Best CD player to be used as standalone + headphone

[usa]

Hi,

Due to space constraint, my floorstanding speakers, together with CD, pre-amp and amplifier had to go many years ago.

Would you be so kind as to recommend to me a few CD players that are best used with a headphone. That means, just the CD player unit, no pre-amp or amp. I used to have the Rotel RCD-1070 which was quite nice. I am sure there are always better out there, but for my ears, that was a good experience. I've never listened to the RCD-1070 by itself so I can't tell how it performs as a "standalone".

If anyone has experience with this limited set up, I'll appreciate your advice.

One last thing, I enjoy clear sound and bass ;-) My budget for a CD player is under $900.

Thank you for your help.

 

[ImcLoud]

I know you specifically mentioned a stand alone cd player but maybe you would consider this, it is a great value and will take up less space than any stand alone I can think of, since it is half size... I found that there is nothing like a nice headphone amplifier vs most integrated headphone section..

I would grab one of these amps, if you look through the link in my sig you will see I own a couple of them, mine are black with rack ears but same unit...

http://www.amazon.com/Parasound-Digital-Analog-Converter-Silver/dp/B00E1P6752/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416187592&sr=8-3&keywords=parasound zcd

and with amps the sky is the limit obviously, but this one behaves VERY well with any set I plugged in..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beyerdynamic-A20-Premium-Headphone-Amplifier-Made-in-Germany-PROAUDIOSTAR-/400781814998?pt=US_Pro_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item5d50752cd6 I paid $500 for mine USED, amazon sells them for around $650, they are very solid units, made in germany, mine is really really nice and I don't regret spending $500 on it...

If you buy that amp and the zcd you will be way under budget and I can not think of a better setup, if you stack them they are probably the height of most units except half the width...

another option if you don't like that amp is the zdac which I have never tried the phone amp, but its from parasound so Ill bet its top notch.. http://www.amazon.com/Parasound-Digital-Analog-Converter-Silver/dp/B00E1P6752/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416188233&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=parasound zamp


One more note, obviously your headphones are going to be the most important device in this chain, I am sure you have a decent set if you are looking to spend $900 on a cd player...
My brother has a pair of audio technica m50 pro studios, with a smsl amplifier, he hooks into his phone and it sounds better than some systems I hear that guys spent $3000 on!!! He spent $70 on the amp and under $200 on the 50's!!!