What's wrong with a DVD player as a transport?

They can. I have a reference player that is a modded Sony DVP-S7700 DVD player. There are several others that make superb transports as well, including Denon 2900, Pioneer DV-47A, Pioneer DV-09. All stock transports have weaknesses due to requirements for FCC emissions and sometimes due to poor design as well. See this white-paper for more info:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/spdif.htm

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
manufacturer

I had a Sony DVP-S7700 that was mod'd specifically for Transport duties. Personally, the Cary CD-308 and Theta Miles that I owned at the same time smoked the mod'd Sony when used as a transport. In my system the Sony made my digital front end sound like, well, a Sony DVD player. It was tonally OK, but the soundstage narrowed to a point between the speakers and it just didn't have an zip to it.

To each his own!

Enjoy,

TIC

I use a DVD Player as a transport. I notice no narrowing of soundstage ..sorry. I've also compared separate transport to cd player..again there just wasn't enough difference to warrant spending more. Maybe some of these players have more noise and jitter than others? These units must have extreme quirks to make your system sound as bad as some describe...I just haven't heard it.
I should have one of Audioengr's Turbomodded Electrocompaniet ECD-1 w/SuperClock 2 DACs here in the next week for an audition. Looking forward to hearing this DAC as I hear the differences in DACs, amplifiers, preamps and cables with no problems using a cheap dvd player.

Gm,

I wasn't trying to imply that anyone else's setup should behave as mine did. I was just stating that the Sony DVP-S7700 that was mentioned several times did not work well in my setup. The two dedicated players I owned at that same time were both superior when used as a transport.

Both the Cary CD-308 and Theta Miles (balanced) were easily better than the mod'd Sony used with either a Birdland Odeon Lite or Channel Islands DAC.

IMHO, YMMV, my system, my ears, etc.

Enjoy,

TIC

Reubent,
No problem...I think DB test would show most couldn't hear the difference in transports. If you're one of the few that can, I commend you.

Good listening