Differences in audio playback quality of the DVD player brands I mentioned (Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic) would unlikely to be audible on the system Tim mentioned. Moreover, in my experience conducting listening tests with duplicate discs running in sync on two DVD players and switching instantaneouly between players with calibrated playback levels (a testing situation almost never duplicated by casual listeners and enthusiasts), the alleged differences in audio quality between players are essentially non-existent.
There are differences in DVD video quality, of course, although most are very subtle and difficult to spot except on certain DVD test discs (Avia, Ovation, etc).
You mentioned 192-kHz decoding, and I'd look for that. DVD players that will play DVD-Audio discs are 192-kHz compatible. HDCD is not important; HDCD recordings sound excellent played on non-HDCD players; there may be a slight improvement in dynamics with an HDCD player, using HDCD discs, but it's marginal.
If you burn your own CD-R or CD-RW audio discs, then choose a DVD player that will play them. Not all DVD players are compatible with the above, especially CD-
RW discs, which have only one-third the reflectance of conventional CDs, and thus won't play back on most CD players except new ones with so-called "universal" pickups.
Alan Lofft
Axiom Resident Expert
