DVD player playing CD's

I used an Integra DPC 8.5 DVD/CD/SACD changer for many years and was very content with it. It had a Wolfson DAC and played CD’s & SACDs much better than the lower-end Yamaha and Sony players that preceded it. Notably absent was the motor noise that plagued the other decks when playing the higher RPM SACDs. It retailed for about $700 in 2007.
I had to replace it last year when it started glitching out whenever a gold disk was inserted.
Putting my limited number of SACDs on hold for a while. I took a chance on the CD-only, Marantz CD 6006. At only $599 at the time and having the option to use it with or without an external DAC, I was hoping that the sound would be "as good" as I had come to expect from the Integra.
Boy was I surprised. Using the internal DAC, Redbook CDs sounded much better than they ever did on the Integra... so much so, that it inspired one of those stupid-late listening marathons...playing many of my favorite and go to CDs, hearing more detail and musical sound than I knew they had.
I’ll be content with the 6006 for a while, but when my covid economy improves, I’ll be curious to take the next step with a better DAC and possibly a transport.
Anyway, it’s about the music and about the journey....it’s all good.
Cheers

I have a Meridian 800. I specifically asked Meridian this same question. Does their top of range dvd player play cds better than their top of range cd player? Answer yes - due to better components

The DVD player should be better. If you look at the error rate coming off a CD player data stream, much higher than a DVD player. and remember few of the high end CD players make their own drives, almost all sourced from China or Japan. the Real question is what DAC will you use with it?

We have a SONY DVD/CD unit.  The only complaint is it only takes one CD at a time but it truly sounds just fine.  Multi-unit CD players or juke boxes are more convenient.

Good luck. Just use the best cables you can afford or if it has an optical out for Audio alone.
Some units only have one optical out.

My Parasound Hilo has two optical in's and one is used for a standard CD changer and one for TV Dish audio.

The DVD/CD player is in another room not our main system but works well.

It really depends on the player.  I have a Rotel CD player that listed for around $1000.  I have a OPPO 95 DVD-BluRay player that also listed for around $1000.  I think the OPPO sounds better playing CD's that the Rotel does, plus it plays SACD's and DVD Audio discs.
You really just need to do a little research on the different players and then bring some home to audition them in your own system.