Differences between cd transports?

Maybe 4 years ago I bought an Oppo 105 to play SACDs not realizing it does not output SACD, but plays it only when using the variable VC, so I used balanced cables, but wasn’t happy with it when playing red book cds.

So I inserted my backup, a highly modded Pioneer PD 65, with outboard PS. It had toslink out but not coax out, so. I bought a WireWorld Starlight toslink cable

I decided to upgrade the 105s power supply in expectation of using it for both, but was using the Starlite toslink for redbook. I still wasn’t happy, but was unaware that coax was superior (at least at this level). The Pioneer laser died and parts are no longer available.

Being on a tight budget, I was not in the position to buy the much heralded Jay’s Audio transport, but I contacted them to ask why no toslink, at which point I learned of its inferiority to coax. So, I did my homework and bought a Marantz HD CD 1 to use as a transport and eventual backup. Again I used the toslink, but finally, I bought a hq WireWorld  coax and was shocked. This is the kind of sonic upgrade I would expect from better components, be they amp, pre, dac...

Even though I knew cables/ics matter a lot, I was not up to speed when it came to toslink v coax. Lesson learned.

I am now back using the 105 for redbook and needing to use it direct to amp when listening to SACDs 

@tweak1 I also have a 105 and use XLR's out to my Hegel H360 integrated.  Wondering if coax out (with Black Cat Silverstar MkII coax cable) might be a better option for red book CD's.  Should I give it a try?  Was thinking about Wireworld, but even their Starlight 7 Gold is $500 for 1.5m.  I've heard on these threads that for digital coax, a length of 1.5 minimum is best for digital coax.

fred

unless your Hegel have a built in dac how would you use it

The Hegel has a built in DAC, and apparently it's really good (I've never used it!!)

@geoffkait Since not a single high end wire company I know has an electron microscope and since you freely admit they don't make their own wire, how would they know the directionality of the cable? Cable is spooled and respooled so many times before it arrives there. Each time this happens, the direction get reversed. I spent my Friday evening playing with cables. I tested Cardas, Kimber, Canare with a $1K Fluke AC ohm meter good to more zeros than would make any difference to a human ear. Zero difference in either direction. None. As in zero difference. Always shows same numbers, down to .5 digits.

Let me guess, the ancient cables weren't burnt in enough. 

Only way to figure out which way the cable was pulled via the dies would be an electron microscope. At one point in my life, I had an Elionix sitting in my basement, but I highly doubt a single cable company would be willing to compromise their marketing department by throwing a cool half a million just to figure out which way the spool was run.