• 05-12-2004, 03:09 AM
    stevos2005
    Denon DVD-2200 DVD player?
    I need help deciding between the Denon DVD-2200, the NAD T533 player, and the Pioneer Elite DV-45A? What are your thoughts on this. I'm leaning towards the Denon, but I haven't seen any reviews on it yet.

    Thanks!
  • 05-12-2004, 12:01 PM
    Woochifer
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stevos2005
    I need help deciding between the Denon DVD-2200, the NAD T533 player, and the Pioneer Elite DV-45A? What are your thoughts on this. I'm leaning towards the Denon, but I haven't seen any reviews on it yet.

    Thanks!
    Check this month's Perfect Vision. It has a universal player roundup, and the DVD-2200 rated very highly.
  • 05-12-2004, 01:49 PM
    topspeed
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stevos2005
    I need help deciding between the Denon DVD-2200, the NAD T533 player, and the Pioneer Elite DV-45A? What are your thoughts on this. I'm leaning towards the Denon, but I haven't seen any reviews on it yet.

    Thanks!
    TAS also did a review of universal players and the reviewer liked the 2200 better than Denon's own 2900 (or he surmised his 2900 test unit was damaged). Apparently the 2200 excels in music repro.

    Good luck.
  • 05-12-2004, 02:17 PM
    Woochifer
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by topspeed
    TAS also did a review of universal players and the reviewer liked the 2200 better than Denon's own 2900 (or he surmised his 2900 test unit was damaged). Apparently the 2200 excels in music repro.

    Good luck.
    Actually, both articles are nearly identical since TAS and TPV are published by the same company and Shane Buettner wrote the both sets of reviews (I recommended the TPV article because it's a little more inclusive, but the conclusions are the same as TAS). He's probably done more universal player reviews than anybody else out there, and his reviews are generally very good. Now, if someone can give me a definitive answer on whether or not the DVD-2200's bass management also applies to the CD audio, then I can make a decision on whether or not to buy one of those players!
  • 05-12-2004, 07:07 PM
    topspeed
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Woochifer
    Actually, both articles are nearly identical since TAS and TPV are published by the same company and Shane Buettner wrote the both sets of reviews (I recommended the TPV article because it's a little more inclusive, but the conclusions are the same as TAS). He's probably done more universal player reviews than anybody else out there, and his reviews are generally very good. Now, if someone can give me a definitive answer on whether or not the DVD-2200's bass management also applies to the CD audio, then I can make a decision on whether or not to buy one of those players!
    I don't generally pick up TPV unless it has something I'd really like to read about (universal players would be one of them tho ;)), but I kind of figured it was the same guy. Did they review any other players besides the ones in TAS or was it essentially the same article? I'm likely going to get a universal player towards the end of the year and was pretty well set on the 2900, however if I can get 95% of the sonic performance from the 2200, obviously I'm always interested in saving the $340 bones! Bottom line, I'm far more interested in the audio side and great video is icing on the cake. What's your take?
  • 05-12-2004, 07:37 PM
    Woochifer
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by topspeed
    I don't generally pick up TPV unless it has something I'd really like to read about (universal players would be one of them tho ;)), but I kind of figured it was the same guy. Did they review any other players besides the ones in TAS or was it essentially the same article? I'm likely going to get a universal player towards the end of the year and was pretty well set on the 2900, however if I can get 95% of the sonic performance from the 2200, obviously I'm always interested in saving the $340 bones! Bottom line, I'm far more interested in the audio side and great video is icing on the cake. What's your take?
    If I recall, the TPV article is a more comprehensive roundup with more models covered. Buettner's previous choice was the Yamaha DVD-S2300, which he liked more than the Denon DVD-2900. But, it seems that in the current roundup, the DVD-2200 is his player of choice (he did not get another review of the 2900).

    My only reservation about the DVD-2200 is that it seems to use the same chassis as the DVD-1000 that I currently use, and with that player, I'm not all that hot on the build quality. The picture is great and so is the two-channel audio, but the build quality is only so-so even though it has now survived three years of high usage. By the end of the year I'll also be looking to upgrade the DVD player, because I want the high res audio formats and because I'm looking to upgrade to HDTV by the end of the year and my current DVD player is not progressive scan. The audio is my current priority, but once I upgrade the TV, I might place a higher premium on the video at that point.

    Because I use a parametric EQ with my subwoofer, I want a universal player that will also crossover the lower frequencies with CDs. So far, no one seems to be able to give me straight answers on whether the bass management on any of these universal players also applies to CD audio.

    Just to add further intrigue, Yamaha's about to introduce a $400 universal player, which will already be one of the lowest priced players to come with the Faroudja DCDi video processor. If it can handle the audio as well as the big brother DVD-S2300 and give the user some semblance of bass management unlike the $200 Pioneer DV-563, it very well might stand alone when it comes out.