Universal player for under $300?

[t3031999]

I am looking to buy a single disc univeral player and I have a maximum budget of $300.
I want it to be able to play:

• Dvd-Video
• SACD
• DVD-Audio
• WMA
• good redbook cd performance
• component video

Features that I might not ever use but would be nice to have anyway:

• HDMI or DVI
• Mp3 playback
• divx

I have been looking at the Denon-1920, Onkyo DV-SP502, and the Toshiba SD-6980.

Audio quality is the most important aspect to me.
Build quality is also very important because I tend to be hard on things.
Video quality really isn't that important to me but it can't be worse than my current Magnavox player.

I don't live near many stores that carry these models, so I have to mainly make my desicion based on specs and your thoughts. I'm leaning towards the onkyo, but there doesn't seem to be any pro reviews on it. I've heard the build quality on the Denon is lacking.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[nibhaz]

Personally, I would give the nod to the Denon, just my 2 cents.

 

[BostonMark]

Pioneer 45A

Many Tweeter, Etc. in my area are now selling off the Pioneer Elite 45A Universal player for $300.00 because it is being replaced by a newer model. My understanding is that when it came out it was sold for over $600.00. I have found the audio quality to be excellent, and it plays DVD, DVD Audio, SACD and MP3 discs. (It has Burr Brown DACs 192 khz/24 bit) It doesn't have DVI or HDMI outputs though. However for $300.00 bucks its a high quality Universal player that you'd have to spend over twice that to do better. It also plays the DVD audios that have been sampled at 192 KHz. (My older Pioneer 47A actually downsampled these)

 

[aarond]

read this before considering the 45a http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-bin/shootout.cgi?function=search&articles=all&type=&manufacturer=30&maxprice=800&deInt=0&mpeg=0

 

[BostonMark]

Wow, good to know

What a great website, I've bookmarked it. I already bought the player, I've had good results with it, but I use it primarily for SACD and DVD-Audio. I didn't know it had the chroma bug

 

[JohnA]

Pioneer also has a 199.00 MSRP one # DV-588A-S It has everything you want except for HDMI or DVI

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/detail/0,,2076_15020669_236572701,00.html

 

[supervij]

The Pioneer 588A is darn good player for the price. I know; I've had one for almost a year. I think they're down to around $100 U.S. now, though. They give perfectly acceptable image quality, with the exception of blacker than black. And their SACD/DVD-A/CD quality is fine too. Nothing mind-blowing, mind you, but perfectly fine. And it plays DivX too, which is a nice little bonus. For the price, they're pretty amazing little machines.

cheers,
supervij

 

[darien87]

I really like my Panasonic S77. I got it on eBay for less than $200. Great picture and sound. I don't think it plays SACD though. It has HDMI out also. Great bang for the buck player.

 

[t3031999]

I decided to go with the Onkyo DV-SP502 in black.
I got it yesterday and haven't had much time to play with it.
I will post a full review when I get around to it (i.e. don't expect it soon)

 

[t3031999]

I am using the onkyo player with a Yamaha HTR-5890 receiver.
Obviously for dvds I am going to use a digital and for Dvd-a and SACD i'm going to use the 5.1 analog connectors.
But I don't know what to use standard redbook cd playback. I would think the DACs are better in the onkyo than the yamaha, but I'm not sure.

Analog connection sounds cleaner and more open but I feel is lacking on the bass output.
Digital sounds blurry (not bad, but noticable) but has good bass output.

Note: these observations of different connections were not level matched, that may have to do with it, (the analog output is between 2-3 dB lower than digital on average)

The onkyo manual recommends using a digital connection, but doesn't have valid justification except for it passes "higher quality sound".
I like the sound from the analog more in everyway except bass output, maybe I should just convince the wife I need an eq

Anyway, what connection do you think I should use and why?

 

[W_Harding]

Anyway, what connection do you think I should use and why?

Use the connection that sounds best to you.

 

[t3031999]

Well, I decided on whether to use analog or digital the only way it can be decided.
I did a level matched blind study with my wife controlling the switching between the two.

I choose digital, so I'm using the DACs in my receiver.

I guess my thinking the analog connections sounded clearer was just psychologically thinking my newest component should sound the nicest.

 

[t3031999]

So if I use an analog connection from my onkyo player, the yamaha converts it back to digital, does processing, then converts it back to analog for amplification, right?
If so, why do people say that analog is better because you would be going throught ADCs and DACs of the receiver anyway? By the way does anyone know what kind of ADCs and DACs are in the Yamaha HTR-5890

Pure direct goes straight analog but it bypasses the internal equilizer, and I need an equilizer. And even if I bought an external equilizer, most are digital so the conversion would still happen.

So should I worry about trying to get straight analog to take advantage of the Burr-Brown DACs in my new player, or should I just forget it and use digital since it sounds better as of now.

 

[davee70]

The onkyo manual recommends using a digital connection, but doesn't have valid justification except for it passes "higher quality sound".
I like the sound from the analog more in everyway except bass output, maybe I should just convince the wife I need an eq

Anyway, what connection do you think I should use and why?

I think you should just turn up the sub!!! The knobs are on there for a reason! If you don't have a sub, get one. "Everybody needs a sub." Then dial down the equalizer on the Yamaha. You really shouldn't need it on today's recordings.

I love the sound of my Onkyo CD player I've had forever it seems. One of those 1-bit oversampling rigs.

The DAC is important.