Good CD player vs. Transport and DAC


Where am I going to get the best Digital playback? Going with a high end CD player or a transport and DAC? Also, what's the difference between a transport and a cd player if you are using an external dac with either one? I am thinking of an Oppo bdp 95 to use for cd play back since it seems to have a really nice dac (SABRE32 Reference ES9018 from ESS Technology). I am currently using a denon dvd 2900 and a musical fidelity v-dacII with pangea p100 power supply. Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
128x128b_limo
I have mentioned before I own and enjoy a $7000 SACD player I use exclusively  for it's DAC, Marantz SA-10. Connected to the Marantz I play CDs in a typical for $40 used, five disc changer.    Even the Toslink to the DAC at $120 costs more!     
Now certainly not all cheap CD spinners sound good to a DAC. but there are enough it is worth the trouble to experiment to find one or several you like and can use as dirt cheap spinners to a good DAC.Now it is true some player suck as spinners, no question. But then some are great.                        
I save the Marantz spinner for reference. It is slightly better, but not enough to worry about, compared to my changers spinning CDs.And The Marantz as DAC plays CDs so well they sound just as good as SACDs.
Just as an aside, in one room,I have a Bryston BDA-3 DAC and use a Cambridge CD transport to feed my preamp/mp/speaker system.
In another room, I use a Bryston BCD-3 CD spinner to feed my primary two-channel stereo system. Both are for RedBook CDs only.
The BCD-3s internal DAC uses the same chips and DAC-to-audio components as the BDA-3. 
This way, I have the option to upgrade the Cambridge transport, or to have a standby if the BCD-3 gives up the ghost. 
Both play my collection of classical CDs with the precision and depth I love. 

@lupinthe3rd stated, " IMO all digital sources sound equally good through a quality DAC. Claiming that one digital source sounds different from another is bogus. It's just a bitstream. No need for a Mark Levinson CD transport, just find a $100 cheapie with SPDIF output and only your pocketbook will know the difference. Cheers"
I couldn't disagree more. I sold my CD player and now have three different transports and they all have their unique characteristics. Transports make a big difference.
Makes sense to pay for you get....😀. I think everyone agrees.
Falconquest, if you wouldn’t mind, what three transports do you own? Can you briefly describe each with its own sound signature just so I have an idea...Do you have a different Dac for each of the transports?
@brayeagle I too went with the BCD-3.  See the recent Absolute Sound review.  For those with large Red Book collections who plan on continuing to play them, it's an obvious choice.  The Bryston or the Primare CD35.  Thousands cheaper than the Esoterics.