I bought a used 980H six months ago for $125 (eBay) and use it exclusively for CD / SACD / DVD-A playback through its HDMI output - connected to my Onkyo 886. In the case of SACD this allows me to send a DSD signal direct to the 886.

While I bought it purely as a convenience item to play SACD and DVD-A (replacing a Denon 2200) quite unexpectedly (I must admit) this did result in a noticeable (although not dramatic) improvement in sound compared to using the 2200's analog outputs / 886 analog inputs. I think the fewer A/D conversions were likely the reason. Increased "clarity" with multichannel SACDs, especially in the surround channels, is how I would best describe the improvement.

It is probably the first time ever, after using countless pieces of gear, that I have noticed such a difference between analog and digital signal paths.

It now has me convinced that a digital source and purely digital signal path (as much as possible) is the only way to achieve the highest sound fidelity possible.