As I have posted elsewhere, I currently own a Nagra CDP and an Audio Research CD7. Both are excellent CD players, the Nagra is more detailed and stereoscopic, the Audio Research is more musical and has a larger soundstage. Choice will depend on individual preferences and preamplifier when using the Audio Research ref3 I prefer the CD7, with a Conrad Johnson ACT2 the Nagra is my choice.
I agree with Elberoth2 words both CD players took more than 500 hours before sounding their best. Before owning the CDP I had a CDC the day I replaced my fully broken in CDC with a never played CDP was a disaster!