Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody
You need to read what I said again. I didn't say it was your imagination but you will hear a much much larger difference between analog outs than you ever will through a digital out. In each of your listening tests you used the same DAC. As you heard, some transports do a better job of retrieving and maintaining a DIGITAL signal but it's how the analog signal is handled after the conversion from digital and the difference in the quality of the analog circuits that will make the largest difference in sound quality.

I have been in debates here before over whether transports make a difference and you proved my position on the subject. Now I'd like to see you do the same listening tests using the analog, built in internal DAC of each player, to see what you think.
I typically switch back and forth between digital and analog since I have quite a few SACD's and I already have analog connections, but did NOT go through connecting all of the players I was comparing with analog and digital. I did not hear a big difference with the Denon and the D3, but I did with the others, at least much more than the Denon. This was the player that I said was not a night & day difference. I really was comparing these players to the D3 and not to each other. I definitely can hear differences with the D3 in digital and analog mode, especially in PURE DIGITAL and PURE ANALOG mode. I typically think that the digital provides better bass overall.