Denon DVD-2200 (1 Viewer)

[RickLe]

My little dealer in northwest Montana has it available. Only problem is they don't let you hang around and test the model for a two hour viewing

That's why I'm hoping for some good in depth review.

 

[AnthonyJS]

Also "in stock" at abtelectronics. Same price as Crutchfield and always have free shipping if under 50 pounds. Excellent customer service and free return shipping also!

 

[Dan Hopkinson]

Ok, I got mine in the mail today from Crutchfield. I actually ordered it yesterday evening. Pretty good for free shipping.

I have it all hooked up. I was wondering how to check for the CUE error, I have an RP-56 so I guess I never had it before. But if someone lets me know what to look for (I'm too lazy to search for what to check) I'll run the tests and post them later. I have the Toy Story Box Set, I believe the test is in there in the credits or something.

 

[Kristoffer]

Hey, I am thinking serously about buying the 2200
But can anybody, who owns it say;
I don't exactly how to check it..but on the 2900 its only incorectly flagged animated dvds.

Does the tray make a lot of noise when playing DVDs/Cd's?
How is layer change? ( Non existent? Like 2900. )
Startup time and Menu selection?
How is two channel CD sound?
How is every day handling?
Regards

Sorry to repeat myself-

 

[Brajesh Upadhyay]

Dan, put in the "Toy Story" DVD & look at the reds in the menu. The reds should be solid--no horizontal lines or smearing.



Another recent DVD you can try is "Where Eagles Dare"--the opeing credits in red.

 

[KeithH]

So Crutchfield has the '2200 for $600 with free shipping. That's not too bad. I imagine Tweeter would have it for the same price. Does anyone know if Tweeter is stocking the '2200?

 

[JohnnyCasaba]

KeithH,

I was just at a Tweeter (DE) to see if they would be getting the 2200 in, they told me they would not, but they would special order it if I wanted one.

 

[Lewis Besze]

I was just at a Tweeter (DE) to see if they would be getting the 2200 in, they told me they would not, but they would special order it if I wanted one.

Personally I'm not surprised,they probably wanna "push" the 2900/5900 "higher end" models.I also believe that the side by side display of the 2200 could hurt the 2900's sales,besides it's appearance,there isn't any difference,at least I can't think of any.

 

[SimonA]

In the little research I have done, the differences between the 2200 and 2900 are as follows.

The DVD-2900...

1. Uses DSD-1790 vs DSD-1791 Audio DACs on the 2200. This effects your Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Dynamic Range and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD+N).

2. Has an RS-232C port to support AMX, Crestron integrated control system

3. Has a new loading mechanism for suppression of vibration

4. DVD mechanism divided into 2-box construction to mitigate vibration

5. THD+N of 0.0009% vs 0.001% of 2200. SNR of 118 dB vs 115 dB. Dynamic Range of 110 dB vs 106 dB.

6. Larger chassis (about 7.3lb heavier, 1.2" taller and 1.3" deeper than 2200)

7. The 2900 does not seem to support DVD+R/RW for DVD-Video Recording Mode, whereas the 2200 does (I can't seem to confirm this. While the documentation does not list +R/RW for the 2900, I did read that someone tested it and it worked).

This is all I have been able to find. I'm not sure how the DSD-1790 differs from the 1791. But, I found an excellent technical page directly from the manufacturer (TI) on the DSD1791. Couldn't find anything on the 1790 to compare it to. Here's the link you'll need to copy and paste to your browser since I can't post URLs yet: focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/dsd1791.html

Personally, I don't think the 2900 is worth the difference in price. The next step from a 2200 for me would be the 5900. However, a real life test would put this issue to bed, but I doubt the 2200 would dissappoint anyone for $599.

Simon

 

[Don_Berg]

The user manuals rarely report accurately all the DVD formats they support, they don't want to guarantee anything. But user reports on VCdhelp indicate that DVD video on DVD-R,-RW,+R,+RW all work, even VCDs and SVCDs on CDR/RW for the DVD-2900:

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers.p...&Search=Search

 

[Dan Hopkinson]

Well, I put in the Toy Story 2 disc and all looks well, at least according to my very unprofessional eyes. I was most interested in DVD-Audio anyway, now I can listen to The Nightfly and Everything Must Go, as they were intended to be heard (at least in this format).

Right out of the box I am really impressed, it feels solid, the menus are really fast, and I have features once more that Panasonic cut out. I was really on the fence between the Yamaha S2300 and the Denon 2900. As soon as I heard about the 2200, the contest was over, plus I can spend the saved $400 on media to justify the next upgrade.

 

[ReggieW]

Simon,

Someone over at AVS who follows this stuff closely said that the DSD-1790 is a DAC that has been custom built for Denon (the 5900 also uses it), while the DSD-1791 is an off the shelf DAC (I think the popular but inexpensive Pioneer 563 uses one). This is probably the biggest difference between this and the 2900. The 1790 is said to be technically superior to the the 1791 in every way.

