I have a general philosophical question:

Are high-end CD players a necessary part of an HT system?

If I run my CDs through my DVD player (granted, cheap Philips from Walmart) which is connected to my AVR by a digital coax cable, am I losing anything sound-wise? Would buying a high-end CD player improve my HT experience?

Also, I'm currently using an old RCA turntable which is due to be replaced. What should I be thinking about in terms of integrating it into my HT system? Any suggestions for turntables?

As always, thanks for all the help! Can't tell you how helpful this forum has been while I've been navigating through the very confusing world of audio.