Can anybody recommend a good universal player??

[andy13]

I am looking for a good universal player. Price range within $1,000 to $1,800. I don't know what to look for in a SACD and DVD Audio player. It will be run with a Musical Fidelity A3.2 integrated and Monitor Audio S6 speakers. Thanks.

[shokhead]

Denon 802 and Yamaha C750 . Pretty middle of the road players well under budget.

[bargainseeker]

I am looking for a good universal player. Price range within $1,000 to $1,800. I don't know what to look for in a SACD and DVD Audio player. It will be run with a Musical Fidelity A3.2 integrated and Monitor Audio S6 speakers. Thanks.

In that price range, I would recommend the Denon DVD-3910. There are some reviews of this model here, here and here. There is an owners' thread here.

[umapet97]

I second Bargainseekers reccomendation;2910 from Denon good too,save extra for the cables

[shokhead]

Does'nt the 2900,2910 and the 3910 all have built in DD? Isn't that spending money for something you dont need if you have a good reciever?

[bargainseeker]

Does'nt the 2900,2910 and the 3910 all have built in DD? Isn't that spending money for something you dont need if you have a good reciever?

When playing SACD and DVD-Audio disks, the multi-channel processing and bass management capabilities of the receiver are not used. Therefore, the quality of the audio subsystem in the DVD player becomes a critical factor in the quality of the sound.

[shokhead]

What does built in DD have to do with DVD-A and SACD? What am i missing?

[bargainseeker]

What does built in DD have to do with DVD-A and SACD? What am i missing?

When a manufacturer puts 5.1 channel analog outputs and a multi-channel audio subsystem in a DVD player they usually throw in DD processing as well since they can do so at very little additional cost and it may be needed by some customers.

[shokhead]

I'm not getting it. I thought the dig outs were for 5.1 and the 6 analog outs were full bandwidth signals to the FL,FR,C,SL,SR,Sub.

[bargainseeker]

I'm not getting it. I thought the dig outs were for 5.1 and the 6 analog outs were full bandwidth signals to the FL,FR,C,SL,SR,Sub.

The .1 in 5.1 is the subwoofer output which goes through the receiver to the subwoofer. So you need 6 analog outputs to transfer the 5.1 signals from the DVD player to the receiver. The subwoofer channel is called .1 because it is not a full bandwidth signal.

[shokhead]

So how does 5.1 go through the single dig out?

[bargainseeker]

So how does 5.1 go through the single dig out?

It is a digital signal which contains all of the information needed to reproduce all of the channels.

[shokhead]

Didnt you say it takes 6 analog outputs to transfer 5.1? Now you say its the dig signal that contains all the info. I cant play a DVD through the analogs and its 5.1 and multi-channel audio wont play through the dig out. If what your saying is true, why do you need the 6 analog outs for multi-channel audio? Why cant you play a DVD-A or a SACD on a regular play and use the dig out for the 5 speakers and the .1 for the sub?

[bargainseeker]

Didnt you say it takes 6 analog outputs to transfer 5.1? Now you say its the dig signal that contains all the info. I cant play a DVD through the analogs and its 5.1 and multi-channel audio wont play through the dig out. If what your saying is true, why do you need the 6 analog outs for multi-channel audio? Why cant you play a DVD-A or a SACD on a regular play and use the dig out for the 5 speakers and the .1 for the sub?

The answer is because the recording industry won't allow it.

[N. Abstentia]

Didnt you say it takes 6 analog outputs to transfer 5.1? Now you say its the dig signal that contains all the info. I cant play a DVD through the analogs and its 5.1 and multi-channel audio wont play through the dig out. If what your saying is true, why do you need the 6 analog outs for multi-channel audio? Why cant you play a DVD-A or a SACD on a regular play and use the dig out for the 5 speakers and the .1 for the sub?

1) You can transfer 5.1 via the digital connection or the 6 channel analog outputs.

2) If you use the digital connection the decoding is done by the receiver. This can give you DD and DTS but not SACD and DVD-A.

3) If you use the 6 channel analog outs, all processing is done internally by the player and it's sent to the receiver which does nothing but amplify the signal it's given. Everything is done by the player. This can give you DD and DTS, as well as SACD and DVD-A.

4) You cannot get DVD-A or SACD through the digital connection because of the recording industry.

5) You CAN get the DD or DTS tracks from a DVD-A from the digital connection. It just does not sound as good as DVD-A.

6) You CAN get the hybrid layer (if the title has it) of an SACD through the digital connection. It will then just sound like a regular crappy CD.

[shokhead]

Bargainseeker used the term 5.1 channel analog outputs. Why isnt it called 5.1 analog out? My DVD and Reciever both say 6ch discrete analog output jacks and dig out for DD,MPEG and DTS. To me,its different 5.1 and 6.