Best DVD player in $500-$1000 Range

What I would do if I am looking for a DVD Player in the $500.00 to $1,000.00 price range is just like someone else has said (I believe it was "Sdcampbell") is look at such websites such as "Audiogon", "C-Net", "Yahoo" and "E-Bay". Also, look at other sites such as "Audio Review" and "Audio Shopper". You may find some bargains on any of those sites. Like I said before, that's the route that I am also going to take. I bought my VCR (a high-end Sony..... an SLV-R5UC) off of the internet and I don't have any regrets either. That is also going to be one of the routes that I am going to take when it is time to buy my DVD Player. The first one route I am going to take is to see whether I can land me either a Pioneer Elite DV-09 or a Sony DVP-S7700 from my local "high-end" Audio/Video dealer first at a close out (being that Sony has already came out with the DVP-S9000ES and expect Pioneer to follow suit soon with their "Progressive Scan" Player (if they haven't done so already))(but I don't know whether or not the new Pioneer will have SACD Capability or not..... I know that the new Sony does) price. If by any chance that I cannot do that (that is get a "high-end" DVD Player at a reasonable price at my dealer), then I will venture to the internet and get my player that way. I know that either my Pioneer Elite DV-09 or Sony DVP-S7700 is waiting for me out there somewhere in cyberspace. And just for the record, my TV (a Panasonic CT-27SF37) does not have "progressive scan" capability either.

An addend--If by any chance that I don't end up landing either a Pioneer Elite DV-09 or a Sony DVP-S7700 either from my local "high-end" dealer (and they carry both of these players) or I cannot find either one for what I think is a reasonable price (I expect to pay at least $600.00 for a brand new one (again, of either player) and no more than $950.00. In fact, $950.00 is as high as I am willing to go (for the right player)), then I will go on the internet and see if I can get me a used one for a great price (only this time, I will pay a minimum of $450.00 and a maximum of $700.00). Now, if that step does not pan out and fails to land me the player I really want, only then I will look very closely and very hard to the Pioneer (Elite??) DV-37. If the Pioneer (Elite??) DV-37 has a superior picture to either the Pioneer Elite DV-09 or the Sony DVP-S7700 and a superior sound to match, then even though I may have to give up something in terms of build quality and parts quality, but I won't at all be disappointed. Otherwise, it is a Pioneer Elite DV-09 or a Sony DVP-S7700 that I really want. Not only will either of these players will allow me to get the most that I can get out of my TV (a 27-Inch Panasonic CT-27SF37) in terms of picture quality, but they would also extract the maximum sound quality available from the audio portion of my home theater (a Yamaha DSP-A780 Dolby Pro-Logic Integrated Amplifier and the associated Speaker System (and I putting my sights (and ears!!!) on either an Atlantic Technology T-70 or System 170, a Boston Acoustics System 9000, or a Paradigm Cinema Speaker System (all with subwoofers)). But also, one of the main reasons I want a Pioneer Elite DV-09 or a Sony DVP-S7700 so bad is because of the quality of parts and the build quality of both of these players (both of which I think is excellent to begin with).

Bmpnyc--Thanks for the tip..... Your point is well taken.... I'll add the Pioneer Elite DV-37 to my shortlist. But one other question remains. I thought that the Pioneer Elite DV-37 retails for about $1,000.00. And I see you managed to land yours for $700.00. Where can you buy a Pioneer Elite DV-37 for that price?? That sounds like an awfully great price. --Charles--

Bmpnyc -- Well, on my day off from work today, I left the house to go shopping for a while. And while I was on my excursion, I did go to ONE of the "high-end" dealers that are in my area today. When I got there, I talked to an audio salesman (one of whom I have establised a working relationship because he's so knowledgeable about the products his store carries and whose opinion I value highly) about the upcoming crop of the new DVD Players that are either out already or are coming out in the next month or two. And believe it or not (well, that's a poor choice of words........ I guess I mean "to affirm" what you were also telling me), he already has the new Pioneer Elite DV-37 in his store (set up in a home theater and playing away). We talked about THIS very player today (after telling him about this website) and we made back-and-forth comparisons between it and the Sony DVP-S9000ES, and he believes that the preliminaries are that the Sony DVP-9000ES isn't that much better than the DVP-S7700 (and the Pioneer Elite DV-37 is a LOT BETTER than the Sony DVP-S7700 according to him..... better transport, better DACs, better build quality and better picture and sound), so that means that it could be possible that Pioneer Elite DV-37 could also beat the hell out of the Sony DVP-S9000ES (being that the Pioneer offers FAR BETTER performance and at a lower price. But he will be getting a Sony DVP-S9000ES in his store in a couple of weeks and he and his staff is going to evaluate it to confirm their findings, but in the meanwhile, making a strong case for the Pioneer Elite DV-37. And also, you were also right about the price too. I believe I'll be getting my DVD Player from him too. He'll let me have the DV-37 for $700.00 (about $200.00 less than the Sony DVP-S7700, $800.00 less than the DVP-S9000ES and $1,100.00 and $1,500.00 less than the upcoming Pioneer Elite DV-38 and DV-09 respectively). So, you were right about the price after all. Thanks for the tip. The Pioneer Elite DV-37 has now been elevated to the top of my shortlist. --Charles--