DVD-A player suggestions???? (1 Viewer)

[Colin+M]

I already have a Sony for SACD, and video purposes. So i really just want an "inexpensive" player to designate for hi-rez purposes. Any older model suggestions would be appreciated since i might can find them discounted online.

Thanks guys

 

[Shawn McCann]

Hi Colin,

I wouldn't expect to reap the benefits of high resolution from an inexpensive player, since compromises will likely have been made in order to keep the manufacturing cost down. If you just want to hear the surround mix then your current player should do the trick, since all DVD-A discs include a DVD-video compatible Dolby Digital version on the same disc. Some also include DTS.

My recommendation would be to save your pennies and get a universal player from Marantz (I have the DV6400) or Denon or Pioneer (DVD-563A) or Samsung or...

 

[PaulDA]

I don't know what you're definition of inexpensive is, but I can vouch for the DV6400--great audio with hi-res. Another option, DVD-A only (no SACD), also superb redbook audio (and a region free right out of the box with great PALNTSC conversion for European releases as a bonus) is the Cambridge Audio 540D (which I also own and use for movies and CD playback--as great as my marantz is for CD, I like the 540D even better). The marantz streets around 500$, I think, while the 540D streets at 320-350$.

 

[ChuckSolo]

Oh, I don't know about that, my Samsung DVD HD841 sounds fantastic when playing SACD and DVD-A. Remember, the gentleman asked for an "inexpensive" solution. I hardly consider 500 bucks inexpensive. Also, unless you consider yourself a super hardcore audiophile, there are a number of sub 300 buck players that would work.

 

[FeisalK]

Colin,

how would you connect the DVD-A to the receiver? does it have 2x 5.1 multichannel inputs?

Shawn, I thought the Pioneer 563A was a relatively cheap player?

 

[Shawn McCann]

"Inexpensive" is a relative term. Personally, I don't consider $500 inexpensive. That's why I said "save your pennies".

A thousand apologies for putting the model number 563A in the same list as the Marantz. I do consider the 563A an inexpensive player.

My point was that I don't understand the point of an inexpensive hi-res player. Colin's Sony DVD/SACD player should be able to access the DVD-Video compatible Dolby Digital tracks that are on all DVD-A discs. That would be the least expensive solution.

 

[ChuckSolo]

Shawn, my point is that the player is only one variable in the equation. You could buy a 3k DVD-A/SACD player and hook it to a cheesy HTiB and it is going to sound terrible. You also have to look at the receiver/amp and speaker setup you are attaching it to. Let's not start getting "elitest" here. The mistake often made in threads like this is that it is often assumed that the economic situation of the original poster is better than it might actually be. It would have been more appropriate to ask Collin what his budget was for such a player. I jumped in because I could see that this was becoming a "you can't get anything worth buying for less than $xxxx.xx"; this might discourage someone from jumping into the hobby. Let's keep this in perspective, 500 bucks to him, may be like 5000 to us, you never know.

 

[Colin+M]

Chuck,

As a matter of fact, i am in grad school. therefore i am poor I was thinking of getting a panasonic F87 just for the DVD-A, HDCD, redbook purposes. I don't really have a lot of money to drop on a player, seeing that i need it for DVD-A only essentially. To be honest, there isn't a ton of DVD-A titles i want, but i just want the option to play them if i start buying them.

Also is it possible to hook up the front L & R analog from the player to the, lets say CD L&R analog inputs on my receiver and still get the hi-rez stereo? I only have one set of 6 channel inputs on my receiver, and i don't want to buy 5000 more cables and switcher.

 

[ChuckSolo]

Good for you being in Grad School. What's you major and when do you graduate. I am thinking about getting my MS in computer infor sys in a year or two.

I'm not sure that the L/R analog outputs are gonna give you the hi-rez sound you want. I could be wrong though. I know SACD discs come in hi-rez stereo, not sure about DVD-A though.

 

[Wayne Ernst]

I'm not sure I'd go for the Panny S97. The macro-blocking issue is a painful one. More firmware updates should be coming to address the issues, though. I purchased one, but didn't feel like being a "beta" tester for Panasonic while they resolve the issues with the player. The 2-channel audio was good. Never had a chance to try SACD/DVD-A, though. BUT, the S97 is a cheaply built player.

Personally, I'd suggest the Pioneer 578. Good quality, good sound, etc. Plus, a used version should be available for under $100 right now.

Now, regarding the comments on the Cambridge Audio players. While at $350, it might be out of the range for quite a few users because of the cost, consider it an investment. Cambridge gear can still fetch some decent resale prices in the market. Becuase of "nirvana" I still have my eyes on some Cambridge gear for CD playback.

 

[LanceJ]

From Colin's original post:

my emphasis

BTW: Colin mentioned the *F87*, not the S97.

And I have yet to see a universal under $300 that doesn't have significant problems (either video or audio related), especially with its bass management system for the hi-res signals. Cramming all those dissimilar formats under one hood for such a low amount of $$$ is just asking for trouble IMO.

FYI: except for the majority of Silverline's dvd-audios* , the huge majority of other labels' dvd-audios DO have PCM/MLP stereo tracks though their resolution can vary from 44.1kHz/16bits all the way up to 192kHz/24bits. This has been true for almost four years now. >>> As far as sample word length is concerned: I see more and more professionals report a significant increase in low-level musical detail reproduction when words of 20bits & 24bits in length are used with the 44.1kHz and 48kHz formats, and many of them say this causes a larger improvement in those fine details than when a higher sampling rate is used.

* many of their titles do have stereo tracks but these use the Dolby Digital format. :frowning: