Looking for suggestion for a nice sounding old dvd player

ginetto61 · « **on:** 19 Jun 2010, 01:31 pm »

Hello to Everyone !

I would like to know if anyone has experience of an old model of dvd player that sounded good even with CDs
Just to give a term of comparison, I read positive words on the old Pioneer 565a
I wonder if in the Pioneer's old series, or Denon's or anything else there was a product that could be enjoyable also with CDs
Maybe with all people passing to BR discs, these older models could show up, hopefully
Thank you very much indeed
Regards,

gino

Niteshade · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 02:16 pm »

I have a mid 90's Panasonic DVD player that sounds VERY good. However, it cannot read some CD's due to their recording process. Be careful of that.

Phil A · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 03:34 pm »

Depends on what your budget is. A Marantz DV9500 or DV9600 universal on CD is decent. The problem with most DVD players is going to be the fact its clock is optimized for 48k vs. 44.1 and most are designed without tons of money spent on the analog output stage as they are meant to take a digital output to a processor for surround sound.

Daedalus Audio · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 03:46 pm »

Denon 3910

lcrim · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 04:25 pm »

Some alternatives to the suggestions above are the Toshiba SD-3950 and the Arcam Diva DV-78which are both very good sounding on Red Book.
Never heard about DVD players using a different clock optimization than CDP's before this.

ginetto61 · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 05:53 pm »

Thank you very much to All of you for the very kind and valuable replies
I forgot to mention the budget
As I intend this buy as a temporary solution before passing a BR player source I would say < 300 $ (of course in the used market)
I am afraid the excellent Denon 3910 would cost a lot more
Once I read something about a Denon 2xxx as a good sounding one as well
But I do not remember the exact model
Thanks again and kind regards,

gino

ginetto61 · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 05:56 pm »

Quote from: Niteshade on 19 Jun 2010, 02:16 pm

I have a mid 90's Panasonic DVD player that sounds VERY good. ...

Good evening !
Could you kindly tell me the exact model ?
I am very interested indeed
Kind regards,

gino

MaxCast · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jun 2010, 08:10 pm »

Quote from: ginetto61 on 19 Jun 2010, 05:53 pm

Thank you very much to All of you for the very kind and valuable replies
I forgot to mention the budget
As I intend this buy as a temporary solution before passing a BR player source I would say < 300 $ (of course in the used market)
I am afraid the excellent Denon 3910 would cost a lot more
Once I read something about a Denon 2xxx as a good sounding one as well
But I do not remember the exact model
Thanks again and kind regards,

gino

today is your lucky day...
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=81961.0

ginetto61 · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 08:23 am »

Quote from: MaxCast on 19 Jun 2010, 08:10 pm

today is your lucky day...
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=81961.0

thank you very much for your kind suggestion
As I live in Italy I think I will try to purchase here that model
I am just making a list of very interesting models to search
The Denon 3910 would be very high on this list
But I am also interested in the older line
Maybe something like the 2900 ?
I feel this is a very good moment to buy an excellent old dvd player
With all people jumping on the BR wagon

Thank you very much again
Regards,
gino

Niteshade · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 10:46 am »

The player is not here with me, so I do not know the exact model. Here is one similar to it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-DVD-RV30-DVD-CD-Player-/200475026530?cmd=ViewItem&pt=DVD_Players_Recorders&hash=item2ead3e2462

Quote from: ginetto61 on 19 Jun 2010, 05:56 pm

Good evening !
Could you kindly tell me the exact model ?
I am very interested indeed
Kind regards,

gino

ginetto61 · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 11:31 am »

Quote from: Niteshade on 20 Jun 2010, 10:46 am

The player is not here with me, so I do not know the exact model.
Here is one similar to it:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-DVD-RV30-DVD-CD-Player-/200475026530?cmd=ViewItem&pt=DVD_Players_Recorders&hash=item2ead3e2462

Thank you very much indeed for your kind reply
US $16.99 ... well ... it is the price of a CD

When you say "similar" you mean that it looks or sounds similar ?
From my experience sound from different player can vary a lot, even if they are from the same brand
It dipends on the exact project I guess
I believe in hidden cheap gems
Those called "giant killers"
Thank you very much anyway
I will look for it
Regards,

gino

chlorofille · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 12:45 pm »

