Absolute Best DVD Player?

Must be gettin tird, one to many typos tday.

As I said, I haven't even hooked up the Sony. It has been my experience that the differences between all of the top-of-the-line DVD players ( Toshiba,Pioneer,Sony,Etc.), when playing a high quality DVD are slight at best. There will be some slight differences in sharpnees and color, but the differences will be small. The big differences show up when you are playing a difficult transfer or an older film. That's when you can really tell the difference. Of course, the better your display, the bigger the difference.
So many people are happy with the video performance of the Sony, that I feel certain that 90 percent of the time it would be hard to tell the difference between the Sony and the Round Table. It's that other 10 percent that I bought the Round Table for. Even the most critical viewer could not knock the Round Table for anything! It's hard to find anything in audio or video that you can say that about. If it played SACD's the Sony would be listed on AudiogoN.

Ayre DVD-1. Awesome unit but potentially (actually definitely but in glorious fashion) breaks the budget depending on installed options. Rick you're question is a tricky one. From what I've seen it is a matter of trade offs. For really good sound the Cal Audio units are fantastic, but in terms of DVD they are behind many of the competitors in terms of latest generation enhancements. Same holds true for the Opposite. The really good DVD players like the Sony run cirles around the Cal in terms of video but can't and will never touch the Cal in terms of sound quality. Just two different beasts. You will have to decide based on the rest of your system. Do you have a high end 2 channel set-up? If yes, you might consider the Cal 2500. If you are really in the home theater camp and want to get the most out of a HDTV, then go with the Sony or Pioneer DV-05. All three reommendations will come in way under your budget. If you really want to spend some bucks and own the best check out the Ayre. My real suggestion is to wait a little longer. In the next 2 years (if you can hold out with your VCR that long) there will be a whole new generation of players that include DVD-A, SACD, etc and the format war may be little clearer.

Nordostman, the Ayre fully loaded is almost $12000, three times Rick's guigeline. You are right about the CAL units running circles around Sony in regular CD playback, ( I use the Cal CL2500-SSP), But the CAL units DO NOT beat the Camelot Round Table in regular CD sound, and the Round Table can be purchased brand new for $3500. The Round Table also uses the Dragon 5.1 jitter reduction technology for all audio playback, including all 5.1 surround modes!
When you take into consideration all of Rick guidelines, up to $4000, best sound, best video, best build quality, no other DVD player on the market compares! It's a shame so few people know about this player, obviously Camelot Technology could use some serious help with marketing. I found another review for the Round Table that goes into more detail about the audio side of this player. http://www.audiorevolution.com/equip/camelotroundtable/index.html
I am not a dealer, just a very satisfied customer trying to share an incredible find.

Wait for a couple of months for Pioneer Elites DVS10A to come to this country. It's available in Japan and getting rave reviews. I'ts the progressive version of the DV-09. You won't be dissapointed, or wait for the MSB progressive upgrade for the DV-09 oif ou already own it!

They are the best buy you'll get for sound and picture guality! I'd recomend them over the Proceed PMDT!