How do I get SACD AND DVD-A?

brotherman-5th floor · « **on:** 30 Jan 2003, 09:54 pm »

Hey dudes, finally made it over to AC from HD! I need some advice here. I have to buy a new DVD player cause my kid is going to inherit my current one for his room. I figured I might as well get a player with DVD-A since the price differential is tiny. I also already own/love an SACD player.

Given the fact there are no afforadble DVD-A/SACD universal players out there, how is one supposed to use both formats (with 2 different players of course) given the fact a pre/pro typically has only one set of 5.1 analog inputs (naturally I am assuming surround for both)? What do you guys do, manually swap cables?

Hantra · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 10:16 pm »

What's affordable? you can get a NIB DV-45A for $400!!!

Marbles · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 10:30 pm »

Hantra's suggestion is very good.

Also a Sony TA-P9000 pre has 2 5.1 inputs plus another for 5.1 bypass.

New in the $425 range at oade brothers.

Lots of cables though.

If I were buying I would get the 47ai or the 45a. Both have the same audio boards (afaik) but the 47ai has an open firewire port and better video. $350 vs. $700 in price though.

tweakaudio mods them.

http://www.tweakaudio.com/Pioneer%2045A-47Ai.html

From the tweakaudio site...

The difference between the 45A and 47Ai is very little. They use the same transport, basic power supply board, mother board and output board. The 47Ai has a better video chip, has more video outputs, has a taller chassis and two steel plates bolted on underneath to make it more heavy. The 47Ai also has the Legato Link upsampler/bit expander chip in it. I did not like the upsampling technology when I tried it in a modified 47A but I did like the bits set for 24 bit output. At this time (1-22-03) I cannot tell you whether it actually sounds better or CDs than the 45A. I will have a 47Ai done here shortly and maybe I can compare it to the sound of the 45A.

The DVD 656A is the same machine as the 45A but without SACD capablility. Modified it sounds identical to the 45A. This neat DVD-A machine can be bought for under $200 mail order.

brotherman-5th floor · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 10:41 pm »

The 45A doesn't have progressive scan - which is a must. The 47ai looks good but $700 is not an option (I totally blew my budget upgrading my front-projector).

Truth is I don't really have much of a need for DVD-A but I was really curious to see what other people do.

The Sony TA-P9000 is an interesting alternative.

Hantra · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 10:59 pm »

Quote

The 45A doesn't have progressive scan

Yeah it does. . . Take a closer look at it. .

B

brotherman-5th floor · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 11:10 pm »

Quote from: Hantra

Quote
The 45A doesn't have progressive scan

Yeah it does. . . Take a closer look at it. .

B

You are right it does. Looks like we found a winner. Thanks guys!

rosconey · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 11:18 pm »

i heard that a few different companies showed some at ces that are 250$ and under

brotherman-5th floor · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 11:28 pm »

Right when i thought I had it down, I read this review that totally trashes the Pioneer 45A!

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=all&manufacturer=30

bubba966 · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 11:37 pm »

Just use the line doubler in your display instead of the player if your not happy with the doubler in the 45A.

Hantra · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 Jan 2003, 11:38 pm »

Hah!

Ohh well. . . I don't know of any other player that does it all for that money. I like the DVD-2800MkII myself, but it doesn't do wither of the audio formats. . heh

B

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 Jan 2003, 02:46 am »

I have the DV45A and am very happy. I don't use the progressive out, since the projector has a good line doubler, but the sound is great.

I've been anxious for word from Modwright about modding the '45; I think this will be the way to go once the design of the "new & improved" analog stage is finished. I can't get a price yet, but as long as it isn't more than the player (by much

) then that would be the hot ticket. My guess is that a Modwright-modded '45 will probably sound better than a stock '47. I'm just guessing, though.

The only flaw I can nitpick the '45 for is that the MC analog output is several dB quieter than it should be. I have to set the volume a bit higher than with the CD input to equal the volume, with the same recording. Some tests & reveiws I've read confirm this. Not a big issue, really, but a little irksome.

You hit the nail on the head, BroMan. Almost no recievers or prepro's have more than one set of 5.1 inputs; the Denon 5803 does, maybe there are others, but none that I know of. And switching cables is NOT an option for me!

BTW, good to see, you BM! Welcome to AC!

brotherman-5th floor · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 Jan 2003, 04:17 am »

Hey Rob, good to be here, I was kind of wondering where everybody went when I logged into HD and the "last 24 hours" function actually worked

Reviews are always to be taken with a grain of salt of course - I doubt the DV45A is as bad as the review claims - but since this will be my main player for a 100" front-projection setup I won't take any chances and will end up using a separate DVD player and then limit my SACD to 2 channel using another analog input on the pre (I only have 3 MC SACDs anyway and the surround is nothing to write home about).

I am definitely going to check out that Sony TA-P9000 though, the price sounds right-thanks for the tip Marble man.

BTW Here's a good current DVD player shootout http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=5

brotherman-5th floor · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 Jan 2003, 03:48 pm »

I called Oade Bros. in GA about the Sony TA-P9000ES. An extremely helpful guy (clearly loved to talked about audio to a stranger!!!) told me that Sony has discontinued it without even any notice and if he had 50 units he would've easily sold them (they used to go for $450).

If I were a conspiracy theorist I'd think that Sony just doesn't want you to be able to use both, SACD and DVD-A! Bummer

Marbles · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 Jan 2003, 03:51 pm »

They show up on AGON all the time...in the $400 range.