Hi Gino,

Pls allow me to recommend this : Pioneer DV-300 DVD player
http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/archive/DV-300-S/index.html

I like the lively treble from this player. Overall quite bright so it depends on your speakers also. should be less than US 50 for it new.

ginetto61 · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 06:26 pm »

Thank you very much for your kind suggestion

Some years ago I tested a cheap Sony dvd player with an external dac, a Soundstream dac-1
Wow ... what a difference ... expecially in the bass
No comparison
Unfortunately this dac did not lock the 48kHz signal from the dvd player with movies and for this reason I did not buy it
But for CD listening there were no comparison at all.
DVD player + dac-1 was so much better. On a par with a good CD player actually

Usually I am finding the sound from dvd player flat e weak in the bass

Not fatiguing but without body ...
I wonder if the route cheap dvd player like the ones you recommend plus external dac would be a wiser move in the end

I am not esigent on the video side ... just a decent vision ..
Thanks and regards,

gino

chlorofille · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 06:49 pm »

Gino,

When you connected your Sony DVD player to the external DAC, did you connect to the Analogue(RCA) or Digital output(Co-Axial) ?

Most DVD players already have an inbuilt DAC.
Some players do not have an analogue output so your audio signal might be going through DAC's twice (one in the DVD player, and the other in the external DAC).

You could just use the cheap player first without an external DAC while waiting to upgrade to an Oppo etc.

Niteshade · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 07:33 pm »

I meant that it looks similar. Why do you want an older one?

Another one that I own is a Sony RDR-GX300. It has been a flawless performer for six years. It uses a modified computer-style DVD RW transport. (Sony modified, not by me.) Audio is flawless and I like all the I/O's.

Quote from: ginetto61 on 20 Jun 2010, 11:31 am

Thank you very much indeed for your kind reply
US $16.99 ... well ... it is the price of a CD
When you say "similar" you mean that it looks or sounds similar ?
From my experience sound from different player can vary a lot, even if they are from the same brand
It dipends on the exact project I guess
I believe in hidden cheap gems
Those called "giant killers"
Thank you very much anyway
I will look for it
Regards,

gino

timind · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 10:46 pm »

This one caught my eye. http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlplay&1282251913&/Arcam-diva-79
I don't know the seller but it looks good.

mix4fix · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Jun 2010, 11:52 pm »

Selling a Panasonic; let me know.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=82374.0

ginetto61 · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Jun 2010, 06:29 pm »

Quote from: chlorofille on 20 Jun 2010, 06:49 pm

Gino,
When you connected your Sony DVD player to the external DAC, did you connect to the Analogue(RCA) or Digital output(Co-Axial) ? ....

Evening ! I compared the sound of the Sony dvd player direct from the RCAs and the sound of the soundstream dac-1 connected via spdif to the Sony
No comparison ... much better with the dac. More bass ... more powerful sound ... very better
Unfortunately the dac did not clock the 48kHz signal when watching movies
So I returned the dac to a friend
I feel that this could be another option. a better externel dac used with a cheap dvd player
Some experiments should be done anyway

By the way I would like to inform that I live in Italy buy it does not appear in the profile
So I think that purchase in USA is a little complicated. I am afraid of damage during shipping

Regards,

gino

ginetto61 · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 Jun 2010, 06:38 pm »

Quote from: Niteshade on 20 Jun 2010, 07:33 pm

I meant that it looks similar. Why do you want an older one?
Another one that I own is a Sony RDR-GX300. It has been a flawless performer for six years.
It uses a modified computer-style DVD RW transport. (Sony modified, not by me.)
Audio is flawless and I like all the I/O's.

Because I think that in this moment a lot of owners of good old dvd players are selling them to pass to BR
I am not very interested in BR at moment
So I am looking for the best sound at a price with dvds replay ability.
Talking of dvd recorders like the Sony you mention they should have a more reliable transport
Very interesting idea
I will look for the model you mention

Thanks and regards,
gino

avahifi · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Jun 2010, 07:04 pm »

Assuming your CD/DVD player has a digital out jack (almost all do) then any properly tracking player will give you excellent audio when combined with a good quality D to A converter. Just make sure the DAC you are considering will handle 44K, 48K, and higher for future compatibility.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine