Denon DVD-A1UDCI Universal Blu-ray player Review

[admin]

The Denon DVD-A1UDCI Universal Blu-ray player exemplifies flagship performance and status from a company that continually strives to be the leader in high performance audio gear and transports. It flawlessly plays every disc format currently relevant in the marketplace. The fact that every output is always active on this player gives an end user and/or installer almost endless configuration options on how one could utilize this player. Whether I played back a Blu-ray, SACD, DVD-A or standard DVD, I was always in shock and awe at the end result. During this review process, I got a glimpse of a feeling professional car reviewers get when they have the opportunity to test drive that $300k Ferrari, only I didn’t have change my pants at the end of the test drive. Awesome product!

Discuss "Denon DVD-A1UDCI Universal Blu-ray player" here. Read the article.

 

[ratso]

there really is no excuse for denon to have put out a product this good and then leave a big ugly wart for a manual on it's butt. it's not like it would cost them a ton of money to have a technical writer re-do their manuals for them. what is the issue here? it seems to cross all of denon's product lines. thank god for batpig!

 

[Spizz]

Nice review Gene as usual.

However I would of purchased this player if it wasn't for one thing which I am dissapointed the review didn't mention in the CONS. It is slow. Slow to load, slow to Eject the tray (without using a lot of juice with the Quick Start feature). I mean when Oppo, LG, JVC can all have start and load times that rival the PS3, and Denon with all its engineering know how can't I couldn't pull the trigger on this player. Even my older Panasonic BD30 was quicker. Just one of those things that I want in a Blu-Ray player so in the end I went for the Oppo. Would of loved the Denon to match up with my other Denon gear but so be it. The Denon DVD-A1UD is more a Bentley than a Ferrari.

Strangely the Marantz clone of this player is said to be much faster. Go figure.

Gene hopefully Denon can improve the speeds on this player, however I believe the issue is probably hardware related, rather than firmware related.

 

[Seth V]

Excellent review Gene!

Thank you for taking the time to go into such depth. I agree that this player is an amazing performer, I have been loving mine since I got it. Blu-ray's and DVD's have never looked as good in my setup as they do now through the A1UDCI. I'm sure it was VERY hard to part with this player after you completed the review.

And yes, gotta love those three blue LED's.


Seth

 

[gliz]

is a player like this really that much better than say the new Oppo?

 

[gene]

However I would of purchased this player if it wasn't for one thing which I am dissapointed the review didn't mention in the CONS. It is slow. Slow to load, slow to Eject the tray (without using a lot of juice with the Quick Start feature). I mean when Oppo, LG, JVC can all have start and load times that rival the PS3, and Denon with all its engineering know how can't I couldn't pull the trigger on this player. Even my older Panasonic BD30 was quicker. Just one of those things that I want in a Blu-Ray player so in the end I went for the Oppo. Would of loved the Denon to match up with my other Denon gear but so be it. The Denon DVD-A1UD is more a Bentley than a Ferrari.

Strangely the Marantz clone of this player is said to be much faster. Go figure.

Read the review again. I discuss this in detail which is why I suggest using the Quick Start feature if you're in a hurry or the normal feature if your green friendly. I didn't measure the start up power between the modes and vs the Oppo player. I can't imagine it would be as much as a class A/B amp so its really not that big of a deal. I will check my power meter next time during power up and idle.

 

[squire.10@osu.e]

Is it just me, or is that essentially the exact same remote as my Oppo BDP-83? Looks like they changed the color of the backlighting, moved the backlight button to the bottom and then slapped a Denon badge on the very same remote that Oppo uses.

 

[kevon27]

Reviewer... Can you let everyone know if this $4000 + machine is way better than a $500 Oppo???

 

[Michael]

How this player performs in stereo?

I have 4-years old Denon-5900 universal player, which I bought also given numerous positive reviews.
Well, comparing to my SlimDevices Transporter, Denon is awful is stereo. Listenable, of course.. but not high-end..

Are these guys still use Burr-Brown DACs?

I built myself a 'high-end' HTPC with Sony blu-ray drive, ASUS XONAT HDAV1.3 sound card and NVIDIA 9600GT video card and very happy with the sound and video quality.

I am not sure that in this era of downloaded material you guys need to invest into another brick.

 

[gliz]

Reviewer... Can you let everyone know if this $4000 + machine is way better than a $500 Oppo???

I bet on a bench it is but i dont run my grear on a bench. In real world day to day use is my point. Price does not alway mean better and for that much money it needs to be way better for me.

 

[gene]

Did anyone read my review? The Denon is better than the Oppo on the bench and its discernible if you use the Analog outputs. If you're only using HDMI and don't have the matching Denon pre/pro, get the Oppo and take your wife to Italy with the $4k you're saving.

 

[gliz]

Did anyone read my review? The Denon is better than the Oppo on the bench and its discernible if you use the Analog outputs. If you're only using HDMI and don't have the matching Denon pre/pro, get the Oppo and take your wife to Italy with the $4k you're saving.

Sorry man that is what I get for trying to read at work LOL!!

 

[agarwalro]

The Denon is better than the Oppo on the bench and its discernible if you use the Analog outputs. If you're only using HDMI and don't have the matching Denon pre/pro, get the Oppo and take your wife to Italy with the $4k you're saving.

Yup! Thanks for stating something that I believe many miss.

All the Burr Brown's on the planet will not be of any use to someone passing along bitstream over HDMI. The only way to make use of the audio potential is via the analogs.

As the review mentions, once you use the digital audio, all improvement in sound quality by the Denon over Oppo is no longer heared; to add, because it has been bypassed.

 

[gene]

All the Burr Brown's on the planet will not be of any use to someone passing along bitstream over HDMI. The only way to make use of the audio potential is via the analogs.

They don't use Burr Browns on the DVD-A1UDCI. They use newly developed 32 bit AKMs. I did subjectively feel D.Link did sound better but only when I knew it was actually engaged so it could be placebo or me being mesmerized by the 3 blue lights

 

[mtrycrafts]

... mesmerized by the 3 blue lights

That will do it every time.

 

[Stump]

I just received my OPPO yesterday.The music blows away my Denon DVD1920 and I did get the OPPO with mods....

http://www.customanalogue.com/index.html

 

[Alittlemonster]

"I have 4-years old Denon-5900 universal player, which I bought also given numerous positive reviews.
Well, comparing to my SlimDevices Transporter, Denon is awful is stereo. Listenable, of course.. but not high-end..

Are these guys still use Burr-Brown DACs?"

On the contrary, I must disagree with this statement. In the past, and on this forum, I castigated Denon about the use of DL 3rd edition--the Denon Link. Have changed my mind, it wasn't the Denon Link that was messing up the sounds, it was probably some sort of corossion caused by our salty air. Replaced the Denon Link and waddya know, the sound was glorious! I have several "high end" CD players in the stable of equipment and the 5910CI is certainly the equal of the best of them in multichannel playback or simple stereo.

Burr Browns are darn good DACs, certainly as good as or better than any competitors.

Also, if the competence of the 5910CI is a measure of what Denon can do, then I am now looking fwd to owning the new A1UDCI (what a mouthful that is). However, I don't give a hang for the three blue lights as long as it is matched with a comparable Denon receiver it will be good. The 5910CI was bought based on Audioholics review and its performance matched that review perfectly.

 

[Alittlemonster]

Digital vs Analog w/A1UDCI

What most forget about using the new style DACs in the A1UDCI is that the DACs are cut off if any digital output is used and that means no AL32--that includes: HDMI, DL3 or DL4 and digi and optical coax (there might be a case where it isn't, but I haven't found it...yet). I must disagree with the statement that the full measure of the A1UDCI cannot be appreciated by using only the digital outputs. The purpose of bypassing the DACs and using digital in the first place is to keep the signal lossless and within the digital domain all the way thru the pre-amp within the receiver and avoid the losses of converting it from analog to digital and back to analog for the final amp. If the owner decides to use the analog outputs and the player's DAC, then connects to a Denon receiver, the signal must be converted back to digital in order to use all the features of the receiver--things like DSP, height info, distance to the speakers, AL24 &32 processing and the equalizer. Of course Pure Direct bypasses the digital domain within the receiver and all that good stuff is eliminated...sometimes that is not a good idea. If a non-Denon receiver is used, then, depending upon the make, the A1UDCI's DACs probably are better, so then use the analog outs with the AL32.

Yes, I know that the new A1UDCI does not use Burr Browns, I was merely commenting that a Burr Brown DAC is still a good DAC, esp. if the equipment was designed to use them.

Cheers

 

[Audioholics]

If you're only using HDMI and don't have the matching Denon pre/pro, get the Oppo and take your wife to Italy with the $4k you're saving.

Best. Post. Ever.

 

[Spizz]

Read the review again. I discuss this in detail which is why I suggest using the Quick Start feature if you're in a hurry or the normal feature if your green friendly.

Gene I did read the article where you mentioned it but as I said in my original post I was suprised to *not see it listed in the CONS* section. Also the quick start feature only makes the player start up faster and eject the tray (albeit sucking down more juice while it's in standby mode waiting for you to turn it on i.e 19 watts vs Oppo standard standby or even the Denon's own non-quick start standby of 0.4-0.5 watts).

It does not however speed up the slow loading of Blu-Ray titles (as other reviewers have mentioned). IMO.

The only caveat I have with the player. Otherwise as I said I would own it.