CD Player as Transport vs. Dedicated CD Transport – Is it worth the upgrade?

Hi everyone,

I’m currently debating a digital source upgrade and could use some advice.

Right now, I’m using a budget Denon DCD-520AE (which I got for about €80) connected via Toslink to my amplifier's DAC. It works fine, but I have the opportunity to buy a used Audiolab 6000CDT dedicated transport from a friend for €220 (they usually go for around €500 new).

My main questions are:

• Since I'm using the digital output in both cases, will there be a noticeable difference in sound quality? * What am I actually gaining by spending more on a dedicated transport?
• Is the Audiolab worth the €140 jump over my current Denon setup?

I’ve read arguments about jitter reduction and better clocking in dedicated transports, but I’m curious if these are "real world" improvements or just marginal gains.

Would love to hear from anyone who has made a similar switch! Thanks!