Denon 2900 Dvd-a/sacd Player At Ces!! (1 Viewer)

[Lewis Besze]

Believe me, I was not implying in anyway that the 9000 is a lackluster performer in any regards

I do.
I think for the money,it should lead the pack not trail it,and for people who bought it and "endors it",no offense but to review a video component competently,it would require more then just pop a Superbit title in, and be "floored".
Can't wait for the audio shoot out on these players,I wonder just how well the 9000 will do compare to the 3800.

 

[KeithH]

Lewis said:

Well the high price is what unnecesarry in the first place IMO.

That's a broad-sweeping generalization. I agree with the concept of diminishing returns and that some expensive audio components are overpriced. However, not all expensive components are overpriced. For the most part, at least in my experience, you get what you pay for.

 

[Lewis Besze]

That's a broad-sweeping generalization.

Yes it is,I was generaly speaking.
Yes, there are exceptions to the "rule",like everything else in life.
BTW I'm not just talking about the retail price per se,but the fact that one pays for things like "exclusivity" or brand reckognition.I have no problem to pay more for better quality if it can be quantified/verified,in real wolrld performance scales.[subjective reviews aren't do it for me]

 

[ReggieW]

Lewis,

I don't know what you mean by "trailing the pack" but I've read PROFESSIONAL reviews of the 9000 and they have all been outstanding. Yes, there were areas which could've been improved, but for the most part, many of the reviews stated that Denon set out to do what it intended - build one of the best players ever. The British press tends to be a lot more critical than their American counterparts from what I've seen, and ALL of the British mags have raved about the 9000. You might want to start a thread calling for 9000 owners to post their thoughts on their players to get an in depth opinion. BTW, several here and at AVS have had 3800's and 9000's in their system, and have said that the 9000 won hands down in the audio department. Yes, the 9000 is pricey, but I'm not gonna write it off because of its pricetag.

Reg

 

[KeithH]

Reggie, I did read criticism in the British magazines about the '9000 with CDs. However, DVD-Audio and -Video were considered first-rate.

 

[Lewis Besze]

I don't know what you mean by "trailing the pack" but I've read PROFESSIONAL reviews of the 9000 and they have all been outstanding.

I guess bad choice of words,a bit harsh I admit.Let's just say I was expecting a lot more from a $3500 player.In the Secrets shootout it performed exactly like it's cheaper counterpart the 3800 for more then twice the price!
And they both being "beaten" by a sub $300 player!?So much for the "I got what I paid for".
Since this came from a very detailed documented review,I have very little reason to doubt it or question it,which can't be said about the "user report" type reviews over at the AVS site.I can't comment on the British mags as I don't read 'em.
Do they have web sites?

 

[ReggieW]

Lewis,

I did say that I didn't think the 9000 was worth 3x the price of the 3800. The term "beaten" must be used lightly as Stacey Spears said that all of the players exhibited similar picture quality for the most part. The things that the 82 supposedly "beat" the 82 in probably wouldn't be noticed during casual viewing, but I bet your buns that the 82 doesn't compare to the 3800/9000 for DVD-A playback as it didn't even measure up to my DVD-1600 in the DVD-A arena. I should say that there are a few people who prefer the Silicon based chips to Faroudja based chips, and thus prefer the picture quality of the Denon's. I wouldn't say "beaten," it's just purely a matter of taste -let's not forget that "beaten" consists purely of progressive playback and factors in nothing else regardinmg the players (and we all know audio quality is important on DVD-A players).

Reg

 

[Kristoffer]

Ok I just saw the 3800 today and I must say it is a nice player indeed !! built quality, and just feel when operating it!! I will wait for the 2900 though!
How are the times on this ( This probaly be the almost the same on the 2900 ) Start up, menu, chapter ?
How is the remote and the OSD, Nice??

 

[Lewis Besze]

but I bet your buns that the 82 doesn't compare to the 3800/9000 for DVD-A playback as it didn't even measure up to my DVD-1600 in the DVD-A arena.

Please bet yours,and in what way it didn't measure up?Don't tell me it sounded better!I must have misunderstood your original post,as we completely splitting here,and I leave it at that!

 

[ReggieW]

Lewis,

I am a little confused buy your response. Are you saying that an RP-82 sounds better than a Denon 1600/3800/9000?

Kristoffer,

You should do a search on the 3800 in this section as plenty has been written about it. I don't have one, so couldn't comment to much on some of your questions.

Reg

 

[Lewis Besze]

I am a little confused buy your response. Are you saying that an RP-82 sounds better than a Denon 1600/3800/9000?

I haven't heard the Denons yet,and only heard the Pana in someone else's rig,so I wouldn't be able to "rate" it,like if it was in my rig.I wouldn't speculate on any of these players[sound] based on price,user reviews,appearence,supposed built quality,specs,hype.
That means I wouldn't "bet on it".
I hope that clears it for you.

 

[John Cain]

Another link to info from CES, if anyone has not seen this one yet.
It indicates the 2900 IS based on the 3800.
http://www.smr-home-theatre.org/ces2.../page_03.shtml
-- John

 

[John Cain]

This was posted over in the AVSForum by Denon Jeff:

"DVD-2900:

This model will not support the LINK, sorry. Another model coming later will. I know many are excited about this product, and so are we. Quick overview, DVD-A/SACD player with digital bass management for both formats, fixed point 80Hz on all channels. Channel Level adjustments on both formats, with delay only available on DVD-A. We are using the second generation Sony DSD decoder. Each format is treated independently from the start. New Burr-Brown DSD-1790, customized for DENON will be used. They decode DSD as DSD, and PCM as PCM. Silicon Image 504 chipset with 12/108MHz video DACs in both Progressive and Interlaced modes. More later... "

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I like the 80 Hz crossover. I think both Pioneer and Sony players are more like 100 - 120 Hz.

 

[ReggieW]

To all:

From Jeff Talmadge over at AVS:

DVD-2900:

"No this model WILL NOT (emphasis mine) support HDCD, due to other features we requested at the price point. Once you see all the specs you will understand why. It is Silicon Image 504 based unit, the MPEG decoder I will discuss later.

As far as model numbers go, I can understand the confusion. The 2900 is an entirely new model in the lineup, it doesn't replace anything. As it is a universal machine, our first. We will have a 3800 and 9000 replacement later this year, all being universal."

I must say that the 2900 is a double-edged sword as I was really looking forward to HDCD decoding. KeithH and others here have told me that I'm not really missing much by not having it if I already have a CD player with very good redbook performance. Then again, I am surprised that Denon utilized the Denon 9000's videos section for the 2900, so It really isn't a bad package with all things considered in fact it's still quite good.


Reg

 

[John Cain]

This player still sounds really, really good to me..

-- John

 

[Lewis Besze]

Channel Level adjustments on both formats, with delay only available on DVD-A.

Oh boy!
There goes my hope!

 

[Dan Hitchman]

From my understanding, presently, if they were to add digital delay to a DSD signal they would then have to convert it to PCM, add the delay, then convert it back to DSD. Not what you want to do at all.

Sony is supposedly working on that DSD-to-PCM problem in their current chipsets with their newer SACD players (probably those updated chips will be farmed out to the OEM market too), so that all DSP modes work in pure DSD mode.

Dan

 

[John Cain]

The 2900 player will be in the same box as the current 3800, FYI.

-- John

 

[Lewis Besze]

Dan, the current Sony 999 a uses new chip to avoid such conversion,supposedly.There was thread here a while ago discussing it.
If this is is true,then Denon using outdated technology.
I can't verify this however,so I wait and see.