I am thinking that it is time to get a DVD player, and I am thinking of
taking the opportunity to try what the high resolution audio formats (DVD-A
and SACD). I consider vinyl to be my main source but I also have a
reasonably good CD player (Meridian 500 feeding an AudioNote 1.1 DAC).

The main reason for going for a DVD player now is for the Video side
(although I am not too bothered about video quality), but I am hoping that
I will also be able to start building up a DVD-A and/or SACD collection.

Without going wild there seem to be three price points - a £200 player
(Pioneer), a £450 player and a £800 player - anything above that is ruled
out at the moment on the grounds that prices are still falling and quality
still rising and the technology changing. Even the £800 (e.g. Denon 2900)
would seem to be a lot to pay for a player that is likely to need upgrading
in 2-3 years.

I am interested to know what experience people have of players in this price
range. I am assuming that none of them will better the Meridian/AN combo on
RedBook (and will still use that as the main CD player), but how will their
hi-res sound compare with my current CD?

My current inclination is to go for the cheapest and wait a couple of years
for things to settle, but will I be able to live with the sound quality?

Look at the current catalogue of SACD & DVD-Audio titles. Are there enough
titles for you to warrant buying one (or both) format capable DVD player?

"Nath" wrote in message
...
Look at the current catalogue of SACD & DVD-Audio titles. Are there enough
titles for you to warrant buying one (or both) format capable DVD player?

Not I think if that were the main reason for buying one; and that is one
reason I am inclined towards the cheaper end of the market. However I
believe that eventually one (or both) of the formats will supersede CD so I
will want to go that way eventually.

Given that I intend to buy a DVD player for the Video side now anyway, it
seems like a good opportunity to get the added benefit of hi-res digital
audio for only a little more dosh (at least in the case of the cheap
pioneer).

I suppose I could rephrase the question as is there enough benefit to be had
in terms of improved sound quality from the more expensive players to
justify the extra cost at this stage?

"Bedouin" wrote in message
...
"Nath" wrote in message
...
However I believe that eventually one (or both) of the formats will
supersede CD so I
will want to go that way eventually.

Given that I intend to buy a DVD player for the Video side now anyway, it
seems like a good opportunity to get the added benefit of hi-res digital
audio for only a little more dosh (at least in the case of the cheap
pioneer).

I suppose I could rephrase the question as is there enough benefit to be
had
in terms of improved sound quality from the more expensive players to
justify the extra cost at this stage?



I very much doubt SACD and DVD-Audio will ever replace CD. They've been out
for a few years now, and the lack of software, confusion regarding setup,
and inability to see any in the high street means they'll both die off (IMO)
a bit like HDCD. I read that (DVD-Audio/SACD titles) in the biggest music
store in NY were located in the corner, incorrectly labelled and basically
forgotten, with only a few titles. If huge stores have a small collection-
what's the chance your local woolies/whsmith store has a dedicated
DVD-Audio/SACD rack? Most audio shops don't even know what HDCD is, let
alone these two new formats. And they think all DVD players play DVD-Audio
discs (again confusion)

Personally when I replace my DVD player I will only buy a bog standard
player (excellent picture, digital outputs) not bothered with DVD-Audio or
SACD.

Since you have a decent system, you might need to get a relatively decent
sounding player.. and not the cheapest (cheap DAC's, poor sound etc)
Probably won't be too bad if you had budget system- you probably won't spot
cheap sounding player.

I would start at around £450- something like the HK DVD30.

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 23:24:22 -0000, "Nath" wrote:

I very much doubt SACD and DVD-Audio will ever replace CD. They've been out
for a few years now, and the lack of software, confusion regarding setup,
and inability to see any in the high street means they'll both die off (IMO)
a bit like HDCD. I read that (DVD-Audio/SACD titles) in the biggest music
store in NY were located in the corner, incorrectly labelled and basically
forgotten, with only a few titles. If huge stores have a small collection-
what's the chance your local woolies/whsmith store has a dedicated
DVD-Audio/SACD rack? Most audio shops don't even know what HDCD is, let
alone these two new formats. And they think all DVD players play DVD-Audio
discs (again confusion)

Of course, the lack of stock and knowledge is a reason the
brick-and-mortar music stores are being beaten to death by the web
merchants. I rarely go to any of the music stores here in NYC
because they rarely ever have anything that I am looking for.

OTOH, there's no problem buying SACDs/DVD-As on the web. As for
repertoire, I have somewhere near 500 so far and, particularly for
MCH, enjoy them more than standard CDs.

