See if you can find a used Marantz DV8300, Denon DV2200 sells for about 600 new. Maybe a Pioneer 545 or a used 47ai
in your price range. All good peices at the $ |
Pioneer DV47 or Denon 2900 used. I have one of each and each has pros and cons. The pioneer has the chroma upsampling error so is not ideal for video. Both are rather uninvolving when it comes to SACD if left stock...but modified they are both great sounding players. |
Denon 2200. It plays everything and is perhaps superior to the 2900. There is a used one listed for $450 today on A'gon. Also, if you want to go hard core, you can always send it out to be modded by someone like underwood. |
phillips 963sa <$500 NEW. excellent video and sacd. do some research. this has gotten raves all over. i own this and couldn't be more pleased.
aloha keith |
I just sent my Pioneer in for a mod and will get it back in a week or so. Will let you know my thoughts versus the stock unit if you let me know. You should be able to get a DV 45 for about $275 used.
R. |
Nice this is helping ALOT. I will look into the Denon and will be interested to hear back on your mod update with a DV45. I am seeing the Phillips 963sa and Sony DVPS9000ES mentioned quite a bit around here. The Sony may be above my price range. |
Philips 963sa stock or
Philips 963sa modified for analog/digital/power supply and progressive board is superior to the Denon 5900 that I sold in every aspect.
If you want an even cheaper avenue, get a modded Pioneer 563 which will be close to the modded 963sa in all aspects except video.
As far as stock, I would go for the 963sa.
Greg |
I agree with the people above suggesting the Philips DVD-963SA. The video side is great, and the audio side is fantastic considering the $500 price tag. There are also plenty of upgrades/mods you can do to it to make it even nicer later :-). |
The Philips, for sure - great value at everything it does, and it does most things. I wouldn't bother with any Pioneer if video is your priority. |
How about if you take the SACD requirement out of the mix? Just great DVD picture and great CD sound. Does that change anyone's opinion?
The Philips sounds like a great deal and I am leaning towards it. But I am a little embarassed to say, how the unit looks is influencing me to a degree, and it isn't very sexy looking. |
In addition to the above follow up question, I am researching the Philips and am reading about problems with the remote control performance. Anyone have issues with an unresponsive remote? |
jer,
i have had no problems with the remote whatsoever. i've had it almost a year.
aloha keith |
The remote on the 963SA is a bit funky. You have to aim it directly at the unit and press the buttons rather hard etc.. no real tactile feedback. I prefer Sony remotes myself. However, as a transport it is showing real promise. Even without Superclock2, it has very low jitter and the fastest risetime I have ever seen in a transport, at least after the digital mods. The stock performance of the analog outs is a bit tinny and confused, typical of stock components. |
on sale now at music direct for $349.
aloha keith |
The Philips 963sa is being cleared out at OneCall for $236.20
|
I have philips 963 purchased for 236.00$ from One call.The video is fine.The audio is O>K
I wish to get it modified.
Budget not more than 350 $. Who moadifies them?
Any easy to do mods with out soldering?(power cords damping etc.
thanks for any suggestions
vrs |
It will take more than power cords and damping to make the 963SA sing. You might be able to get power-supply upgrades for $350, but it needs a lot more - new op-amps, power delivery improvements, coupling cap improvements, DAC filter improvements and on and on..... |
Well to bring some closure to an old thread, I finally got the pulled the trigger on a DVPs9000es. The difference between this DVD player and my old Panosonic is like night and day. All of a sudden a bass region appeared in my sound system that was not there before and the details in the music are so much more prenounced. Luckily the first hybrid SACD I put in there worked no problem.
All in all I am glad I went the little extra step up in price and got a used higher end DVD player. |
