Transport quality doesn't make any difference with upsampling DACs like Benchmark DAC1. I use Benchmark DAC1 with $70 Sony DVD player with great results.
DVD players alone have history of being bad CD players since their main purpose is different (less attention paid to sound). Some are better some are worse. Oppo is one of the better ones while my Sony is not and Toshiba, I had once, was horrible. Pioneer might be decent but I suspect that other components in his system are much better than average making up for CD player.
Definition of "superior" is not clear. Many people like a little of distortion because it makes sound "lively" and not "analytical". One person liked "all together" and was bothered by hearing individual instruments in very good system. It's all very subjective (read no right or wrong). My first impression with Benchmark DAC1 driving directly power amp Rowland 102 was that some instruments on recordings, I know well, are missing. Now I realize I was missing lack of clarity. For many warm sound, no matter how bad, is heaven.
DVD players alone have history of being bad CD players since their main purpose is different (less attention paid to sound). Some are better some are worse. Oppo is one of the better ones while my Sony is not and Toshiba, I had once, was horrible. Pioneer might be decent but I suspect that other components in his system are much better than average making up for CD player.
Definition of "superior" is not clear. Many people like a little of distortion because it makes sound "lively" and not "analytical". One person liked "all together" and was bothered by hearing individual instruments in very good system. It's all very subjective (read no right or wrong). My first impression with Benchmark DAC1 driving directly power amp Rowland 102 was that some instruments on recordings, I know well, are missing. Now I realize I was missing lack of clarity. For many warm sound, no matter how bad, is heaven.