I was just watching a review of CD players (for no real reason—I already have one that I am quite happy with) and one of the devices the guy is looking at it is a $1400 CD transport that requires an external DAC.

“Why would somebody spend this much money on a CD transport?” he asks.

The answer he gives is that you’re getting more output connectivity and a digital hub, but I think the real reason is that these companies know that anyone shopping for CD transport devices has that kind of money to spend and is willing to spend it as a signifier of audiophile status.