Onkyo DV-SP800 too good to be true? (1 Viewer)

[Anthony Lengyel]

This seems to be a reasonably priced all in one player with great audio and great video features. Am I just looking at the wrong specs or is this player what I need when I want great video, dvd-audio and sacd capability?

thanks

 

[Kevin C Brown]

It is too good to be true. Look here:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-b...rch&articles=5

 

[Chris*Liberti]

Well I have heard it is one of the best sounding but has one of the worst video pictures of any Progressive Scan DVD player.

 

[Jeff Kleinberg]

Well,
I have to disagree, unlike the other posters I happen to own this player. The sound quality is top notch. The picture is excellent, but not equal to the rp91 which I used to own. I've compared this player extensively in home against the sony 999es and the pioneer 47a. You cant go wrong with this player. I use an anthem 20, bryston 9bst, and studio 100's and studio center and surrounds. My monitor is a toshiba 57h81 ISF calibrated. The downside, the remote sucks, and I do see occasional combing on video based material, ie. the shield box set. I would easily recommend this player to anyone.
Jeff

 

[Jeramy_K]

The current issue of Home Theater Magazine has a review of this player. Looks pretty solid based on their observations.

-Jeramy

 

[Charles Gurganus]

I have this player and ALMOST sent it back after reading that danged shootout. I am only using the interlaced video (no HDTV yet) and that part is very good after using Avia to calibrate.

Here is the deal. The shootout concentrates on the 5% or so misflagged DVD's and CUB issues. With this in mind, the SP800 didn't fair as well as Panasonic players. With properly flagged DVD's (which is MOST), this player is suppose to be very good in progressive (Per the Home theater mags latest review, take it for what that is worth) mode.

I love watching movies BUT I wanted a great audio player for SACD and DVD-Audio. The SP800 does this in spades IMO and that kept me from boxing it up (based on the progressive shootout) and sending it back. The shootout does not consider audio (analog and SACD, DVD-A anyway) OR build quality, which I think is where the SP800 shines.

When I get to the point of buying a HDTV and connect the progessive output from the 800 is when I will make the decision if it bothers me or not enough to buy a great CHEAP progressive DVD player. If that happens, I will still have a great multi format AUDIO player. Oade.com is a very good place to buy this player. They also carry Phillips which just came out with the 963a DVD player that has the DCDi processing chip that does so well in the shootout. Ask them how that players SACD sound compares to the SP800. This may be a good alternative is you don't have to have DVD-Audio (I really wanted both in 1 player).

 

[Anthony Lengyel]

True.. I am not as picky on video as most of you are. I like a good quality picture but am no expert on chroma, artifacts and what not. My main concerns too as that I get good video coupled with SACD and DVD-Audio in one player.

With that said you think this player is worth $1,000?

 

[John-Miles]

you have to realize what that shootout was intended to do, it was intended to separate those that excel from those that dont. Like they said in the explaination most players will look amazing with good source material, they threw as much crap at it as they could, so for the one or two discs you might own which fall into the crap range is it really a big deal? no its not. Hell even the dreaded chroma bug isn't really all that bad, unless you look forit, know what you are looking for, and play the right material.

Plus you also consider that everythign is relative.

 

[Charles Gurganus]

Anthony, the SP800 is worth the $799 you can get it for at oade.com. I am using one of my 5.1 bypass inputs on Sony's TA-P9000es analog preamp for SACD and DVD-Audio. It is a pretty good redbook CD player as well. I may unload my Cambridge Audio CD300se CD player since I did have that connected to the input the sp800 now uses (I use a Turntable for the other p9000es bypass connection). I only have the CD300se connected with optical digital cable to my E9000es preamp (which when doing a A/B test between that and the analog connection to the P9000es, it was pretty close) but I haven't put a CD in the 300se since getting the sp800. I'll get around to comparing the 2 (300se digitally connected vs the SP800's analog chain connection) probably this weekend.

Also note you can get the Integra 8.3 (upscale Onkyo) for around $900 but other than slight cosmetic improvements, I don't know if the extra money gets you noticeable improvements. The Integra does have a better warranty (I think either 2 or 3 years vs the 1 for the SP800). I think the internals are basically the same with maybe a little better clock in the Integra.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Why get the Onkyo 800, and its poor video, when you can get a Yamaha 2300 for about the same price? The Yamaha is a Panny based player.

 

[Charles Gurganus]

Better audio. Also, the poor video is an issue with maybe 5% of the DVD's and the interlaced video is very good (HTM quotes "best resolution of any player in its price range". I know you will have a comeback Kevin but have you tried this player out? Can you honestly think making a sweeping statement like "poor video" without actually trying this player out for yourself? Also, isn't it possible to use the s-video out of the SP800 and let the TV handle the de-interlacing? I was concerned about the shootout results but this player has many good things going on in its favor. All players have issues. Yamaha's issue seems to be with its audio. It depends on your priorities I guess. Have you compared the SP800 with the Yamaha?

 

[Anthony Lengyel]

I called Oade this morning and ordered one.. as the combo of sacd and dvd-audio is a major plus. I am not that picky when it comes to video.. as long as its good to great its ok by me.. I don't expect it to be impeccable.


Received a lot of good opinions as usual and I thank you.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

I personally have not seen a direct comparison between the audio performance of the Onkyo and Yamaha players yet.

The Pioneer DV-47ai got rated higher than the Onkyo for video, and that's what I have. So I get slightly better video, but great audio too (luckily, they replaced the Crystal DACs of the 47a with Burr-Browns in the 47ai).

Well, we all know you pays your money and yous take your chances with any piece of equipment...

 

[Will_B]

Will we see a $200 combo player (DVD-A and SACD) with room for a hundred discs by this xmas?

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Yes, and no. I think there was some news from CES that Zenith and Pioneer would have mid $200 single disc SACD/DVD-A players out real soon. Maybe another 6 months to a year before the big carousels come.

 

[Jeff Kleinberg]

Kevin,
The 800's video can hardly be classified as poor, it is excellent. Much better than the pioneer 47a(haven't tried the ai)at least on my ISF'd toshiba. I used to own a RP91 which one of the best dvd players for video ,period, and there is not too much of a difference. That being said if the rp91 did sacd and its dvd-audio was close to the onkyo I would definitely choose it over the onkyo, but comparing them as a whole the onkyo is the clear winner. As for the Yamaha, the noise figures measure in S&V are piss poor. I have not heard this unit though, so it may sound better than it measures.
Jeff

 

[Jimmie Lee]

Jeff,

Would you be so kind as to enlighten us on the bass management capabilities of the Onkyo. I have been very interested in this player, but I have read conflicting reports on whether it handles bass management for DVD-A, SACD or both, and to what degree. Your help would be appreciated.

Jim

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Jeff- Look at the Secrets shootout link I provided in the 2nd message of this thread. The table at the beginning is in order of how they rated the video performance. The 800 came out 2nd worst to only the Pioneer 45a. The 47ai bettered it by 7 players.

 

[Jeff Kleinberg]

Kevin,
I have thoroughly read the shootout, it gives great weight to deinterlacing. I have already stated that combing artifacts are present with video sources. The quality of 3:2 flagged movies, 99% of my veiwing material, is fantastic.

Jeff

 

[Charles Gurganus]

Jeff, when you have combing with certain movies, have you tried the S-video out instead? I was curious to how that worked out.