Pioneer finally puts out a PS3 beating standalone?

[allargon]

Egads....

http://gizmodo.com/5040707/pioneer-sneaks-out-2200-elite-bdp+09fd-first-blu+ray-player-that-crushes-the-ps3

BD-Live, decodes everything, 7.1 analog outs with separate DAC's for each output?, TWO HDMI outs!!!, weights over 40 lbs?, 16-bit color, has a Marvell QDEO (just like the BH200) video processor, and plays CD's unlike the first $1500 Pioneer Blu-Ray player. (No, Pioneer and Sony, I will never let you live it down.)

The price is $2200!!!

For this price I would expect SACD, DVD-A, Laserdisc and HD DVD playback. Come on... Well audio snobs will semi-rejoice. However, it doesn't say Krell, Parasound, Anthem, Meridian, Lexicon or Mark Levinson. But, it's definitely not bad...

 

[adk highlander]

Wow that thing is a monster.

It really does seem like a flagship player. It does seem odd that they don't have any DVD-A or SACD support but it may be with hopes that Blu-Ray as a lossless audio format will catch on. It does look like the most overbuilt player out there.

 

[Adam]

I must say, that thing sure is purty! Impressive, too. If I had a bunch of extra cash, I'd probably get it (read "I'm not going to get it" ).

"Pioneer says all of the engineering is so that this can be a single box that replaces some home theater snob's high-end CD player, DVD player and previous-gen Blu-ray player, blowing each in turn out of the water." - Gizmodo

Now, if only it could also play records, we could all be happy. Although, there'd be the inevitable "vinyl sucks", "no, you suck" threads...again.

 

[Davemcc]

It's definitely built for the audio snobs. It weighs 50lbs but I bet most of that is in the steel plate used as it's base which serves little if any function. It's not like an amp that carries it's weight in capacitors or heat sinks. I think it's kind of funny that they are already making excuses for this unit's speed compared to the PS3 at it's introduction, while claiming it beats the PS3 even though it's five times the price.

I find it hilarious that they would even introduce a $2200 device that targets a $400 device as it's market competition.

 

[Adam]

I find it hilarious that they would even introduce a $2200 device that targets a $400 device as it's market competition.

Hey, we live in a world of Monster...and $500 Denon ethernet cables.

 

[The 7th Taylor]

Amazing indeed. Pioneer's latest DVD players and Home Theater Systems show the company's continued support for the SACD format yet it seems after all this time Sony is still the only manufacturer that's figured out how to combine BD, DVD, SACD and CD playback in a single drive, but only used it in PS3 for some reason -- not in any of the set-top BD players, not even the ES series model.

 

[GlocksRock]

Well for that much money, I would really hope that it crushes the PS3.

 

[itschris]

That's almost as big as my Elite 94. Definately cool... but that's a ton of money. In a year or so, we'll likely have $500 players with comparable performance.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

For this price I would expect SACD, DVD-A, Laserdisc and HD DVD playback.

LaserDisc?

Yeah, I still have about 100 LDs and 2 old Pioneer LD Players too.

...But they are all in the closet.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

That's almost as big as my Elite 94. Definately cool... but that's a ton of money. In a year or so, we'll likely have $500 players with comparable performance.

Most of that money goes into the 40 lbs body of the BD player.

Is there a place that sells re-certified Pioneers? Because I'm thinking in about a year, this thing will only cost $500 re-certified somewhere.

I bet the build quality and pride of ownership will be great.

 

[j_garcia]

I don't think you will see SACD/DVD-A in a high def player. The new highres audio formats will pretty much do away with them. Now it is just a matter of getting more music titles out there in these new formats.

 

[obscbyclouds]

Most of that money goes into the 40 lbs body of the BD player.

Is there a place that sells re-certified Pioneers? Because I'm thinking in about a year, this thing will only cost $500 re-certified somewhere.

I bet the build quality and pride of ownership will be great.

Dude, I think you have an obession with buying BR players.


I found this part of the article interesting.

"In the audio department, Pioneer recommends using this for decoding all music and movie soundtrack, and going analog out with those gold-plated 7.1 RCA jacks. "

UNLESS of course you want it to decode a damn SACD or DVD-A music soundtrack........which, of course, it can't do. Sorry, had to get my dig in.


I wonder why they don't want you to use HDMI like most other manufacturers. Most users really don't want to run 8 cables (and 1 HDMI for video) to their recievers. Would the DAC really make that much of a difference? Unless using a 'direct' or 'pure mode', wouldn't many recievers will re-digitize the incoming analog signal anyway??? Garrrr

 

[obscbyclouds]

I don't think you will see SACD/DVD-A in a high def player. The new highres audio formats will pretty much do away with them. Now it is just a matter of getting more music titles out there in these new formats.

You don't think Oppo's BR player will have DVD-A/SACD? I was hoping to finally replace my 981 and have 1 player to rule all media..

 

[j_garcia]

Nope, that would be too many things for one player - didn't we just cover the whole LD thing earlier

For $2K, I can buy at least 4 PS3s

 

[Bluesmoke]

I wouldn't consider it crushing the PS3 until it can load and read discs faster than the PS3.

 

[95prelude]

Pioneer should really bring back the stable platter system. It's the best way to load a disc.

 

[aberkowitz]

For $2K, I can buy at least 4 PS3s

Or 1 PS3 and at least 50 movies to watch on it .

 

[itschris]

I hope Pio doesn't market this thing as the PS3 crusher. I'm no fan of the PS3 and I'm a huge fan of Elite, but I think it would be pretty silly to brag about a $2200 component being better than a $400 one.

 

[allargon]

I don't think you will see SACD/DVD-A in a high def player. The new highres audio formats will pretty much do away with them. Now it is just a matter of getting more music titles out there in these new formats.

DenonJeff already confirmed Denon will have one out (I believe this fall). They were going to add HD DVD playback but scaled back after Toshiba threw in the towel due to the additional laser, licensing and software (methinks this is the real reason) costs.

 

[patnshan]

I wouldn't consider it crushing the PS3 until it can load and read discs faster than the PS3.

This thing doesn't play games, doesn't have a hard drive, and doesn't function as an audio server. I'd get 4 PS3's as well!

Pat