To answer the question a player is a mechanical transport and a DAC in one unit. If either half breaks, and cannot be repaired, or is not worth repairing, the other half goes out with it. Mechanical devices being, very broadly, more subject to failure than electrical ones.
The other half of the story is that there is a perception that DAC technology is less mature than say LP replay, and some believe that DACs can easily be bettered, at any given price point, in just a few years. Not so transports. So, if you subscribe to this theory, the easiest way to upgrade your older player is by adding a new DAC that has newer/revised technology, or prettier blue lights.
If you went up a few levels in price, your player could, most likey, be bettered sonically by either a better player, or by adding a DAC to your player. After all, if spending more money did not, generally, buy better sound, why would there be a robust market in more expensive goods?
The other half of the story is that there is a perception that DAC technology is less mature than say LP replay, and some believe that DACs can easily be bettered, at any given price point, in just a few years. Not so transports. So, if you subscribe to this theory, the easiest way to upgrade your older player is by adding a new DAC that has newer/revised technology, or prettier blue lights.
If you went up a few levels in price, your player could, most likey, be bettered sonically by either a better player, or by adding a DAC to your player. After all, if spending more money did not, generally, buy better sound, why would there be a robust market in more expensive goods?