Sometimes you can find Mac MVP players for a farthing as the progression with dvd technology has made them obsolete. But as CD, SACD and DVD_A players they are fantastic. I use the balanced output of my 861 for playing CD and SACD and the sound is so smooth and non-fatiguing. It puts my Pioneer Elite and Marantz players to shame. Some Pioneers sound like they have a blanket over the sound but allowing the extreme highs to pass thru. Other models the blanket is more uniform. The Marantz CD recorder player is just edgy compared to the MAC. The Mac player has more depth and a smoother spread. The Marantz and Pioneers sound like you are listening to left, center, and right where the Mac has a smooth Spread all the way from extreme Left to Right. The Mac also has very good front to back presentation. Some of Miles recordings and Buddy Rich you'll think they are sitting in your lap, where some of Chandos recordings sound as if the microphones were placed out in the entry and not in the concert hall. The Mac really reveals Deutch Grammaphone short comings, overly using accent mics and mics with resonant high-ends. Capitols re-engineered recordings of Frank Sinatra are revealed to be much inferior to those of the Reprise label. Its like the difference between a Grace F9E cartridge and a Shure V-15 or Stanton 881s. The smooth ness and freedom from fatigue with the Grace when playing LP is similar to enjoyment you get from the MVP861. We sold Yamaha, Dennon, Marantz, B&0, Pioneer,Sony, and Mcintosh players over the years. I'll choose a Mac every time, even though the early models weren't superb, they were still listenable. I wouldn't let a Yamaha through the door. The dependability of any thing Yamaha makes with mechanical parts was very poor in our experience and B&O wasn't much better. .
That all said I would love to have a MCD 500, some day. Its reputation extends far & wide as to making less than perfect CD's sound as best as they can be. If you'll look the pre-owned price is accelerating upwards, too.