CD Player - Dgital Out on Onkyo C-7030

Yes, but you’ll need an external DAC to plug it into. The good news is you should hear a marked improvement over what you’re getting now. If you need/want recommendations just share what sound characteristics are most important to you and what improvements you’re looking for along with your budget and if you want new or used and you’ll get a lot of good help here.  Would also help if you could mention the rest of the equipment in your system.

SPDIF out ALWAYS bypasses any internal DAC. Do you understand what a DAC is?

The OP needs a DAC! Keep and use the Onkyo as a transport until it dies!

The Onkyo will function fine as a transport. Digital is not like Analog, where paying more for better mechanical build quality gets you better sound. Bits are just bits, whether they come from an older CD player, DVD player or a new $1K transport. 

Digital is not like Analog, where paying more for better mechanical build quality gets you better sound. Bits are just bits, whether they come from an older CD player, DVD player or a new $1K transport. 

This is just patently absurd but sadly just par for the course with this guy/troll.

The coax output is digital (SPDIF) and doesn't pass through the internal  digital to analog conversion (DAC) of the player.

How do you play files off your computer. Does the computer have a DAC or do you have an external DAC?

If so are you saying that the Onkyo player doesn't sound as good as the computer when played thru the external DAC?

Thanks for the input, I run my hard drive off my music computor to a Gustard X26 Pro Dac, Audio Research LS 25 Line Preamp to Twin Aegir Mono Amps and finally Wilson Benesch Square 2 Speakers, and 2 REL T/X5 Subs. I am a little out of the loop when it comes to CD players and this coax output. It's a hold over from a previous system and I couldn't find anything online so I was curious. I have been looking at this large assortment of CD's and sometimes I just feel like putting one in and reading the lyrics or liner notes, just a little dissapointed with the coax out to my Gustard Dac. It sounds a little thin, like the body of some of the midrange has been removed. Treeble is also a little shrill. Wondering if spending up to $1,000 on a replacement CD player would help?

I use my computor USB and a Solid State hard drive to the Gustard Dac for most of my digital music, I also use this configuration for Music Streaming which I am trying out. Right now the USB from the computor playing flac CD files from the hard drive sound more fleshed out midrange wise, the treeble is also more realistic and less shrill. These are flac files ripped from my cd's and not cd files, which I realize should sound al little better. 

Sounds like you only occasionally listen to CDs?  If that’s the case you might try a Wyred4Sound Remedy Reclocker on sale for $319 to see if that provides a better result on the relative cheap and without having to buy a new transport.
https://wyred4sound.com/products/remedy-reclocker

The wired 4 sound Reclocker sounds like the perfect solution. I think if the CD option was marginally better, sound wise, I may start using it again, like throwing on an album or 6. I just like the physical simplicity and going through and choosing the CD of choice, it is just a little old school enough to satisfy that itch. Options are always good! Thanks for that possible solution.

@pooch2 

  I am assuming that you are connecting the Onkyo CDP to the same DAC as the computer.  The files that you play from the computer have been ripped to a HD. Hard drives tend to sound better than the same disc played on a CDP.  This has been noted since the first CD burners were used, when people noticed that the burned copies sounded better than the originals.  Presumably there is a jitter reduction.

I suspect ther problem lies with the transport section of the player. A reclocker may help. There are a couple of transports that sell for under 1K that may be the solution: Audiolab 6000, Cambridge CXC. Much on this forum regarding thes units.

 I Checked the reclocker cost and by the time I get it landed in canada, the cost would be in excess of $500.00, so a new Audiolab 6000 might be my option. I have read some good experiences members have had with this unit and I can purchase the Audiolab 6000 for around $700.00 including tax which seems reasonable.

Here ya go, eh?  300CAD$ for a Remedy. 
https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649879919-wyred4sound-remedy-reclocker/

Thanks "SOIX", I'll check it out! Didn't think to check audiomart.

Just fyi, here are the impressions from another member who added a Remedy to his 6000CDT and thought you might find it interesting…

In my experience the CDs sound more alive now (a more natural-sounding reverb, more definition to the soundstage (instruments are placed left-to-right/front-to-back more realistically)). It was probably the best $400 I’ve spent on my modest system.

If you’ve read anything from Bob Lefsetz about his experiences with streaming and the Dragonfly dac, he raves about the sound being pretty close to the vinyl experience. Since I have a ton of CDs, I didn’t want to give up on the discs, and that’s why I chose to try the Remedy reclocker. Since I’ve tried it, I know I’ll never go back to the usual CD playback. And although I’ve never done a side-by-side comparison with streaming, I’ll bet my system sounds pretty close to at least a modest streaming system.

Update, after a bit more research (thanks for the notes included above) and in an effort to avoid additional wiring and another connection I decided to go with the Audiolab 6000CDT and have been playing CD's non stop since I installed it. I am extremely pleased with the sound of this combination the 6000 CDT and the Gustard X26 Pro dac. It was the improvement I was seeking and now I don't feel that the CD's have to be stacked in the basement. Thanks Bob

Congrats!  And thanks for the update.  Of course you can always add a Remedy later if desired as it apparently works well with the 6000CDT.

Yes, congrats! Glad things worked out for you.