New DVD player

Hi All,

I currently have a Toshiba 900E which will be on its way soon. This I use as a CD transport and to drive a focus CS-1 (line trippler) and a currently broken (curses) NEC 6PG xtra (CRT projector). I'm most interested in the transport side here. What would be a suitable upgrade at <£1000 second hand?

Thanks! Tim

 

Don't understand the question Tim. Are you after a DVD transport or CD transport or both?

(p.s. I would have thought an SD900E would be difficult to beat at either of these tasks anyway).

 

Both actually, I use my DVD player as a DVD transport and a CD transport. I'm guessing I'm after something like a Theta David.... ?

 

I have seen Tag DVD32r's going for around a grand....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tag-McLaren-DVD32r_W0QQitemZ5797209568QQcategoryZ3272QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Whilst I personally feel that the 900E does a great job for the money, the DVD32r is in a different league.

Quite simply, the last word in domestic dvd/cd transports.

DT

 

Hi Tim
How about an Arcam Dv27A

http://www.ssav.com/stockclearance/stockclearance.html

 

Denon and Pioneer make some excellent universal players.
After market mods for Denon takes it to the top of the league.

 

why not to take that Bravo path?

i know 2 Barco CRT users that get very good results with it.

 

get a nice denon 2900 ;-) great solid tank of a DVD player which will last for years.

 

Thanks all.

I hadn't considered TAG as I assumed with all the negative press and price drops that they're not all that good.

I assume the denon would be much bettered with the Trichord mods? Bravo I'm not familiar with, I'll check it out.

Arcam I've never been that fussed with, are you sure they're any good?!

Anyone got any experience of Meridian? are these overhyped?

Appreciate your help guys.

Thanks, Tim

 

multiuse = compromise

Even if you spend thousands on a dvd player it's still a compromise if your after a decent transport. They simply are not very good.

I bought a used Teac VRDS25 cd transport for £600 to use with my dac. This thing is built like a tank and offers a turntable like transport. The new ones (and the wadia which uses the same tranny) are about 5-10k depending on facilities, so it's a real bargain.

I sold an upgraded £1500 cyrus dvd player for a new £200 marantz dvd. The picture is exactly the same quality, so I thought it was dead money having it tied up in an expensive dvd. These things get better every year and tumble in price. Like mobile phones really.

I would put my £800 pair up against multi use machines costing thousands and it will be better on music and virtually equal in picture, I'm sure.

Spend the money on better amps and speakers. These things will always cost a lot to do properly, unlike small boxes who's only real expense comes from it's latest japanse micro chip.

 

Just a small point. I owned lots of different transports, the Pioneer 717, Toshiba, a £400 Tascam and a Sony SCD-1 and couldn't hear the difference between any of them. I have seen picture differences between the 717 and Toshiba on both my TV and CRT. hmmm!

 

Interesting. If that is the case I would think you are in luck as most people are allergic to DVD players because their ears led them to think they are not as good as audio CD player. For what's is worth the best CD players I've heard was that Tag transport. (Then again I would say that since) I have one for the last 3 years. Unfortunately, the battleship look proof to be misleading. After daily use I thought mine was lucky then last month a £18 chip developed a fault. Just got it back but the service bill was higher then other brands.

 

Tim

I have a Theta DaViD and Meridian G98 (with a grand's worth of Audiocom mods), I previously had a Tag DVD 32FLR. In terms of picture quality the Theta has the edge, in terms of sound quality the Meridian has the edge (as you would expect after being modified), both are for sale, email me if you're interested.

Regards
Gary

EDIT: The G98 would be a bit more than a grand though!

 

Have anyone read the Secret 's Benchmark comparison tests? They rank lots of players according to a sets of measurements rather then asking reviewers subjectively how well they video pictures looked only. This way they suggested a lot of players in the budget/midrange are much better then those ultra expensive prices range. Hence the likes of Theta, Teac UX1 and even Krell players are rank very much lower. (Note they are not comparing the audio side just mainly video).

 

I compared my old £1500 cyrus dvd with a £4000 tag and linn dvd, whilst watching gladiator on a top pioneer plasma. There was no difference in picture quality at all. Even the sales guy couldn't find any difference in picture. Obviously I bought the cyrus. Anyway, these days my new cheapo £200 marantz dvd has the same picture as my previous cyrus (and obviously the tag, linn etc). If you spend more, it because you like the badge or case. Highend dvd is for fools imo. Money wasted which could have massively improved the audio side instead. Or if cinema is your bag, the money could have bought a better projector and screen combo. Some people are very odd.

 

That was a very honest reply. After reading the Secrets test I bought a player with a very unassuming name of Oppo. Mainly to see is the picture from a newer player looks like especially one that is almost measurably more perfect then even those massively expensive models. Also I would like to see what are the benefits of progressive scanning, upscaling and what possibly DVI/HDMI connection could do.

Initially I thought they are very different. However, after some calibrations picture-wise they become much more difficult to tell apart. Even with progressive scanning the benefits are not immediately obvious. It takes lots of reading and much self education on my part to understand as to what to out look for that I think I could begin to notice some differences. Then again maybe is it simply the case of your eyes are more honest then our ears perhaps.

 

A lot depends on what the picture is displayed on, projected onto an 8ft wide screen the differences are more apparent than on TV's/plasmas.

Regards
Gary

 

Doesn't matter. A cheap dvd will still look the same as a 4 grand one because proper projectors incorporate a picture SCALER.

 

Don't know what you class as a 'proper' projector but my Barco 808 doesn't have a built-in scaler, although one is available as an optional extra.

Having said that I use a Faroudja NRS scaler and the differences between DVD players are obvious to see.

I've only experienced the differences between a Tag DVD 32FLR, Meridian 596, Meridian G98, Arcam DV88 and budget Samsung, what DVD players have you compared and what projector were you using?

 

Gary, your obviously more clued up on home cinema than I, so I'll take your word on it. However it's probably like hifi, where some people claim there's a massive difference and others have trouble making it out.

I wonder how many people have a good enough projector to even see what on a cheaper dvd player though? I'd guess you'd need to spend over 10k on a projector to put a 200 quid spinner to any kind of real shame? At which point I guess another few grand on a dvd spinner is no big shakes. However a 4k dvd for use with a plasma is daft imo.