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

My beleif is that as more circuitry is added to a component, the more complicated the signal path becomes thus degrading sound quality. In developing a high end system, a primary goal should be to minimze the complexity of the signal path. A dvd player must read numerous formats, and as a result, the increased number of processes and electrical circuitry is likely to add coloration to the sound. I am not saying that a DVD player cannot be satisfactory as a cd transport, it is just less likely to be as good as a dedicated source.

A changer may sound inferior for a similair reason. The increased complexity due the addition of a motor (for cycling through discs), is likely to interfere with the required circuitry for playing discs thus sacrificing sonics.

This is just my oppinion as I would not call myself an expert. I have, though, experienced with DVD players as transports without much success.

Warner,

I don't think there is necessarily a technical reason why a DVD player or a changer is an inferior transport. Typically I think the reason is simple economics.

Obviously a DVD player and/or a changer has more complexity than a dedicated CD player or transport. There are more components and more/different signal paths.

There is no reason why a manufacturer could not build a DVD player/changer that would be a great transport, however, they typically won't because the price would be out of reach for most of the buying public. Why build a great product if it just puts your company out of business because it doesn't sell?

Obviously a DVD player can be a great transport. Look at the praise on this site for the mod'd APL Denons and ModWright Sonys. By all accounts they are have excellent CD performance from a DVD based machine. Why didn't the OEM just build the player this way? Economics.....

Enjoy,

TIC

I would guess most of the 10k and above, universal players probably ain't to bad as cd players;and I've read some of the moded uni's--Den.3910/5910-- ain't chopped liver,either.I would say the quality of the parts and the implementation of the circuitry come into play.

Several years ago, the Bound for Sound guy was arguing that DVD players made superior transports.

I used to own a Modded DVD payer (not the Denon), a cheap version, to try it out...it sounded, well..., like a modded DVD player, I tried it also as a transport for my EAD 9000 III with not good results. Flat, no soundstage no impact dynamics...tiny.
I bought a CEC TL-1 and couldnt be happier (well maybe a Forsell would make me happier!) the detail retrieval is complete, the finnesse of the sound is beautifull.
I would recommend a better transport and cheaper DAC.
I am also concerned about reliability with DVD player transports.
I guess there are no shortcuts.