As for the ignorance in many audio shops, I am shocked, shocked! ;-)

Kal

On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 23:24:22 -0000, "Nath" wrote:

I very much doubt SACD and DVD-Audio will ever replace CD. They've been out
for a few years now, and the lack of software, confusion regarding setup,
and inability to see any in the high street means they'll both die off (IMO)
a bit like HDCD. I read that (DVD-Audio/SACD titles) in the biggest music
store in NY were located in the corner, incorrectly labelled and basically
forgotten, with only a few titles. If huge stores have a small collection-
what's the chance your local woolies/whsmith store has a dedicated
DVD-Audio/SACD rack? Most audio shops don't even know what HDCD is, let
alone these two new formats. And they think all DVD players play DVD-Audio
discs (again confusion)

Of course, the lack of stock and knowledge is a reason the
brick-and-mortar music stores are being beaten to death by the web
merchants. I rarely go to any of the music stores here in NYC
because they rarely ever have anything that I am looking for.

OTOH, there's no problem buying SACDs/DVD-As on the web. As for
repertoire, I have somewhere near 500 so far and, particularly for
MCH, enjoy them more than standard CDs.

As for the ignorance in many audio shops, I am shocked, shocked! ;-)

Kal

"Nath" wrote in message



I very much doubt SACD and DVD-Audio will ever replace CD.

I agree.

They've
been out for a few years now, and the lack of software, confusion
regarding setup, and inability to see any in the high street means
they'll both die off (IMO) a bit like HDCD.

You forgot the most important that they can reasonably expected to fail: The
new formats provide zero audible benefits. There may be some legacy music
that is remastered to some audible advantage when it is retrofitted to the
new format, but that's another matter entirely. IME any piece of music can
be remastered as often as one desires to do so, and a different sound and
something that pleases some people more than others can be expected.

I read that
(DVD-Audio/SACD titles) in the biggest music store in NY were located
in the corner, incorrectly labelled and basically forgotten, with
only a few titles.

I can count the number of SACDs and DVD-As that I've actually held in my
hands in a store on two hands. I saw no serious effort to hype them in the
stores. OTOH, you should be able to find about *anything* online.

If huge stores have a small collection- what's the
chance your local woolies/whsmith store has a dedicated
DVD-Audio/SACD rack?

Slim and none. Note: there used to be three stand-alone record stores within
walking distance of my house. Some were large, long-term businesses with an
excellent reputation. They're all gone.

Most audio shops don't even know what HDCD is,
let alone these two new formats. And they think all DVD players play
DVD-Audio discs (again confusion)

IME that's true. A regular DVD player will usually play a DVD-A. I've never
seen it fail. Most DVD-A's are multi-format, and one or more of the formats
is a legacy format.

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 10:33:47 -0500, "Arny Krueger"
wrote:

IME that's true. A regular DVD player will usually play a DVD-A. I've never
seen it fail. Most DVD-A's are multi-format, and one or more of the formats
is a legacy format.

This is true for the vast majority of DVD-As but there are a few that
are not backwards compatible with regular DVD players.

Kal

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 10:33:47 -0500, "Arny Krueger"
wrote:

IME that's true. A regular DVD player will usually play a DVD-A. I've never
seen it fail. Most DVD-A's are multi-format, and one or more of the formats
is a legacy format.

This is true for the vast majority of DVD-As but there are a few that
are not backwards compatible with regular DVD players.

Kal

"Arny Krueger" writes:

You forgot the most important that they can reasonably expected to fail: The
new formats provide zero audible benefits.

True, especially for the mass market. The change from LP to CD was boosted
because a CD is more rugged, smaller than a vynil record (or a cassette)
and a CD player is really easy to use, compared to a record player.

There may be some legacy music
that is remastered to some audible advantage when it is retrofitted to the
new format, but that's another matter entirely. IME any piece of music can
be remastered as often as one desires to do so, and a different sound and
something that pleases some people more than others can be expected.

You can use a high resolution PCM format for new releases quite easily.
The problem is that even for CD few releases reach the limit of the
support.

If huge stores have a small collection- what's the
chance your local woolies/whsmith store has a dedicated
DVD-Audio/SACD rack?

Slim and none. Note: there used to be three stand-alone record stores within
walking distance of my house. Some were large, long-term businesses with an
excellent reputation. They're all gone.

Same happened here. Actually a new record shop opened here, but it also
sells PC, game consoles, games, books, cellphones and photo stuff.

Mike