Use a gDVD/CD player as transport with a good DAC?

Unfortunately, that transport combination will not do any really good DAC justice. We have domonstated time and time again how a better transport in most cases makes a more siginificant difference than moving up one or two grdes in DAC's> As an example, we got better results using a $2950 transport with a $1500 DAC than we did using a $999 transport with a $5-8k DAC. We have also compared and used an inexpensive well built $999 transport in place of expensive cd players & DVD players used as transports, and always found the dedicated transport to sound better. We also have had many customers tell us the same thing. Your friend was right though, it is a cheap way to get into it and can upgrade later.

I maintain after trying many transports. Many of the differences we heard were with the transports with better power supplies. The DAC I use is the DAC 5 Signature from Audionote. At $49,500 it is awesome. As good as it is I hear huge differences when I move up the line in transports. As an example: AN makes a $999 transport which is much better than using a cd player or DVD players digital out. But if I move up the CDT-1 which is the same transport but with a larger power supply, Black Gate caps etc. the difference in the amount of information heard is unbelievable. If I move up another level with even better power supply etc. the sound isnoticeably improved again. I maintain that using a good transport makes bigger differences than moving up the same amount of money in DAC's. We have done it here many times. In fact a combination of a $2950 transport with a $1500 DAC sounds better than a $1000 transport with a $5000 DAC. We ahve done this shootout many times and the results are always the same. Every customer who has been in on the shoot outs has agreed. I would also say that if you are using a player or DVD you have never REALLY heard what your DAC is capable of.

The comparison was done with transports and DAC's from all the same manufacturer. So compatibility issues are not an issue. If you would like me to state the models we used I would be happy to provide them. I thought I was pretty careful in stating the equipment was all from Audionote so someone wouldn't assume I was using incompatible equipment. If I wasn't clear enough I apologize.

We have done this with MANY other brand also. This was just an example I gave. Was trying to answer his question not get into a debate. This was my as well as many of my customers opinions based on MANY shootouts we have done here. You obviously have your opinions which I will respect since have obviously done many of your own shootouts. For what it's worth we did so many of them here because I used to minimize the importance of the transport, but after doing this time and time again with at least $120,000 worth of different digital equipment I am a believer in what I state. regardless of the validity of the test in your eyes.