1s are 1s, 0s are 0s, right?

What about comparing a low dollar laser/pickup to a high dollar one. Would there not be a few 1s and 0s lost here and there? Or misinterpreted somehow?

I didnt mention DACs as thats too obvious, in my comparisons the Speakers, Amps, Preamps, Cables, everything from the outboard DAC on stayed the same. All the obvious culprits didnt change, just the digital domain stuff.

It stands to reason that as long as the transport succesfully gathers data from the disc, it wouldnt matter how poorly designed it is. But clearly it does.

And yeah Hpshps, I read a bunch right here under the "Cables" forum. Its just that this is a fun topic for me. =)

Well it seems we agree for the most part that changes in transport, cabling, etc, can/do have an effect on sound.

Just recently I purchased a Jolida JD-100. A fine sounding unit BTW. I had been using a Rotel RCD-971. Also a fine unit. Comparing the two, as transports only via a Theta DAC, clearly the Jolida had more firm and powerful bass.

I surmise that such variables as RF and other introduced "noise" could travel along with the data, thus "muddying" or confusing the DAC. Among many other plausible explanations.

I also surmise that there is a bit of "magic" involved as well. The end product(Stereophonic sound) truly is more than a sum of its parts(data). This occurs quite frequently in the world of Quantum physics, when the variables of time and space enter the equation. Clearly Stereophonic Music has these variables. Hmmmm.

It would be interesting to compile results from a Monophonic listening. e.g. Comparing qualitative differences of different cables and transports while listening to mono recorded sources played back in mono. I am curious just how profound or obscure differences would be in comparison to Sterephonic observations. A proof of the "magic" so to speak. Double Hmmmmm.

Just something to ponder.

Thanks to all the posters for a very enlightening read.