Taking the Universal DVD plunge.

[paul2102]

I'm ready this week to take the universal DVD plunge. I have a 1066 and 1075 with B&W 9nts'.
Seriously looking at getting the Denon 5900. Does anyone have any inputs on this?

Thanks,
Paul

[Andrew Pratt]

The Denon 5900 is likely the best of what's currently available but comes with a hefty price tag. The Denon 2900 is a cheaper version that's also stellar but doesn't have the DVI connection the 5900 does. If you want the 2900 but can't justify the price check out ecost to see if they have an refub units still in stock as they're a good bit cheaper and several of us here have purchased Denon refurbs from them with great success.

[spiffnme]

I too would visit the denon website. Click on their "dealers" link. They'll have a list of authorized "refurb" sellers. I'm sure in a few weeks/months some 5900 refurbs will become available at a considerable discount.

If that 5900 came in silver I'd be VERY tempted.




www.funnyfarmcomics.net
All Daredevil, All the Time!

[Sonnie Parker]

I purchased the 2900 for $549 through ClubMac and have been very pleased with it. I could not tell it was not brand spankin' new. I think ClubMac and most of those refurb dealers are all related somehow.

I want a 5900 but don't want to pay the price difference. If the refurbs start surfacing at around $1K or so I'll take the plunge.

From what research I've done the 5900 is maybe only slightly better than the 2900 video wise but audio wise I understand the 5900 is far superior than the 2900.

I would think with DVI output and upconversion to 1080i the 5900 would be more than slightly better in video performance than the 2900 but I'm not finding this in my research.

I'll be waiting to see the 2004 DVD shootout (benchmark test). The 2900 scored fairly well in 2003 but got edged out in video performance by the 1600. This was mainly due to the Chroma ICP problem (not the same as the Chroma Bug) but I've not noticed any Chroma problems thus far although it's supposedly there with certain movies.






SONNIE

Cedar Creek Cinema

DVD Collection

BFD Comprehensive Setup Guide

[Chris D]

Do I have any input? Uh... YEAH. If you can justify the cost of the 5900 to you personally, do it! As others have said here, this unit seems to be the best player available today, much less a universal player specifically. Go for it!




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[eelco74]

well,

I had a Rotel RDV-985 DVD player, as well as a RC-975 CD player.

I auditioned the dvd-2900 in direct comparison to my cd player.
The Rotel (although 5 years old) was only marginally better than the 2900. But was hardy audible, only after a long listening. So for CD it could do.

Videowise it is way better than the Rotel.
SACD performance is very good. It sound way better than CD.
DVD-A seems to be good, but I own no DVD-A discs.
Codefree is very easy to do by firmware
Setup is Ok

Only drawbacks :

Slow initial reading (loading takes a long time)
No indicator of dataspeed on DVD

I know that de 5900 will be better, but the price (and aivailibility in Europe) holds me back. So I ordered the 2900.
Saves me money for that long wanted Rotel RSP-1066 .

[David Meek]

My latest edition of The Perfect Vision awarded the Yamaha 2300 universal player its Player Of The Year Award, and that's at $999 MSRP.

1. 2300 Full Review

Here's Shane Buettner's conclusion for those with short attention spans.

The Yamaha DVD-S2300 is the first universal player I’ve seen and heard with no significant weaknesses, and hopefully it’s the first of many such players we’ll see on the market. For $999, you can go out and buy and play whatever you find on silver disc, and hear sound that’s worth listening to. And that’s something worth recommending—and worthy of our DVD Player of the Year award.

David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker

[LEVESQUE]

Paul2102.

I own the 5900 since 3 weeks. I did compare it with the 2900 and 3800 in-house.

The biggest difference is the video section. It completely outperform those 2 other players (you can search on the net and confirm this with people that did upgrade from the 2900 to the 5900). Better blacks (fully tweakable), better details, razor sharp image.

The audio section was a nice surprise for me. Better "spatiality" (for lack of a better word) with the hi-rez formats (SACD and DVD-A). The 3800 and the 2900 are really good players too. But the 5900 gives you better sound for redbook's CD, DVD-A and SACD. I own over 50 DVD-A and SACD, and rediscovering each of them in the last 3 weeks.

The 5900 is a jack-of-all-trades that, for once and surprinsigly, do everything it does pretty well

Denon really did it this time.

But the best way to know is to bring one home and to try it. 8)

[paul2102]

Well...I did it!

Picked up a 5900 Thursday and have been using it all weekend. This is really a beast! It takes some time to get used to, with all the setup options. SACD and DVD-A sound is incredable! Video is amazingly clean using component outputs. (watched LOTR Fri. night). Can't wait for DVI to be activated!

Anyway, thanks for the input, and for the money, (if you can afford it), it is well worth it!

Thanks,
Paul

[LEVESQUE]

Congrats paul2102! 8)

Enjoy the 5900.

[Chris D]

Paul: :banana: Congratulations! I'm jealous!




CHRIS
Luke: "Hey, I'm not such a bad pilot myself, you know"

[LEVESQUE]

Paul.

The update firmware to activate the DVI interface should be on the Denon website on thursday or friday... just to let you know. 8)

If you have a digital display, you should try it!

[paul2102]

Thanks Levesque,

I have also been keeping up on the avsforums.

I have a Sony kv34xbr800, can't wait till the end of the week. I already have my DVI cable, so I'm all set to go.

Thanks for all your inputs from both sites!
Paul

[paul2102]

Thanks Levesque,

I have also been keeping up on the avsforums.

I have a Sony kv34xbr800, can't wait till the end of the week. I already have my DVI cable, so I'm all set to go.

Thanks for all your inputs from both sites!
Paul