I have read some posts saying that X brand, e.g. a Sony DVD player sounds better than Y brand, e.g. a Oppo DVD player. If I am using a digital out/optical out connection from the DVD player to the digital in/optical in of a specific AV receiver, shouldn't the sound be the same because what will define the sound will be the AV receiver? Thank you for your insights...

For digital audio, you are correct. It's for analog audio out that the player's audio DACs are used.

Personally, I think players should sound the same over digital connection, however, to me it doesn't seem like they actually do sound the same. Not sure why...

same here, I can swear the PS3 connected via optical to my AV RECEIVER sounds better than the Panasonic S97 connected exactly the same way!

Could it be as simple as the laser pickup reading different "numbers" from the DVD media?

It shouldn't. They should act as only "transporters"... that's the strange thing about it...

Could it be as simple as the laser pickup reading different "numbers" from the DVD media?Highly unlikely these days. Look at the hundreds of gigabytes of data you've probably (I have anyway) read from DVDs with a $15 DVD reader on a PC and not had any issues. This is disregarding media defects that get detected. Same with CD players. Reading a disc a 1x speed is not a problem these days (this is basically a quote from a person who designs well regarded high end CD players). Superduper transports are not a big necessity these days.

larry

My old Pioneer "universal" player didn't sound near as good as the various Oppos I have used since replacing it. The main difference I found was in the more even output between DVD-A and SACD formats, but I wouldn't say that the players had a different "sound"...my ears are too old and not golden!