Looking for combo player suggestions/opinions

[rotel&energy]

I have an older, non-progressive scan DVD player. I also own a RCD-1070 that I'm very happy with. Lately, I've been contemplating jumping into the SACD/DVD-A fray with the purchase of a cheap DVD/SACD/DVD-A player. However, I have some reservations about the formats, the players and prices.

First off, what is the speculation on SACD/DVD-A's future? Will these formats become the standard or stay niche products (or go away like quadraphonic)? I would hate to buy into a format and then find out that something newer and better is around the corner.

Secondly, let's say I hop on the SACD/DVD-A combo player train. Should I go out and purchase a <$200 player, or wait, save my money and purchase a higher-end player?

Just looking for opinions or suggestions. Maybe some of you have been thinking about the same thing?

ck

[Burke Strickland]

With the future of SCD/DVD-A still kind of "iffy", the cheapest good solution is Pioneer's less-than-$200 universal player. It uses the same transport as their top-of-the-line Elite DVD/comboplayers (which get rave reviews) and provides reasonable (not state-of-tne-art, but serviceable) SACD/DVD-A decoding, bass support and speaker distance settings. It uses reasonably good DACS --far better than it "deserves" at its low price point. You can pay four times as much without much of a real performance boost (although such features as bass handling may be more refined at the higher price levels). Spend ten times as much, it had better be better. :>)

For Redbook CD, if you are going to use the player as a transport only, that same player wil do just fine, since you are going to be using your receiver or pre/pro's DACs anyway. DVDs work great too. It does progressive or non-progressive scan on component out (user selectable from the menu).

Of course you can spend a lot more and get a unit built like a tank instead of a paperweight and at the higher price levels, get more user control over some aspects such as bass handling, but for overall value, the less-than-$200 Pioneer is a fine way to get into multichannel music without breaking the bank.

Enjoy -

Burke

[Andrew Pratt]

They'll likely stay niche for some time to come given the popularity of the CD format and more importantly the move to MP3 media. The general population just don't care about higher resolution they'd rather have a smaller file to dump into their iPods etc.

As for the budget vs more expensive player I doubt any of the cheaper models are going to sound better on CD then your Rotel but there might be reasons to move to a cheaper universal player to get progressive scan for your display if it supports it? The cheaper denon universal isn't that much money and should be a significant improvement for video over your non progressive player and it'll handel DVD-R and DVD+R etc that could be a factor. As a bonus it'll also do SACD and DVD-A for you to dabble in and decide if its something you really want to invest in. From what I've seen even the cheap SACD's players sound great for SACD's its really CD playback that suffers.

[rotel&energy]

Thanks for your comments guys. Maybe I should clarify - the universal player will replace my stand alone DVD player. I will still play my redbook CDs through my RCD1070.

Yeah, this is all part of a sinister GRAND SCHEME to upgrade the video side of my HT. My current TV is a 27" WEGA, but it isn't widescreen and isn't HDTV ready or anything like that. I'd like to jump to a 42" or so widescreen DLP TV one of these days.

My thought w/ the universal player was - upgrade my DVD performance while getting a chance to check out SACD/DVD-A. Of course, everything could fall apart in two years when blue ray is all over the market. Then it would be back to the store...

Burke/Andrew - did you have specific players in the Pioneer and Denon line that you were suggesting?

[rotel&energy]

Follow up:

Burke - is this the one? Pioneer DV-578A-S ($129.99 universal player)
Andrew - same w/ you - Denon 2910 ($649 universal player)

[JonMarsh]

Well, if you're not in a tremendous hurry, another player I would look at closely is an upcoming Philips DVP900SA.



It's an upscaling player, with DCDi, SACD, lots of other neat goodies, if somewhat quirky styling. It's been out in Europe a while, should be here in January I've heard. It would be one to consider if you have serious interest in SACD with better than average audio implmentation, and Faroudja DCDi processing (mandatory in my opinion, unless you'v got the bucks for the new Denon with the Terannex chip), with upscaling to boot.

~Jon

[aarsoe]

Jon

If only you where right - but your not... :cry:

The Philips DVP-900SA, was supposed to be out in Europe several months ago, but the launch have been delayed several times. Latest news is that it will be availeble by end February..

Also, it does offer a novelty compared to upscaling, namely conversion of redbook cd to DSD, so you will have the ability to use the SACD converters for your cd's - beside normal upscaling..

On the video front - it offers upscaling/conversion to 720P and 1080P.

There are however rumors floating the net, that one of the reasons it is continuosly delayed is that Sony and Philips are thinking about dropping the SACD format.
When I first saw it, I took it as a bad joke - but Sony have just announced that their record label will support the new DVD-A/CD format. So now I am not so sure any longer..

However dont think that this will change the player being a killer when/if it gets released..

[David Meek]

On the video front - it offers upscaling/conversion to 720P and 1080P.

1080P? Oooh. :yesnod:

There are however rumors floating the net, that one of the reasons it is continuosly delayed is that Sony and Philips are thinking about dropping the SACD format.

What? Does anyone have any more info on this? That would su*k greatly if it comes to pass.

[Andrew Pratt]

David theres been rumours flying around about the demise of SACD but I've yet to see anything conclusive...though the rate of new SACD's isn't exactly that impressive so who know's what's going on.

As for the Denon's the 2910 is excellent but there's cheaper models as well incl some fantasic deals on clearout 2900's in some stores if you look.

Give this DVD shootout a read over.

[JonMarsh]

Jon

If only you where right - but your not... :cry:

The Philips DVP-900SA, was supposed to be out in Europe several months ago, but the launch have been delayed several times. Latest news is that it will be availeble by end February..

Also, it does offer a novelty compared to upscaling, namely conversion of redbook cd to DSD, so you will have the ability to use the SACD converters for your cd's - beside normal upscaling..

On the video front - it offers upscaling/conversion to 720P and 1080P.

There are however rumors floating the net, that one of the reasons it is continuosly delayed is that Sony and Philips are thinking about dropping the SACD format.
When I first saw it, I took it as a bad joke - but Sony have just announced that their record label will support the new DVD-A/CD format. So now I am not so sure any longer..

However dont think that this will change the player being a killer when/if it gets released..

Well, my bad! I did some follow up searches last week and actually saw it offered for sale on a number of sites, but since my French is lousy, as well as my Dutch, I probably missed a few important details, like delivery dates!

Still, if this one makes it out of the gate, it could be a pretty nice combo unit- the right combination of features that it would interest even me...

I'd be looking at running the DVI through a converter I have an into my NEC projector. My current Zenith player has the Faroudja DCDi, and on the TV DVD's I like, it's the only way to go.

~Jon

[shokhead]

Yamaha C750. $299 but plays everything and is specd pretty good.