I’m using a Vecteur L.4 cd player as transport through a great coax cable into an Audio Note Kit 3.1 DAC that was prebuilt but retubed by me.
Recently I purchased an Arcam CD5 transport because of the terrific reviews ("great with vocals" "great sense of space" "great bass punch" et cetera). And I wanted to see how the new Arcam compared to the 20+ year-old Vecteur.
Wow, after doing an A/B, I was SHOCKED at how anemic and thin the Arcam sounded compared to the Vecteur. Putting it into automotive terms, the difference was as substantial as comparing an old Volkswagen Beetle (the new Arcam!) to a new BMW (the old Vecteur!). The naturally airy lushness and warm musicality of the Vecteur completely outperformed the Arcam.
So, I would agree with facten above that transports can make a HUGE difference. I would also encourage you to get high quality and well-reviewed after-market cables and vibration dampeners. I’ve found that each component I’ve upgraded has opened up the sound, making it more natural and "magical."