This is another one of those issues/questions that comes up now and then (like double-blind testing, differences in cables, etc), and gets talked about a lot for a while. The things that always seem true with the threads include: 1) very few people agree; and 2) people make fairly bold statements one way or the other (often without actual personal experience, e.g., having compared cables under *controlled* conditions)
If the question is "have you heard differences in the same system and same room, using transport A vs transport B?", my answer is "yes..definitely". (if one wants to "disagree or argue with what I experienced, that's a "dead-end" I see no point in going down) If you are asking "why?" or "how big a difference", or "is it worth it", etc...well, those are different questions.
p.s. While the question speaks of digital, the OP seems to forget (or not know?) that analog is involved in a CD player, at least one that is not using an external DAC.
If the question is "have you heard differences in the same system and same room, using transport A vs transport B?", my answer is "yes..definitely". (if one wants to "disagree or argue with what I experienced, that's a "dead-end" I see no point in going down) If you are asking "why?" or "how big a difference", or "is it worth it", etc...well, those are different questions.
p.s. While the question speaks of digital, the OP seems to forget (or not know?) that analog is involved in a CD player, at least one that is not using an external DAC.