My "almost" universal Pioneer disc player doesn't like Neil Young
A few months ago I posted (boasted) about getting a universal format disc player; Pioneer DV563-A (it plays DVD video, DVD-A & SACD discs) at a killer price ($150 I think). Since then, I've mainly used it as a DVD video player, but I did pick up one SACD disc to check out high res audio. Talk Talk "Colour of Spring" was the first hi-res disc (SACD) I owned and it didn't disappoint.
A few weeks ago I was in a music store and saw Neil Young "On the Beach" in DVD-A format, so I picked it up. I finally got a chance to give it a spin over the weekend but initially got no sound from the disc. The display shows that it's being read (track number & disc time count up), but nothing from the speeks. I read over my manual and tried several different digital processing choices (PCM, down conversion, bla, bla, bla) but still no sound. I searched online and found the link below which describes a firmware problem with the Pioneer DV563A disc player. Apparently there's a firmware upgrade available but I haven't contacted Pioneer yet.
I just wanted to post this as a warning in case anyone else owns or is considering this unit. It's pretty popular due to it's low price. I guess only a few DVD-A discs are affected by the problem, and the link does claim that current units have been modified since the problem was discovered, but buyer beware...
http://www.highfidelityreview.com/ne...umber=10659686
Wow, that's some high praise!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mad rhetorik
You bought perhaps one of the greatest albums ever made (IMHO), and now the freakin' thing won't play it. If it were <i>my</i> disc player I would "repair" it with a sledgehammer. ; P
Give 'em hell.
One reason I picked On the Beach up is because I can't remember ever having heard the album, although some of the song titles sound familiar. If it were a hybrid SACD, I could at least listen to the cd layer, but in the DVD-A format I'm sol until I inquire about the upgrade.
Oh well, I waited 30 years to hear the album, I guess I can wait a bit longer ;)
Rick