Megachanger questions: Pioneer PD-F27 and Sony CDP-555ES (1 Viewer)

[Kevin_W]

Hello,
I am starting down the path to my first megachanger. I want to have this changer for many years to come so I've decided to go with a higher end model. I have just two questions about these two units.
1) Are these the most recent offerings from Sony and Pioneer? They aren't planning any new models soon are they?
2) Sony's website lists no capability for the 555ES to play CD-R and CD-RW while Pioneer's does. Does it in fact play CD-R's? Its tough to imagine a $700 unit that can't play CD-R this late in the game.
Any other thoughts would be appreciated in comparing these two units. Thanks in advance.
Kevin

 

[Jim_F]

My CDP-M555ES plays CD-Rs just fine. I like to put CD text on mine. Initial data input was a pain, and a power hiccup somehow erased my player's memory, but I like this player a lot. I get much more use out of many more discs in my collection than I ever did with a single player or carousel. Some folks dont like the 2-way remote, but I love it for surfing through my collection. Too bad it doesn't have a volume control, though.
$700 is too much. I got mine from J&R last spring for $570 shipped.
[Edited last by Jim_F on October 09, 2001 at 02:07 PM]

 

[Bruce N]

I have a Sony CDP-M555ES and I love it. I burned copies of my entire collection and put the CD Text on them. Works great, sounds great!
I got mine from Oade Brothers for $460 shipped! It came in a pristine factory sealed box, double boxed with 2 inches of peanuts between the two boxes. They are an authorized ES dealer and I have bought many ES pieces from them. Highly recommended!
Bruce
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"Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic lifeform?"

 

[KeithH]

Kevin, the Pioneer Elite units have a good reputation, but I am partial to Sony ES megachangers. I don't have the 'M555ES, but I have two CDP-CX333ES 300-disc models daisy-chained (last year's models), and they are great players. Prior to the release of the latest single-disc and five-disc carousel CD players, Sony never indicated CD-R and CD-RW compatibility with its CD players. However, my Sony ES carousel changers and megachangers player CD-Rs and CD-RWs without a hitch.
Two things about Sony ES megachangers to consider. First, you should be able to get them cheaper from authorized dealers than the Pioneer Elite player. Jim is right in that $700 is too much to spend on the 'M555ES. That's full retail, which is what Crutchfield and Tweeter charge for it. Second, they come with a five-year warranty, which is great considering that megachangers have many mechanical parts.
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My:
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KeithH: Saving the Home Theater World Before Bedtime

 

[KeithH]

Bruce, Oade Bros. has phenomenal prices on Sony ES gear. That is certainly true. They are great to deal with. If I had the time and were willing to bear the expense, I might replace all the CDs in my megachangers with CD-R copies, complete with CD-TEXT. That would be great. Maybe I'll do that a little bit at a time. I have both a computer-based CD burner and a hi-fi component CD burner. The component burner is very easy to use for making dubs, but does not allow me to add text information. The software I use for my computer-based burner supports CD-TEXT, but I have never tried to dub an entire CD using it. I use the computer-based burner for making mixes. Hmmm....
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My:
HT Pics ; Equipment List ; DVD Collection ; LD Collection
KeithH: Saving the Home Theater World Before Bedtime

 

[Kevin_W]

Gentlemen: Thanks for the great advice. Yes, the $700 was merely the MSRP, but its good to know about the Oade Bros. since I have no short list yet for viable online vendors. Do they have a website?
Keith, I had a question about the daisy chaining. I will only assume at this point that the Sony DAC's are not as good as those in my Denon 3300 and planned on using the optical output. If you daisy chain, don't you have to use the analog outputs on the second unit into the first unit? Thus only using the onboard DAC's? Or maybe there was an optical input on the back of the units I did not see.
Another question on the CD-Text. It is sent to the on-screen output right? So I can see all the cd-text info on the TV?
Kevin

 

[Kit_C]

The DAC's in the ES megachangers are pretty good, and are (along with the longer warranty) what differentiates them from the consumer CDP-CX models. This is useful if you want to use the "megachanger" daisy chaining option, but I have a single changer at this time and use the optical output.
I rarely use the video out on my M555ES, but I believe it will show track data for CD-TEXT encoded discs. I'll check tonight.
Kit

 

[Bruce N]

http://www.oade.com
Bruce
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"Why do I sense we've picked up another pathetic lifeform?"

 

[KeithH]

Kevin, when daisy-chaining Sony megachangers, you must use the analog outputs on both players, meaning you are using the players' DACs. That is one reason I went with ES players. When I was in the market for the first megachanger, I was already thinking about daisy-chaining, so I went with the better DAC.
The only way to determine which DAC is better between your Denon AVR-3300 and the 'M555ES is to try both out. If daisy-chaining is a consideration, hopefully the DAC in the 'M555ES will be sufficient.
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My:
HT Pics ; Equipment List ; DVD Collection ; LD Collection
KeithH: Saving the Home Theater World Before Bedtime

 

[Phil Schirripa]

Are there any megachangers that can be daisy chained using optical (digital) connects?

 

[Trevor_J]

Yes, the Pioneer F27 daisy chains with either Coax, Optical or Analog.
I am currently running my LD player through the F27 using the optical input.

 

[Luke_Y]

Kevin, while you are poking around check out this thread if you haven't already.
http://207.173.159.237/uub/Forum14/HTML/044361.html
[Edited last by Luke_Y on October 23, 2001 at 09:34 PM]