Denon DVD players as a CD player

[milton10]

Hi. I could use some advice. My 2 channel setup is currently running a Denon DCM-340 to my Heresy/Sophia Baby tube amp setup. The sound is very nice, but I would like to play SACD and DVD-A on my 2 channel setup as well.

Also, my home theater system is using a Denon DVD-1920 for movies, DVD-A, SACD & CD playback. It sounds very nice, especially with DVD-A's and SACD's.

Now here is my dilemma - I just saw a couple of nice Denon DVD players at a local Pawn Shop. One of them is a bit pricey at $325 - a DVD-2900. They also have a DVD-2200 for $99. I know both of them use Burr-Brown 24/96 dacs and have a good reputation. I do not know how they compare to my DVD-1920.

Should I consider purchasing the DVD-2900 for my home theater system and flip the 1920 over to my 2 channel setup? Or will the 2200 do better there? I guess I want to maximize each system with a player that will fit the best. Lastly, since these are universal players, do they give up anything to my dedicated, but lowly DCM-340 5 disc player.

Gurus please chime in. I could really use the advice.

Thanks,

Milton

[Speedball]

I paid $600.00 for a closeout 2900 and it is so very much better video wise than my old $70.00 Sony. Audio I'm not too sure about because I never paid much attention to that part of it.......... at the time I was concerned about video.

It has only not played a couple discs for me.......That's ok though because the build quality of the machine is fantastic and I have quite a few other discs.

[rcarlton]

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the DVD-2200. $99 is a great deal.

[Audio Flynn]

I would go 2 diffrent boxes for digital. Low line SACD and DVD-A players are usually very weak in CD playback.

Panasonic
RP-91 Does updampling of CD( Plus DVD_A) and Older Sony CD changers
hacve 2 channel SACDI own both but like my upsampled CD better.

A tough conundrum unless you can spend well over 1000 USD.

Good luck

[J.4knee]

I would go 2 diffrent boxes for digital. Low line SACD and DVD-A players are usually very weak in CD playback.

Panasonic

RP-91 Does updampling of CD( Plus DVD_A) and Older Sony CD changers

hacve 2 channel SACDI own both but like my upsampled CD better 

A tough conundrum unless you can spend well over 1000 USD.

Good luck 

I own the Denon DVD 2200 and it works well in all applications at $99 it is a friggin steal.  My only critique is the disk access time is a litttle slow, but if I had to do it all over again I would buy it without hesitation.

[milton10]

I did not know that the DVD-2900 and 2200 were low line players. I thought they were a cut above mid-fi.

[Audio Flynn]

I would go 2 diffrent boxes for digital. Low line SACD and DVD-A players are usually very weak in CD playback.

Panasonic

RP-91 Does updampling of CD( Plus DVD_A) and Older Sony CD changers

hacve 2 channel SACDI own both but like my upsampled CD better

A tough conundrum unless you can spend well over 1000 USD.

Good luck

I own the Denon DVD 2200 and it works well in all applications

at $99 it is a friggin steal. My only critique is the disk access time

is a litttle slow, but if I had to do it all over again I would buy it

without hesitation.

Not sure what

"all applications" means. First generation SACD (and CDs) Sony's were

amazing for the price point. As were the first generation DVD-A players

from Panasonic, Technics (A-10 I think) and Pioneer.

When

you want a digital component to do every format and get low jitter in

CD, it better be a very robust design with separate power supplies for

differnt functions in order to be musical. Few "every format" players

are musical to my standard. I am overly critcal about all things

digital. Major manufactureres have educateed me to be skeptical from 20

plus years ago.

I bought my first CD player in 1984. Poor decision; should have bought a more LPs, better turtable and cart.

[J.4knee]

playing CD, DVD, DVDA, SACD.....My first CD player was a Sony in 1984 it was fine for its time.  That time has passed.

[Speedball]

I did not know that the DVD-2900 and 2200 were low line players. I thought they were a cut above mid-fi.

