CAL dac compatibility?

You write: "more of a problem with copied CDs but I suspect some newer transports might handle it better than the Cal Alpha."

I'm guessing you mean a CAL Delta transport? I have two of them and neither have had any problems (yet) with reading copied CDs. But I once had a CAL Icon II that had difficulties doing just that not long before its laser assembly died for the second time. The Delta is a great unit, but expensive to repair and all CAL gear is aging unavoidably. If it's acting up (I assume you've tested those CDs in your car or somewhere else to determine that it is not the fault of the disk?), then by all means, use the Alpha DAC off another high quality transport. I agree with you, the sound of the Alpha is terrific. I know of two people successfully driving their Alpha with a Denon unit and I sometimes use mine with a CAL carousel for parties.

By skip I mean more correctly that the transport doesnt read portions of certain cds including some new redbook cds. It may just be a random track or a series of tracks and is more of a problem with copied CDs but I suspect some newer transports might handle it better than the Cal Alpha.

To answer the first part of your question, yes, you can use other players as a transport. The Alpha accepts balanced, coaxial, and Toslink (and some also do AT&T glass optical) digital inputs. Simply hook the digital out on your Denon 2900 to the CAL Alpha. You cannot, however, use the DAC for SACD (only regular CD's).

In fact, the Alpha can support 3-4 inputs and switch among them so that you can have at least 3 CD players hooked to it using the different connections on the back.

I'm not sure I understand what you are referring do when you mention that the DAC skips. I associate that more with damaged CD's and, less likely, the transport, rather than the DAC.

Michael