I'll just jump in before several others do, who know quite a bit more than me. It depends partly on your other equipment, your taste in music, the size of your room, your set-up, system matching synergy, your budget and many other factors. That said, I think the front of the NAD is pretty.
As a sort-o serious sidenote, Anyone willing to SKIP the cd player altogether and go for a computer or file based system? I find myself using the CD player very little, instead relying on the confuser, IPod touch as remote and lossless files. I continue to add music as time allow and am up to well over 700 titles and over 60 albums. Not much by other peoples standards, but going in the right direction and all stuff I enjoy......
The OP probably has a good computer now and could put the money toward a decent DAC..... For a 500$ limit, plenty of choices are available.