There are guys who modify the 2200, 2900, the 3910 along with a few others which is supposed to take the performance to another level. I sort of figure low line would be something off the the big box store shelf for thirty bucks, the 2900 was a thousand dollar player when new.

.........there is a player called an Oppo which is supposed to be very good for a hundred fifty.....or a guy can use a DAC and then just use any player as a transport.

[Fish]

Since I've owned/own all these players I'll take a shot at it.The 2200 is a good player and at $100 bucks is a steal if you don't need hdmi.It does a good job with dvda/sacd and cd,not great but good(what do ya want for cheap?)The Denon 2900 is a better unit no doubt,better hi rez and slightly better cd,very nice for $300 ballpark multi player.The dvd a-10 beats em' both for cd playback,it won't play burned cd's etc,and the video is only ok but for music it's very nice for a dvd player,about = but a little different to my 640c analog.The 640c is better than the Denons for cd,it's just more musical with an all around better presentation,not night and day but some % better.At the prices discussed they're all pretty nice,pick a price and need,you can't go wrong.

[Strabo]

I'm not familiar with the 2200 but the 2900 is the same model line as Denon's current 3930. The 3910 replaced the 2900, then the 3920 and now the 3930.

So if you want to compare them to today's standards, the 2900 except for being a few years old, would cost more than $1200 new.

You might try making them an offer on it, see if they will take $250.

I'd look up the value on Audiogon first though.

[oldbuckster]

My personal choice is, a CD player for CD's, and a DVD Player for DVD's..........I do realise that many DVD players will handle many purposes, but CD's are one thing, and DVD's another............not saying I'm right, just my view.....................

[Mike Lindsey]

I have a 2900, which replaced my Panasonic RP91 when it died. The video is not as good as the Panny's, but the audio is slightly better, especially DVD-A. I use mine in both my rigs, which share the La Scala's as mains. The 2900 comes with 2 sets of L/R main outs. I run one set to my Denon 4800 (along with the surround analog outs) and the other to my BlueBerry. I play all the 2-channel formats (SACD, DVD-A and redbook) on the tube rig and only redbook is average... SACD and DVD-A sound outstanding.

Mike

[cjgeraci]

My personal choice is, a CD player for CD's, and a DVD Player for DVD's..........I do realise that many DVD players will handle many purposes, but CD's are one thing, and DVD's another............not saying I'm right, just my view.....................

I echo Buckster and Audio Flynn's comments. I own a Denon 2900 and have heard the 2200 in several systems. To my eyes, the 2900 has a nicer pic than the 2200 - good enough for my tastes. Both Denons have great audio for movies, DVD-Audio and SACD.

Regular CDs (redbook), however, are fair to poor on both players. If something ever happened to my tube CDP, I could not go back to listening to CDs on my 2900. I guess that I'm spoiled now.

Use either the 2900 or 2200 for movies, DVD-Audio and SACD. Pick up a CD player for the rest.

Carl.

[Strabo]

I echo Buckster and Audio Flynn's comments. I own a Denon 2900 and have heard the 2200 in several systems. To my eyes, the 2900 has a nicer pic than the 2200 - good enough for my tastes. Both Denons have great audio for movies, DVD-Audio and SACD.

Regular CDs (redbook), however, are fair to poor on both players. If something ever happened to my tube CDP, I could not go back to listening to CDs on my 2900. I guess that I'm spoiled now.

Use either the 2900 or 2200 for movies, DVD-Audio and SACD. Pick up a CD player for the rest.

Carl.

Your post gives me hope. I have the 3910 which was a big jump forward over my previous entry level Sony SACD player, which was a jump forward over the previous DVD player as a CD player. It's better than good but not what I'd call great.

I don't know that I can go with a modded player but my next upgrade will be either to an external DAC or a dedicated CD player and it's good to know that digital can sound better.

