice required

I agree with Dungn.
For 2 grand I'd pickup a used Electocompaniet EMC 1UP and not look back. Very analoge in sound. I just picked up a very good sacd player but I still keep the Electro hooked up as it has a sound I very much like and don't want to lose,particularily the mid and low bass body.I prefer it in redbook to the SACD unit I'm using.
The electro has a very good and reliable transport but for some reason (perhaps the connection out)didn't work well with the external dacs I tried.

In your price range, I really love the Benchmark DAC3, and you can usually find them here for around $1600 used.

Rich

Audio Research CD3 MKII for around $3k used
The finest audio component I have ever owned

I'm sorry, I meant to say that I really loved the Bel Canto DAC3 for $1600 used, not the Benchmark DAC3 which doesn't even exist.

Rich

Based on my experience:
Benchmark DAC1
Bel Canto DAC3

their performance are far away behind my friend's Apogee mini DAC on the same system set up with varity set of cables tested. And Apogee mini dac stil far away behind Wadia.

Just EMC that I never heard, thanks you all guys.