What you're listening to in a CD player is the DAC, not the transport. The CD reader is just what you get from a $20 CDROM drive. Really.
It's the DAC you're listening to.
I run a Tascam CD player because it's a piece of pro gear, and being pro, is more durable and reliable than consumer stuff. I run an optical line from it to my DAC. The sonics from the CD player are identical to the same track being played back from my laptop digital files.
But if you've really got $6k burning a hole in your pocket, then you're the kind of guy this industry loves.
It's the DAC you're listening to.
I run a Tascam CD player because it's a piece of pro gear, and being pro, is more durable and reliable than consumer stuff. I run an optical line from it to my DAC. The sonics from the CD player are identical to the same track being played back from my laptop digital files.
But if you've really got $6k burning a hole in your pocket, then you're the kind of guy this industry loves.