2. digital
  3. 151845-136581

Need a SACD DVD player on a low budget.

I am looking for a SACD player with:
A. High-end analog stereo RCA output.
B. No fan.
C. Ideally, it would also play DVD with 1080p upscaling via a HDMI output.

Target budget is $300 total, maximum up to $333, including shipping. Obviously at this price point, used is fine.

Analog stereo output is a requirement because my receiver is analog stereo only.

My original idea was to find a BluRay/Universal player that has great analog audio out, but my research points to the following, which are all outside my budget:
Oppo BDP-83SE, Oppo BDP-95, Oppo BDP-105, Marantz UD7007.
Even with these players, reviewers say they are not as good via analog RCA out as older non-bluray players. Therefore I scaled back and eliminated BluRay from the requirement to get within budget, since sound quality is paramount.

An alternative would be to get a preamp/processor to provide high quality analog stereo outputs downmixed from HDMI inputs, and get a cheap universal player as a transport. If I had multiple HDMI inputs, I could also connect my Roku Streaming Stick +. Roku is currently connected to the TV, whose stereo analog out is probably not very hifi.  Maybe I am better off getting a preamp/processor so I can play BluRay from a cheap universal transport, even if that means I have to bump up the budget by $50-100. I just don’t know the preamp market at all yet. Thoughts?

For DVD players, I have read people praising the following:
Oppo DV-980H
Denon DVD-2910, DVD-3910, DVD-2930ci, DVD-3930ci

What would you recommend?

FYI, my system is described in my profile.
128x128sccaracerx
mahler123
3,101 posts
 
Have you investigated the Sony Universal Players in that price range?  You have commented that the analog outs might be a weak spot, but have you actually been able to audition one?  I haven’t, myself, but perhaps before dismissing based upon reviews you might try it and perhaps you might be pleasantly surprised.
  At your budget, I think the idea of an AVR to do the processing might be more fruitful.  AVRs can be had very cheaply on the second hand market, as the newest codecs tend to render them obsolete in a hurry.  Pre Blu Ray Universal Players can be had cheaply.  I currently use a Pioneer Elite DVD/SACD player in a basement system that works great and fetches about $100 on eBay the last time that I looked
glupson
7,842 posts
 
In case you go digital output route, get acquainted with how SACDs are actually output. Do they get converted to PCM, etc.

Stay away from Denon 2910 and its brothers. They are great players while they work. However, their laser/mechanism is reliable in a sense that you can count on it failing. You will find many people talking (once upon a time) about it on the Internet. Those machines are hitting 15 years now.
sccaracerx's avatar
sccaracerx OP
4 posts
 
glupson,

I agree, I'll explicitly add "SACD out as DSD over HDMI" to my player criteria, even though I'm not able to use it yet.

You have a good point about the old Denon lasers.  The good news is, I think I've seen parts on ebay, and I am the kind of guy who could probably do the swap.  I should heed your warning and verify parts availability, and probably include a spare or two in the total cost.  Also, I should research the repair to be sure it is not beyond my skills and tools. 

Frankly, with any player of the age we're talking about, I should expect a laser failure, and anticipate the availability, cost and difficulty of repair.  That may eliminate some models from consideration, and it might tip the scales in favor of the AVR + newer player solution.
glupson
7,842 posts
 
sccaracerx,

I actually own one 2910 and that is how I got aware of that problem. It plays SACDs and DVDs without any problem. CDs depend on your luck. Well, that is how it was last time I tried in 2015 or so. Unfortunately, it is very inconveniently located right now so I cannot donate it to you.

As a player, it is a good one when it works and, in case you are interested in that, it can be very easily cracked to become region-free.

I did look the parts up at some point and they were available while the procedure appeared to have been a bit finicky but not that hard for someone with a steady hand.

All the drives are prone to failing but it seems that this particular Denon batch was at the extreme of the Gaussian curve. I have some SONY CD players from 1980s that were (in 2015) still partying as if was 1985. Of course, they are strictly CD and SACD/DVD part may add complexity.
loomisjohnson
1,909 posts
 
i've had bad luck with the denon 2910 and 3930; per mahler i'd look at pioneer elite 79av or 59av which are cheap used and reliable
More to discover