Own a CD555 with dual CDP555s, to me, the very best performance I have heard from CD playback. Whilst head unit has previously been serviced and Naim still support with repairs, I realise the day will come when the only option is to look elsewhere. I have no desire whatsoever to go to streaming of any kind and not looking for a debate on which is better. I have an extensive CD collection and will continue to listen to this format using the physical disc as opposed to ripping. This prompts the question, what if anything is going to be comparable when considering today’s Red Book CD players? I could never have afforded purchasing a CD555 when new, but have technological advancements meant the same performance can be had for far less? One brand which seems to have kept the faith of CD Playback is Audio Note despite their obvious allegiance to vinyl playback. Very interested in your views, anyone taken the same journey?
Vitus do a high end transport.
Maybe DCS Rossini Apex with transport as option
Vitus cd player
Gryphon
Accuphase
Burmester
Esoteric
Metronome
Soulution
My choice would be the AYON CD 35 Signature. For the look and all the reviews
A second vote for DCS Rossini Apex disc player.
What’s your willing travel radius and what options do dealers stock within it? That’s your shortlist. It’s probably quite brief and manageable. It’s probably more efficient for people to share experiences with what you potentially have available than everything in that price bracket in the world.
Thank you all for your comments, for me, personal taste aside, what brands and models are in the same level of playback
As @feeling_zen mentioned, start at a local dealer and do some demos of that CD Players they sell.
Take your existing Naim CD555 & PS555 DR with some CDs that you know very well. That will allow you to do some side by side comparisons.
Have good fun in your endeavours.
DG…
On the basis of the auditions that we tried, DCS Rossini.
Add the DCS external clock and your source will be an audible upgrade from the CD555 or the ND555.
Others may hear it differently.
Best regards, BF
As I posted above, you have a dozen high end cd players in the 10/ 40 k price range, from Burmester, Gryphon, …to AYON or DCS Rossini.
They are among the best you can buy too. So logically on the same level.
But the problem is that no one will sound as the Naim. The sound signature for each is different.
One of the most analogue is the AYON cd 35, if I refer the several reviews.
The DCS is very dynamic and fast, very resolving too. I heard the previous, the Debussy, and liked it.
Esoteric,Soulution , Metronome are more neutral and leaner vs the Naim sound. Not my cup of tea.
I hesitate to post this because you have been very explicit about wanting to stay with a CD player. However I was very much in your situation, CD555+1x555PS and loads of CDs, with a background worry about the CD player’s longevity - very doubtful about moving to streaming. After much reflection I traded in the CD555 and now have ND555 - the single most important outcome for me was the confirmation that it sounds better than the CD player. Many other factors are relevant of course, and I won’t post further and hope not to have deflected your thread.
Ha ha I love your optimism…
The Accuphase range of players and transport/dac are worth a listen. I would listen to a few brands then ask for a home demo.
If you ever wanted to bridge the gap, Luxman CD players have digital inputs and support high resolution audio. So something like a D-X10 for high end CD and then if the whim strikes you, just add a streaming transport later. Plus if the mech dies and decades from now, there is no replacement, you still have a usable high end DAC.
To be fair if you dont have any sacd’s, then i would spend just about all your budget on the dac, and then just get a cheap transport to play into it.
I have never personally listened to DCS but I am of course aware of their reputation and their use of external clocks. It is interesting that no one has suggested Audio /Note given their pedigree, I do understand their sonics to be very different to Naim.
I understand both Luxman and Accuphase to be less clinical in their presentation which is definitely the sound I am looking for, definitely wanting to avoid anything too fatiguing!
No SACDS, do you feel the transport to have limited impact on the quality of playback?
Indeed! 
I understand what you are saying but when listening to music, the whole experience plays it part for me, I generally have no view on what I am going to play until I have physically looked at my CD shelves. This for me just can’t be replicated via streaming, in terms of playback quality, I think my ears would struggle to hear anything better than the CD555 with 2 power supplies.
Ayon is a brand I am not familiar with but natural to warm sound is certainly to my taste so certainly one I will research more, many thanks