I have a 40gig PS3. I bought it because "at the time" it was considered to have a better Blu-ray image than the Sony player. What I've come to discover is that you can also use the internal HD as a music/photo server as well AND it can browse the internet via Wi-Fi (as well as update it's software) Get a wireless keyboard if you want to sita cross the room and e-mail from your 60" Sony while The Beatles "Love" plays from the PS3 at the same time. O yeah, you can even add an external hard drive via USB, just make sure it's formatted to FAT32, not NTSF. I would reccomend a 60 or 80 though, they also have card readers built into them! The 80 gig also does 7.1, if you care.
I run the toslink digital into my Denon AV1800, which is pre-outed to my Rotel 1080 which is hooked up to my magnepan 1.6's. Just switch to stereo mode for audio and away we go. 4-32 hour playlist on the shuffle mode. Many ways to sort as well; artist/album/ genre. Way cool. Quality will depend on how you store and what the original quality of the recording is. MP3 Little Feat, Eva Cassidy, James taylor are all awesome. I tend not to remember the bad ones, but the MP3 of Neil Young's "Dirty Old Man" from Chrome 2 is pretty lame quality, the song's great and it sounded great on the DVD, but it didn't take to the MP3 well at all on my system. |
I run a Sony BDP-S500 out with rca's to my 2 channel amp and it sounds awesome. It is a very noticeable difference in sound quality. I love it. |
My Pioneer Elite BDP 95FD looks spectacular in 1080P (into Elite Kuros 60" Plasma) and sounds awesome as well with the new HD sound codecs but if your question is as respects two channel, I have only played standard redbook cd through the stereo outputs (Tara Labs RSC Air One Interconnects, into Pioneer Elite 94 surround sound receiver, B&W 805 with monster cable speaker wire, Chang Lightspeed power conditioner) and the sound is remarkedbly good. |
I must say the new Marantz bd8002 looks amazing on paper. If it keeps moving marantz in the direction they have been heading lately, they are going to be putting out killer products. Keep in mind, the marantz bd8002 looks to be a good transport, decodes dolby digital plus, dts HD formats for those with no HDMI 1.3 inputs(such as my anthem avm30. This may be the player most have been looking for. I dont think it has sacd or dvd audio but Im not to concerned about that since that format has ended production. I like my PS3, but the hdmi 1.3 does me no good with the HD audio formats. The Blu Ray video is amazing. If video does get any better with blu ray, I definately dont think I need it. |
Best bet currently is the Marantz BD8002; essentially the same as the Denon 3808bdci but with improved isolation and power supply. |
Thanks for the info guys.
I'll have to look at the PS3, honestly didn't know anythign about it doing sacd or decent blue ray.
Been a fan of denon didn't even know they had a blue ray out yet.
Any one know a site whit info on the new Panasonic Blu Ray player that Vaughn3d mentioned. |
I have recently discovered at a friend's house that many surround SACDs have more information when played back in surround than in stereo. One such disc is the excellent Up by Peter Gabriel and another is Heathen by David Bowie. It makes me want to set up a surround system myself even though I've never really cared much for it. |
2nd amendment. I hadn't noticed until I played Jazz at the Pawnshop that the disc itself offers both surround and stereo versions. It's a newly discovered toy.
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I amend my previous post. I played the Channel Classics recording of Mahler's 2nd Symphony and the Hamonia Mundi recording of Biber's Missa Christi Resurgentis, both of which are in DSD surround, but can be switched in my pre/pro to stereo. The audio was excellent, and the surround very effective, especially for the Biber choral work, capturing the spacious feeling of the cathedral even better than the stereo version. The onscreen is informative, with a restful wave pattern generated by the PS3-80 as a background. I will no longer be ignoring the PS3-80 as an SACD players.
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I have a PS3-80, and I think the Blu-ray video is outstanding. I haven't tried its SACD ability, because I'm happy with a Sony DVP-S9000ES (video processing turned off) for stereo.
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Denon?
http://www.usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3961.asp |
Panasonic's new Blu Ray player comes out in the next 30 days, either that or the current model will do the trick. I have the same objectives as you and am trying to figure out if I add a dedicated CD player or a DAC when I do get the Blu Ray machine. |
Only the 80gb model PS3 does sacd. |
I don't think that anyone is doing it yet. Watch Pioneer and Oppo. I bet that they put together new "universal" units, including Blueray in the next several months.
Dave |
.I just got the new Oppo 981,and while it wont do Blue Ray, it is outstanding with DVD. Also plays SACd, HDCD,and pretty much anything but BR. Steal for the $. Oppodigital.com |
It's supposed to be one of the best and fastest loading. It has had many updates since introduced and now can be supplied with a larger hard drive. I don't have one myself so am not an expert, just a casual observer. |
Player would just be connected by analog RCA to my Simaudio P5 preamp.
Is the PS3 any good with blueray video? I know it has that, didn't know about sacd, just thought it was suppose to be just so so on the video side.
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What are you connecting the player to? |
