Gave in and purchased a used Sony CDP-C715(immediate successor to the C705)..
Aside from a HIDEOUS Limp Biskit sticker affixed to the front of the carousel tray by whoever previously owned it, and a few minor scratches, this player is rock solid!
It has everything the 705 did, including the variable output controlled by the headphone jack.(I promptly calibrated it to 1V peak with a 1Khz full scale sine from my test CD - and it sounds GREAT!) The seller thoughtfully threw in it's remote control - something one rarely sees when buying *any* electronics second-hand.
With some gentle shots of compressed air under the hood I got most of the dust out of this thing.
Additionally, the 715 has half a dozen 'EQ' settings including one for "Live Room"(which I'll try for a while as my listening room has bare polished hardwood floors and ****loads of windows - lol!), and a Reverb knob.
Externally, this C715 *looks* as though it's had a more rugged life than my C705 changer, but compared to it this 715 seems almost impossible to make skip or 'quit', as did the 705. The sound is also fuller and not as thin-sounding as the 705, even with the eq thingie set to Flat/off.
Before purchasing the C715 I did as suggested and cleaned the C705's lens. The problems persisted(skipping, freezing, stopping altogether), so it was time. That's what you get for $8 in a thrift shop. smh!
Aside: I have a Sony C545 upstairs(no variable outs), cost me $40 used, and has yet to exhibit any such misbehavior. I listen to it via Grado headphones and love it. So it's true: You get what you pay for in this world!
For around $70/shipping, the C715 was still a bargain, and is a gem to listen on!