Topic: Inexpensive DVD-A/SACD playback solution

[china_rider]

Hey all.... I've never seen these in person so I can't speak for quality.  However, if you are looking for an inexpensive playback option for DVD-A/SACD disks woot has a system selling today for $149 + $5 shipping.  It will be available til midnight texas time tonight.

www.woot.com

EDIT: Same system sells anywere from $350-$1200 from online stores.  I ended up getting one to get SACD playback in the bedroom or office and not just with my main playback system.  Seems like a good deal for the price but not a replacement for your main playback system.  If all else fails it will be a great fathers day gift for his shop.

[cheshirecat]

No, I'm sorry the answer is Kim Jong-Il

[jdawg]

Dana, look for a Denon DVD-2910. A little more than what you're thinking of spending, but well worth it. I've got one myself 

[china_rider]

Hey now... Have not heard from you in a while... Hows it going over there on the right coast?  Hoping you and the family are doing well.  Give me a call sometime... I don't have your contact info since you moved.  Besides the DVD you mentioned what did you end up with for your playback system?

That DVD player is much more than I want to pay for a bedroom unit I only listen to while going to sleep or putting away laundry.  Plus I would need to add a good amp to it.  Way overkill for the bedroom.  I already have a main playback system (Bob Carver Sunfire pre, powered amp, and active speakers with a Marantz CD/DVD   ) that I'm really happy with that does DVD-A/SACD.  However the system in my bedroom would not play the formats.  It was a 15 year old kenwood receiver and a marantz CD player.   The good part of the system was 4 Tannoy speakers that I got from my audiofile grandfather (the same one I was selling all the classical CDs from.)  While I'm sure this new combo is not audiophile quality I think it will be more than adaquate for a playback system in the bedroom to listen to as I go to sleep.  As a bonus I can feed the DVD to the old TV I have in there and it is all small enough where I can tuck it away and it won't be seen.

Last we talked you were planning your playback system.  Did you get it all set up?  Still have any recording gear?

Stay Kind,
Dana

[jdawg]

yeah, probably doesn't make much sense to invest much in that case. Just as well, you can find them used in the ~$250 range.  I'm strictly playback these days.  No more recording gear. Although, I'm considering picking up a 24-bit recorder. Keeping my eyes open anyway.
I'll PM ya!

[Nick's Picks]

Oppo HD970
best $149 i've spent on digital ...ever.

[edtyre]

I'll second that Oppo unit!

I have one too and it is great, really worth the 149
plays every kind of disc i have well, now my good DVD player
is in the bedroom

[china_rider]

Hey all... Just thought I would give a quick update. 

Don't know much about the Oppo unit so I can't compare.  However I know this one has component output so you will not be restricted to any of the HDMI protection/downgrades from the MPAA.

However.... I got the order from woot yesterday in the mail.  Total... $154 shipped.  The amp and DVD player are solid as bricks and seem to be constructed very well.  Hooked it up to my Tannoy speakers.  No problems playing SACD/DVD-A at 24bit and it sounds much better than I was expecting for the price.  To the untrained ear of friends they could not tell much difference (other than the new system has no subwoofer hooked up yet.)    As an added bonus the amp and DVD units are small enough were I can tuck them out of the way and they are not even visible when setup in the bedroom.  The only way you know they are there is the cables going to the speakers.  While I would not recommend this for a main home theater unit it is perfect for listening to music/DVDs in the bedroom, office, or other mid/large size room.  More than enough power for my large bedroom.  I don't see running the unit at more than 50% during normal usage.

As an other added bonus the amp and DVD are different units.  I should be able to mount the Amp in the wall and the DVD face pretty much flush with the drywall eventually routing the speaker cables through the wall to my speakers.  Thats my project next weekend.  This was exactly what I needed for an inexpensive 24bit SACD/DVDA/DVD playback unit in my bedroom.  In the space of about the size of a shoe box I will be able to replace my old Kenwood receiver, DVD player, and AMP and in turn have much more functionality in about 1/10th of the space.

The last bonus is I now have 3 24bit playback systems I can compare my recordings on to try to determine the best mix.

I've only had it for a few days but I have no complaints at this point.  I'll post back here if I find any problems so people will know before they buy.

If anyone finds a good deal on the unit feel free to PM me with messages.  I'm still new to the unit but would be happy to try answer any questions you may have.

Stay Kind,
Dana

[PeterE]

Oppo HD970
best $149 i've spent on digital ...ever.

)
Users of Oppo players(and maybe all DVD-A players, I'm not yet sure)should be aware that when playing DVD-A or SACD discs, the player outputs 16 bit digital data out of the optical &/or coax digital ports! I verified this just now with Oppo technical support--its a limitation built into the chipset. Undoubtedly it does this to prohibit digital copies at full DVD-A quality.  So if you are trying to get the full sonic benefit of your 24/96 recording by burning a DVD-A disc, then playing it on a DVD-A player with digi-out to an audiophile 24/96 outboard DAC, you are losing all or most of the benefit of recording at 24/96. You can obviously use the analog out of the player but then you are using their cheap crappy DACs internal to the $169 player! The same will hold true for SACD/DSD. 
AFAIK the only way to get 24 bit data to your DAC is by playing it from your PC or by burning it onto a DVD-Video disk format.

[Nick's Picks]

their cheap crappy DAC actually sounds good.

[nickgregory]

so I have the oppo 841HD and a Denon 2900, and I prefer the Denon over the Oppo for audio...posted some thoughts here...

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,87404.msg1171205.html#msg1171205

and this is not taking into account the oppo downsampling...I dont believe that the Denon does so...maybe that is what is contributing to what I am hearing...

[Nick's Picks]

are you using them as transports only?
if so, then yes.  if not, then no.

[nickgregory]

are you using them as transports only?
if so, then yes.  if not, then no.

I trialed them both coax out and analog out, and imo, the denon won....the oppo sounded good, but not as good as the denon imo.  Both feeding...

oppo or denon -> audio magic excalibur IIs -> Arcam AVR 300 -> Anticables ->VR-2s for analog

oppo or denon -> bettercables coax cable -> Arcam AVR 300 -> Anticables ->VR-2s for analog

now on video, the oppo is in a league of its own

[Nick's Picks]

yea, its video is pretty damn good.  best i've had in my house any way.

[BobW]

Does the Denon 2910 digi-our 24/96 from a DVD-a?