Anyone use a DVD player as a front end?

I think the original poster was referring to using a DVD player through its analog outs for CD playback, not as a transport with a DAC, but perhaps I misundersood.

Jane -- Jitter that can be introduced at the interface between a separate transport and dac will be a sensitive function of cable length. See the comment by Tobias in the following thread, and the subsequent comments by me and others:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr_post.pl?ddgtl&1237611683&2&3&4&5

Obviously this effect is not relevant to a stand-alone dvd or cd player, but perhaps it was a factor in your listening sessions with transport/dac combinations.

Regards,
-- Al

Corrrection to the link in my previous post:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1233206618

-- Al

Thanks for all the replies so far...My friend does indeed have a very high quality system. He was however, using the analog outputs of the DVD player direct into his pre-amp.
He also has a stand alone DAC which he hooked up to the
digital output of the DVD player for me to compare. The sound was very similar to the DVD player by itself! Although with the DAC in play there was a slight increase in bottom end response.(Very slight).
I found out today that the Pioneer he uses is the model 414,if that is of any help. He does use the player on an isolation stand with custom isolation feet on the player itself, apparently all else is stock! While the overall sound wasn't quite as resolving as my system, it was amazingly good considering. Not close to my analog rig OTOH.

It's even more interesting that they're using a 9 year-old player via the analog outputs. Pioneer actually used to produce some excellent players with great transports (I think it was their Elite PD65), but the player you mention is definitely not one of them. When you qualify your original statement with the fact that your system does sound better (sigh of relief), it does put it in a different perspective as well. I guess it brings up the point of diminishing returns on investment in various aspects of our system. I wonder what you would have thought of their player had you swapped out something better in direct comparison within the same system. I would guess you'd hear greater resolution, superior extension, and a more engaging presentation overall (greater PRAT). I use an Oppo 983H strictly as a transport (digital out to Modwright Transporter DAC), but then I listen to PC Audio 90% of the time so the only disc that's spinning is my computer's hard drive. The OPPO works great as a transport, but is pretty much the equal of the PC audio tracks in direct comparison. Given your last post to qualify the original, and that your friend had an otherwise very good system, it does not surprise me that they could get decent sound from a DVD player. What is surprising is your statement that it sounded better than many transport/DAC combinations you've heard, but then again, you are stating that from aural memory (not that great in humans), and from having heard those other front ends in entirely different systems and different rooms, likely with different music. Again, I'd suggest if you compare directly in the same room and system to a better option you'd probably realize the differences. That, or the Pioneer DV414 is the greatest sleeper unit ever built and you've just started a run on eBay for bargain hunters to replace their Play Stations they've been using.

Marco