Universal Players: Video Quality?


I already have my 2 channel front end set up. What I am considering is upgrading my DVD player (old Camelot Tech, quite good by the way) with an universal player. This sits in a different room, home theatre set up Of course sound quality is important yes as I also want to experiment with mutli-channel music (though I am not convinced) but superior video quality is must as I use it for mostly watching DVDs. When I read reviews in audio mags they really don't comment on video quality at all, and when they do they compare it their brethen not the leading say Sony players (which of couse may suffer in audio quality). So in a long round about question, which universal players have superior video while maintaining audio quality? Esoteric vs Linn vs Bel Cant PL-1? Sim Audio?
henryhk

Showing 1 response by bwhite

I've had a few universal players and currently use an APL modified McIntosh MVP861. The stock player is "essentially" a McIntosh re-engineered Denon with a hot-rodded power supply in a nice case. The video on the player is fantastic! Easily better than the Denon 3910 (which had strange macroblocking issues).

The sound quality of the stock MVP861 is just hideous. Dark, closed in, undynamic, etc. Terrible!

I took my MVP861 to APL HiFi who has a very popular and highly regarded modification service for the Denon 2900, 3910 and other universal players. I begged them for help!

Fortunately APL was able to help.

Most high end modification services focus on re-building the stock (cheap) power supplies but in the case of the McIntosh APL said it was an awesome power supply - and they doubt that they could improve it.

What APL did do to improve the sound was to parallel the DACS and add a DSP Clock. Not an expensive modification.

I must report, the sound of the revised McIntosh is way, way, way, better than I ever expected. Even Alex at APL was blown away saying that the MVP861 sounded somewhere in-between his modified Denon 3910 and Esoteric UX-1.