Best DVD Megachangers (1 Viewer)

[Mark Hendrickx]

I currently have a seven-disc dvd carousel changer but am tired of having to always change out the discs(I use it way more for music than movies), and I am considering getting a dvd megachanger that, if possible, also plays SACD.

I bought a 400-disc Sony cd changer last January for $300, and the sound quality sucked.

So I returned it and bought a Sony 300-disc DVD changer last February and the sound quality was atrocious, even though it was a relatively expensive $450. I thought the DVD laser would be of higher quality. I was wrong.

I see that Sony has a new 300-disc DVD/SACD changer, model # DVP-CX985V that came out several months ago for $400. I am very skeptical since I can't see Sony fixing the quality-control problems in such a short time.

I am usually a fan of Sony audio components, but I have not seen many other megachangers on the market that are somewhat affordable. I just see Pioneer Elite or Marantz for $1,000 and up.

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone who has heard this Sony DVD/SACD unit can comment on its ability to read the discs. In addition, any comments on other dvd megachangers that don't cost a fortune, i.e. more than $600, would be most welcome.

 

[Ernest Yee]

Did you get the regular changer or the ES variant?

 

[Mark Hendrickx]

I had the regular changer. Do you really think there is that much of a difference between the ES and the regular changer? I always thought the only two major differences between the two lines are that the ES has the longer warranty and that Sony makes a much higher profit margin on the ES line.

 

[Ernest Yee]

No - the ES line is always way better than the standard crap. Yes profit margins might be better, but make no mistake, they will definitely incorporate better DACs, better build quality, and just in general better quality. I've owned the Sony DA4ES and I also still have a CX88ES? 200 CD changer that's been working really well.

Also if you're not liking the sound quality, can't you bypass it's internal DACs by using a digital cable?

 

[Ernest Yee]

Oh yeah - and to further continue my point, you can just take the case of the Sony DE receivers vs the ES line of receivers. MAJOR DIFFERENCE. The ES is very well regarded but the DE line is treated like the plague around here.

 

[Mark Hendrickx]

Ernest,

I had an optical cable connecting the Sony jukeboxes to my receiver, and the kind of problems I was having shouldn't be caused by the DAC.

The laser on the dvd player was simply missing some of the information on the cd's, almost always at the beginning of the song tracks. Sometimes as much as 2 or 3 seconds would be cut off.

 

[Ernest Yee]

Mark -

Yeah - then that's definitely attributable to the shoddy workmanship behind that product. My changer is working great - no cut off information - no skipping in the tracks - works as it should.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

I've had my Sony 300 disc CD changer for years and it gets constant use piping music to my second zone. The internal DAC's really are bad but I've now got a Musical Fidelity A3.24 external DAC to decode the music and its transformed it into a very very good sounding changer.

 

[Ken Winders]

The 985 changer you refered to is actually a 400 disc unit. I just got one and finished putting most our dvd's in it. The unit is currently "loading" the disc info. So far the 4 discs that I have sampled have come up ok and the sound and image quality is pretty impressive. I got mine from the local Sony retailer for under $400 including the tax.

 

[Mathew Shelby]

I second Ken's post, I have the 985V as well. I did not buy it for SACD, but rather for the extra 100 disc capacity. I have had no sound or image quality problems. One thing most people don't like about the new 985v is that it cannot be daisychanned liked the earlier 875p units can.

 

[CurtisC]

I have a 400 disc Sony cd changer and a 200 disc dvd,never had a problem in 3 yrs.I do use the dac in my Denon.

 

[Mark Hendrickx]

I may have to give the 400 disc player a chance. Your comments are refreshing my memory of one other thing I didn't like about the megachanger I had: the disc explorer, which was somewhat inadequete for cataloging the discs and searching for them.

What would be great is if they could set up a megachanger that has the same amazing search capabilities as Apple iTunes.

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

Mark the cataloging is easily taken care of with supernudelist and a philips pronto I now have access to any disc by name with a few clicks on my pronto's screen.

 

[EdVB]

I too have the Sony unit and would greatly appreciate info on:

Mark the cataloging is easily taken care of with supernudelist and a philips pronto I now have access to any disc by name with a few clicks on my pronto's screen.

How does this work? Thanks!