Reg

 

[Ric Schultz]

Originally the Denon America site showed the DVD2200 as having the DSD1792 DAC chip set.....this was a mistake....The Denon.de site showed 1791 so I emailed Jeff at Denon and he investigated and found out the chip was actually the 1791 so he had it changed a day later on the site. When I first emailed Denon (10 days ago on Sunday)I got a reply from some big wig a couple of hours later saying he was copying the info to Jeff....Wow! Sunday afternoon!

The 1791 chip is a far cry from a 1792 and even a 1790. The 1790 is a custom made version of the 1738 (until the 1792 came out the 1738 was the best BB DAC chip). From what I can gather from the output stage configuration and the DAC pin outs on the 1790 (I have the DVD2900 service manual)the 1790 may actually be half way in perfomance between a 1738 and 1792.

I have modified a Pioneer 563 that uses the 1791 and am not happy with its outcome...compressed sounding.....so, interpolating...I would say the 2900 would be much better to do mods on than the 2200 and have decided not to mod either the 563 or 2200.....However, I have no idea how a stock 2200 compares to a stock 2900 but I can say that the output stage on the 2900 is way overengineered and complex so will sound way, way better modified.

For those looking for a stock player than you will have to wait on those people who A/B the stock units. But for me the 2900 (and possibly later the 5900) is the Denon I will concentrate my modifications on.

If Denon had put the new 1792 chip in the 2200 it would have been an amazing thing modified....oh well.

 

[ReggieW]

Ric,

Do let me know how the mods on the 2900 work out, as I may be interested in having this done on my forthcoming 2900.

Thanks,

R.C. Williams

 

[Nick V]

It's dissapointing to see that the 2200 uses the DSD-1791 rather than the 1792. When I first read about the supposed inclusion of the 1792 in the 2200, I was very excited, and I was planning on purchasing one as soon as I could get my hands on it.

Now, I'll take a wait and see approach. I may be able to find a good deal on a 2900, as audio is my biggest priority, followed a distant second by video quality (I still have a 27" Panny SDTV).

Has anyone replaced their Panny RP-91 with a 2200? I want to hear about any significant improvements/differences in the audio (mostly dvd-a).

 

[Kristoffer]

Dan please, Can't you say a little more about this player?
And sorry to repeat myself, but..
Does the tray make a lot of noise when playing DVDs/Cd's?
How is layer change? ( Non existent? Like 2900. )
Startup time and Menu selection?
How is two channel CD sound?
How is every day handling?

 

[Dan Hopkinson]

Kristoffer,

Unfortunately, because of Hurricane Isabel, I am without power (Laptop Dial-up now), so I can't check anything out right now.

As far as layer changes go, we watched a View from the Top and Anger Management last night, and I don't even remember seeing a layer change, if there is one for these discs. Wasn't paying attention at the time, but it normally jumps out at me, and I didn't notice it on either disc.

As far as loading goes, I think that it is really fast. Hopping around the menus was very quick, the best I've seen. And it is much quieter than my old Panasonic. It has a higher pitched start-up noise when the disc begins to spin, but it isn't observable during playback at all (to me that is). My Panny sounded like someone tapping the housing at all time the disc was running.

I haven't played a cd in it yet, I'll leave that primarily to the CD/SACD player. I did try an SACD in it, and it sounded like I was in a really small room, almost like a crawl space. Perhaps there is a set-up issue somewhere in the menus. Menus are fine, the owner's manual isn't the best, but it is serviceable. I like the remote as well, I think I've read from other people that they didn't like it, to each his own I guess.

Like I said, I'll check out the layer changes and a CD later.

 

[Kristoffer]

Okay cool, thanks for taking the time to write! Heard about the hurricane on the news here in Denmark. Hope nothing got destroyed!

 

[Paul.S]

SimonA:

Thanks for your comparative DVD-2900 versus 2200 comments on your post #48.

I was really on the fence between the Yamaha S2300 and the Denon 2900. As soon as I heard about the 2200, the contest was over . . .

Exactly.

Unless you have your sights set on the DVD-5900, is there anyone who was considering a DVD-2900 who now would not opt for the marginally-less-impressive-on-paper 2200 . . . despite saving app. $400 buy getting the latter?

-p

 

[Lewis Besze]

Unless you have your sights set on the DVD-5900, is there anyone who was considering a DVD-2900 who now would not opt for the marginally-less-impressive-on-paper 2200 . . . despite saving app. $400 buy getting the latter?

I don't have a sight on the 5900,frankly I just don't wanna pay over a grand for any DVD player,but between the 2900 and 2200 I see your point though the price difference isn't as much.
I have to say I would still buy the 2900[I paid $795.00] over the 2200 just because I wanted a "beefier" looking player this time, having 3 slim cheap looking players before.
The 2200 looks very much like my Panasonic player,which never gave me a sense of the "pride of ownership" feeling what the 2900 does.
YMMV