My M60s are on their way! I giddy with excitement. I'll be running them with a Denon DRA-395 Stereo Receiver, so I'm limited to analog input. I'm seaking advice on a CD or DVD player. I'll be using my system 90% for music, (H.T. is a year or two down the road). Any recommendations on players? I've looked at the Onkyo DC390 (they make a similar DVD model for same price). Also considering factory refurished Marantz CC4300 and Denon DVD-910. I have noticed MANY bad reviews of Denon CD/DVD players, which has scared me aware from them for the most part. My old Sony single disc has performed well for many years. Any advice/recommendations? Any smaller, but affordable (under $250) players from a less known manufacturer (like Axiom) which I may not be aware of? Thanks!
I just went through all this. I looked at about everything under $1000. I ended up buying the Integra 8.5 for $700. Yamaha has some nice stuff for the $ too, but I wanted a true multi disk universal player. The 8.5 plays music exceptionally well. I'm listening to all my CD's again because they sound so much better. http://www.integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?m=DPC-8.5&class=DVD&p=i
My HK 3480 stereo receiver only has Analog input as well.
This morning I bought both Harman Kardon DVD 22 for $199 and Sony DVP-NS575P for $89 at Circuit City.
Video quality: Extremely close, the HK is just a tiny little bit more vibrant though not really noticeble, the Sony has 4 picture modes and it made up the tiny difference.
Analog audio quality and noise floor: Identical, I duplicated a couple copies of music cd to switch them back and forth. But the Sony play a couple dB louder.
Speed: The Sony can read all my DVD, Music CD, and CDR in lightning speed, while the Harman Kardon was out in the twilight zone. The Sony was very impressive when I jumped from track to track, again...the Harman Kardon was dozing off...ZZZZzzzzzz
Remote: HK has backlit and made it much easier to navigate at night. The Sony has a better layout so once I remembered the buttons location I don't even need to look at it.
Physical size and appearance: HK is bigger in dimension, it matches perfectly with my HK 3480 stereo receiver, the Sony is compact and shorter, though it feels just as solid as the HK, I prefer the HK appearance.
After 6 to 7 hours of comparison I packed up the HK and returned it.
Thanks, I've been able to talk myself out spending extra $ on a CD player. Too many posts here saying that you just won't hear the difference.
Fiberking:
You might want to take a look at either the Onkyo DV-SP502 or the Onkyo DV-CP802.
Both are universal players. The DV-SP502 is a single tray player that's retailing for $299, J&R has it on sale right now for $269.
The DV-CP802 is a multi-changer that holds six discs and can be found for $459-$499.
Hope this helps a little.
Sutter Cane
Anybody know if that Onkyo is the same as the new Integra? (sorry to the guy who just purchased the new Integra!)
I was looking at the Onkyo but the Circuit City I went to didn't have it in stock, I'll shop around more in another week or so, and get me an Onkyo to compare to the Sony that I kept. But dang it, I was having such a high hope in the HK and really like how perfectly it matches my HK 3480 receiver, it looks sexy, plus the backlit remote and all!! the HK DVD22 also sports a "supposedly better" Wolfson DAC that has gotten many high praised too, and I was hoping it would beat the living crap out of the cheapo Sony....atleast in Analog quality, but arrgghh!! Honestly I don't really like the name "SONY", for some reason the name "SONY" always reminds me of Radio Shack or Walmart, but a decent DVD/CD/MP3 player for $89.00....the price-to-performance ratio is just unreal.
If Sony makes you think "cheap", remember - they also make products such as this:
the BVP900 Studio camera.
Bren R.
What's that?? a .50 cal machine gun? hehehe j/k. :-)
With a lot of the crap on TV these days, we can only wish.
Bren- what's that camera have to do with their low-end audio products? Can you explain what you're getting at a bit further?
Just curious.
Thanks- Kevin
It was in response to:
In reply to:
I don't really like the name "SONY", for some reason the name "SONY" always reminds me of Radio Shack or Walmart
Just because you see a lot of Sony nameplates at bargain places doesn't mean they don't also have better lines (and pro-sumer lines, and professional lines, and production lines, and...)
Bren R.
That's what I figured, but I wasn't sure. The camera in the picture looked like it may not be a recent model, so I wasn't sure if you were going for a joke or not.
I work for a division of Sony, and even with the discounts we get, the only audio gear I'd get from them is the ES line. I've had quality issues with the non-ES audio gear in the past. And with that said, I think they tend to make some of the best commercial cameras (video or still) on the market. I just wish it would carry over to the audio side.
-Kev
I am very interested in getting myself an Onkyo DV-SP502. Could anyone please comment on its built-quality? I cannot find anywhere locally to see it for myself, the only models I saw at Circuit City seem quite solid. Just out of curiosity, where is it made?
In addition, if you could share your opinions on how the CD sound through analog connections! Thanks!
James