[joshnich]

I know that Mathew Anker of SACDmods.com likes the 2900 a great deal as a player to be modded. go to sacdmods.com and click on the Denon 2900 link and he gives a bit of background as to why he likes this player as well as what he considers its shortfalls for audio - in pre mod mode.

josh

[cjgeraci]

I know that Mathew Anker of SACDmods.com likes the 2900 a great deal as a player to be modded. go to sacdmods.com and click on the Denon 2900 link and he gives a bit of background as to why he likes this player as well as what he considers its shortfalls for audio - in pre mod mode.

josh

Josh, there are a number of well-respected modders of the 2900 out there, and when I was first considering my upgrade from a 2900, I almost pulled the trigger on one such mod. Many of the mods improve the internal parts as well as some remove the op amps in favor of tubed outputs. My one concern was potential reliability of any such modded unit and future servicing if something goes wrong. With the plethora and variety of modders out there, I decided to go with a tubed CDP designed that way from the onset and have been overjoyed with the choice from day one. The modded 2900 may be the cats meow, but I just did not have faith enough in one to pull the trigger - that plus i did not know many who could personally vouch for them - beyond the referrals on the websites.

If I had it to do, I would opt for a Denon 2200 for movies, SACD and DVD-Audio ($99 is amazing!!) and then opt for one of the three tubed CDPs (Heart, Jolida, or AH - upsampler).

Stabo: yes, there is hope. I hope you get the chance to hear CDs from a members' Jolida or AH! - on some nice Heritage. You should not be disappointed.

Carl.

[joshnich]

I know that Mathew Anker of SACDmods.com likes the 2900 a great deal as a player to be modded. go to sacdmods.com and click on the Denon 2900 link and he gives a bit of background as to why he likes this player as well as what he considers its shortfalls for audio - in pre mod mode.

josh

Josh, there are a number of well-respected modders of the 2900 out there, and when I was first considering my upgrade from a 2900, I almost pulled the trigger on one such mod. Many of the mods improve the internal parts as well as some remove the op amps in favor of tubed outputs. My one concern was potential reliability of any such modded unit and future servicing if something goes wrong. With the plethora and variety of modders out there, I decided to go with a tubed CDP designed that way from the onset and have been overjoyed with the choice from day one. The modded 2900 may be the cats meow, but I just did not have faith enough in one to pull the trigger - that plus i did not know many who could personally vouch for them - beyond the referrals on the websites.

If I had it to do, I would opt for a Denon 2200 for movies, SACD and DVD-Audio ($99 is amazing!!) and then opt for one of the three tubed CDPs (Heart, Jolida, or AH - upsampler).

Stabo: yes, there is hope. I hope you get the chance to hear CDs from a members' Jolida or AH! - on some nice Heritage. You should not be disappointed.

Carl.

I know that there are many sources for mods out there. I was merely pointing him to this one because of Mathews description of the stock unit.

I was not recommending that he have it modded. I do not think that was part of the decison.

Josh

BTW

I have used Mathew for SACD mods and am extremely happy with the results. Have compared my modded unit to a stock unit and to a few tubed dac options and I keep going back to the SACD modded unit.

[cjgeraci]

Josh, understood. I was not originally sure why you had brought up the mods, but I understand now. My bad.

Good to hear of your experience with Matthew's mods. I"ll keep him in mind for future mods and/or projects.

Thanks.

Carl.

[milton10]

***UPDATE***

Ok, so I went down to check out the 2200 again at the pawn shop and found out why it is only $99 - there is no remote. I had them hook it up and play a CD and a DVD. The unit worked just fine. I then asked about the 2900, and they said that the remote works with either unit (but would only sell the remote with the 2900). I was getting ready to leave and they said that they would drop the price of the 2900 to $200 out the door.

Bottom line, I bought the 2900, and think that I got a good deal. The unit is in cleaner shape than the 2200 (the 2200 had some of the silkscreening missing and a few scratches). The 2900 did not even have a scratch. I might just go back and get the 2200 though, and see if it cleans up. Possibly put up on ebay or offer to someone here (if I can get a remote and it cleans up well).

Did I do the right thing by spending $100 more for the 2900?