[DMi]

I wonder if anyone has some input on a universal disk player that they have heard and liked. My want list includes playing DVD-V, DVD-A, SACD, Up-sampled CD naturally but it would great if it also up converted DVD-V to HD level resolution.

I have about one and a half systems right now and the main one does double duty as my two channel listening rig and my HT system. Naturally all the amplification is or will be soon Odyssey and my next venture will be upgrading the playback end of the chain.

Interested in hearing your thoughts...

Thanks in advance,

Doug

[lazydays]

I wonder if anyone has some input on a universal disk player that they have heard and liked. My want list includes playing DVD-V, DVD-A, SACD, Up-sampled CD naturally but it would great if it also up converted DVD-V to HD level resolution.

I have about one and a half systems right now and the main one does double duty as my two channel listening rig and my HT system. Naturally all the amplification is or will be soon Odyssey and my next venture will be upgrading the playback end of the chain.

Interested in hearing your thoughts...

Thanks in advance,

Doug

I had the chance a few months back to listen to the one from McCormack, and this is an extremely good unit. The system had a Krell preamp and Krell amps driving Marten Logan speakers. That's the one my youngest son told the salesman that my stuff at the house sounded better than their Krells! (well he has better ears than I do for sure). Marantz makes a couple nice universal players, and Onkyo has one I've heard nothing but raves about. Guess it depends on how much money you have to spend.
gary

[BikeWNC]

I don't know much about the video part of the equation, but you should consider a Denon modded by Dan Wright at ModWright.  My 2900 with universal tube mods and tube rectified ps is great.  I suppose the newer Denons would be even better.

Andy

[Eduardo AAVM]

Are you looking for mass, hifi or high end models ?

I like Yamaha´s 657... works fine and is affordable.

Cary DVD8 also is a good choice

[Sonny]

I have a denon 955s, which is the same as the DVD2910 and I think it's spectacular, especially for the price....
You can spend more on one, but I'd save that money and spend it on a dedicated SACD / CD player if you are really picky about those formats!

[DMi]

Lazydays and all,

That's my kind of music you're listening to, caught Hargrove at Yoshi's when we were out near San Francisco a few years ago and I catch the others anytime I am near them.

Great feed back from everyone.

I am considering looking at the deluxe unit of the McCormack, and some others in the hifi end of things but not in the rare air market with stuff like Esoteric Audio units or those more costly. Also considering the NAD Master Series M55 so I may need to do some extended listening with one. I can live with black but my other choices for looks (which is secondary to audio quality) leans towards more silver components for WAF effect. That rules out some Denon and some other brands that are mostly available in black. Not entirely since it is interesting to note folks indicating they liked the performance of their units. I intend to stick with my choice for quite a while when I settle and it must mate well with the Anthem AVM-30, Stratos amps and maggies.

Budget is in the 1.5-2.5K region or a bit higher if the quality is there. Of course if I run across something that sounds great that is less then I have no issues with spending less.

Thanks much for the answers,

Doug

 

[lazydays]

Lazydays and all,

That's my kind of music you're listening to, caught Hargrove at Yoshi's when we were out near San Francisco a few years ago and I catch the others anytime I am near them.

Great feed back from everyone.

I am considering looking at the deluxe unit of the McCormack, and some others in the hifi end of things but not in the rare air market with stuff like Esoteric Audio units or those more costly. Also considering the NAD Master Series M55 so I may need to do some extended listening with one. I can live with black but my other choices for looks (which is secondary to audio quality) leans towards more silver components for WAF effect. That rules out some Denon and some other brands that are mostly available in black. Not entirely since it is interesting to note folks indicating they liked the performance of their units. I intend to stick with my choice for quite a while when I settle and it must mate well with the Anthem AVM-30, Stratos amps and maggies.

Budget is in the 1.5-2.5K region or a bit higher if the quality is there. Of course if I run across something that sounds great that is less then I have no issues with spending less.

Thanks much for the answers,

Doug

 

You might also want to listen to the Marantz DV 9600 player. Marantz makes several universal players.
    M. Brecker passed away close to a week ago, and we lost one of the best tenor sax players ever. I've heard a lot of good ones thru the years, and he was one of the best.
gary

[Nick V]

I love my Denon 3910, good solid audio quality along with GREAT video playback! As far as audio quality is concerned you can't get much better than a modwright or parts connexion (underwood hifi) modded unit for the price. The nice thing with them is that you don't have to bear the expense all at once. You can purchase the player and use it happily for a year until the warranty runs out, then decide to get it modded...

[DMi]

Yep. I knew about Michael B. I will get to hear him again, unfortunately not live and not soon I hope. I believe he had kidney issues. I might be wrong because that information comes from vague memories of a Pat Metheny Trio / Quartet in Las Vegas. and we all know how Las Vegas is, who can remember?

Regarding the Marantz, any thoughts or experiences with them vs. Denon? I do not want to start a war but I have heard good and bad about both. Naturally either company wouldn't be as easy to deal with as Klaus but I like the idea of getting one or the other running it in for a year and then using some of my other stuff while it gets modded. Sort of an upgrade within a upgrade.

Either of the two do video up-conversion on the component outputs? Any experience with that?

Thanks to all for their opinions and feedback.

Doug

[BobC]

Aren't Denon and Marantz owned by the same company?  D&M Holdings or something like that?  Wonder if they share circuit designs and parts or if they have different design philosophies.  Both compete is similar price ranges...so I too and curious about the differneces.  Cosmetics only?

Bob

[Jim N.]

I have 2 Universal players, a Denon 2910 and a Pioneer Elite 59avi. I picked up the Pioneer used for 500 bucks last year after a modder told me that it uses a transport similar to the Teac Esoteric (the difference being the clamp according to him) and is quite reliable. I prefer the Pioneer of the two despite it's cheapo remote. The new Denon 3930 has been getting rave reviews.

[pixies]

Try to listen to these players:
http://www.audioanalogue.net/eng/maestro19224.php

http://www.musicalfidelity.com/products/a5/a5cd.html

I have this: http://www.creekaudio.co.uk/main_product.asp?prolook=Destiny_CD in an Tempest / Stratos Mono / Lorelei system and it sounds great. I also had other Creek, Atoll .... players and finally I chosed Destiny for it's clarity, sharpness, soundstage and the ability to play every sort of music I got: from classical to jazz - and even punk 

[DMi]

It does look like Denon and Marantz have the same parent company which also hosts Macintosh and others. However in digging it also looks like the design and manufacturing is all separate.

Denon does seem to be getting a lot of favorable press. Marantz has some too. Since I'm looking to do everything well in one box Denon certainly gets the nod for being on the short list. As was pointed out before some good companies are doing mods that would make it even better as it ages.

Pixie, thanks for the comments. Those are good players but none of them also do video which is sort of a requirement for my big system. Apologies if I missed something there.  I plan on retiring the Phillips player I am using now to the downstairs system but otherwise all of these would be great to audition for the little system.

For my list right now...

McCormick, Possibly Parasound Halo D3, Denon and NAD55 are on my go and audition list. There are many others that certainly rate and the Denon gets high marks in my book for video upscaling and all of it's features. I plan to listen to two channel first on CD and SACD and weight most of the choice on that. So it's off to the races...

Thanks,

Doug