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Audio Quality of DVD/CD player vs. CD player?


bobbyandduke

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It's time to purchase a dvd player, and I am contemplating a dvd/cd carousel player such as the Denon DVM-3700. Will this, or any dvd/cd player produce the same audio quality when playing cds as a standard cd player will, or is it best to keep the dvd and cd players separate? The Sony DVP-C670D and the HK DVD5 are options as well. I plan on checking some of these out later on in the week, but first wanted to get some input from you guys. Anything you can enlighten me with would be most appreciated. Thanks!

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Many bright folks feel that the perceived differences in sound between different CD players or different DVD players are due to placebo effects, and are not real and verifyable, so please take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt. I think there ARE real, and sometimes significant, differences in the audio quality of various CD / DVD players, but not everyone agrees. So, from my perspective...

To get a CD player that sounds better than most DVD players, you'd have to spend a lot of money. Likewise, to get a DVD player that sounds better playing CDs that most CD players, you'd also have to spend a lot of money.

This is not a good time to spend significant $$$ on any DVD/CD player, so whatever you buy I'd concentrate more on ergonomic issues like, is the remote easy to use? Are the features offered by the machine useful? Does it have the outputs I need?

The reason I don't think now is a good time to buy any expensive player is that the industry is still shaking out the CD / DVD / DVD-A / SACD / CD-R / CR-RW issue, and multi-format players are starting to appear. They are all very expensive right now. The prices will, as is the way of things, fall percipitously as production ramps up. If you drop big dollars on a DVD player from a high-end manufacturer right now (say, something like the Arcam DIVA DV-88 DVD player), you're likely to find a few months down the line you could have done just as well for 40% of the cost.

Ray

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Music is art

Audio is engineering

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I met Paul Klipsch once. It was at Listen Up (aka "List and up") in Denver back when CDs were first introduced. The store had just held a big hoo-hah presentation showing off CD players and their "Perfect Sound." Somehow, they'd managed to roll this up with some Klipsch based event.

The hoo-hah itself was held at a local concert hall. Later, back at the store, Mr. Klipsch was showing off a very old 3-channel recording, his speakers, and some hotshot class A amp.

Being the brash young spud that I was, I introduced myself. I think he asked me what I thought about these new fangled CD players. I expressed my concern over what seemed like a low sample rate.

He responded by telling me how back in the old days, they used a fairly low bias frequency on tape decks, with all the engineers assuring us that it was good enough, and that over the years, the bias frequencies kept getting higher and the decks kept sounding better.

Ok, my one brush with greatness. Probably remember it all wrong. wink.gif

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I use a Sony DVP-S7000 DVD player and an Adcom single-tray CD player. The digital connection on either machine sounds better than the analog on the other machine. Can't tell any difference when I compare digital to digital or analog to analog...just digital to analog.

But what do I know.

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I have been very happy with my Denon DVM-3700 which I use for both DVD and CD playback. I purchased the unit in May, 2000. The DVM-3700 is expensive. It has superior sound to my Pioneer Elite CLD 53. However, the Denon will not play CD-Rs or CD-RWs by design. So if you intend to play these type disk this player is not recommended. I agree with Ray knowing now that players are in a transitory to truly multi-play units. I have heard the SACD and it is awesome. I probably would not have spent as much on this unit. Other than it limitations play CD-Rs and CD-RWs, it is a great player. The carousel is a very nice feature.

Bill J.

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Thank you all for the informative responses. While the Denon 3700 is quite appealing, its inability to play CD-RWs is somewhat of a drawback for me. Also, with the industry in a transitory phase as Ray suggests, and since I don't want to drop $1500(WOW) on an Arcam Diva DV-88, it would probably be my best bet to keep the pioneer CD player that I've been using and simply add a reasonably priced DVD player. I have a friend who works at a local A/V store that can get a Sony DVP S560D for me at cost, plus there is a $50 mail-in rebate on this model that she says will still apply. For now I'm going with this model, but I'll keep my eyes open for upgrading in the future. Again, thanks for your responses! They proved most helpful in making my decision!

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yea mine definitely does not. sony does have some newer models that do though. watch out for sony though - had some problems w/ mine.

------------------

RF-3 (front), RC-3, Cornwall I (rear)

Velodyne HGS-18 sub

Monsterbass 400 sub cables & Monster Z-12 wire

Sony de935 a/v receiver

Sony DVP-C650D dvdp

Sony Trinitron 27" tv

Technics dual cassette deck

Technics direct drive turntable

Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 digital cable box

rock on!

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PhilH and boa12,

You're right, this Sony does not play CD-RWs. I'm only going to use it for DVD play and keep my existing CD player as well. I had thought about combining the two and getting rid of my CD player, but I'll wait a little longer before I do that...to see what the market has to offer in the next year or two. Until then, I'm going with a single disc DVD player. A friend of mine has this same model and is very pleased with it. I would be interested to hear of the problems you've encountered with yours boa12. Thanks for your response guys, 'cause if I had been planning on using this for more than DVDs you would have helped me correct a huge boo-boo!

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b&d, mine won't do cd-r either for that matter. well at least i have the car biggrin.gif

had some functionality problems - was sticking or jumping on the dual layer change,

not recognizing the disks on the display, thing like that. i got it in on the last day of the 1 yr. warranty. could your friend get u a deal on an extended warranty?

only 1 i've ever owned. still pretty satisfied though it still has some quirks - like the tray not opening til the second try. sony did have a service center nearby which was nice. would be even nicer to have a 2 yr or more warranty standard.

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boa12,

I'll find out on Tuesday when I pick it up whether or not she can cut me a break on an extended warranty. It's possible, because another friend at the same place did it for me on my Alpine system in my car a little over a year ago. I'll certainly give this model a good once over when I get it hooked up, and continue to keep my eyes open for the problems that you have experienced with yours. Thanks for the information and the tip on the extended warranty!

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My Sony dvp 600 plays everything I throw at it;cd, cd-r, cd-rw, video cd. Plays some pretty pretty well abused disks as well. I recently switched to a Toshiba DS2200 as something with DTS to tide me over til someone makes an all in one 5 disk,DVD Audio,SACD,Progressive scan player smile.gifThe Toshiba so far is good for music not do good for movies. I see alot of smearing in some movies and massive pixellization in others. I am going to take it back this weekend and get a low end Denon. The HDCD capabilities of the Toshiba are not impressing me.

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lerajie

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Update to my last statement. I bought a Denon DVM 3700 and HDCD is now impressive to me. Huge difference between the Toshiba and the Denon in sound quality as well as video.The Sony DVP 650 I had before the Toshiba while being reliable as a rock. Cannot compete with either the Denon or Toshiba in the audio department.The Denon is head and shoulders above both of my older units in audio and video.

If you are still considering the 3700. Keep in mind that Denon chose the 3700 as its source component in it's demo room at CES last year. That's right, they chose to use the 3700 over their "audiophile CD player" for music and their DVD 5000 for movie playback.

So far after watching 6 movies and listening to about 10hrs worth of CD music I really like the 3700.Alot.

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lerajie

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi guys,

I thought I'd update you on the DVD player situation. I went with the Sony DVP S560D. After watching eight or ten DVDs I find that I am quite content with my purchase. Very nice video quality and a great price with the rebate. I am using the S560D strictly for DVDs and sticking with the old Pioneer system for CDs, for the time-being anyway. Eventually I'll upgrade the audio system...probably with Denon...and maybe incorporate it into a home theatre system. You guys will know when I do 'cause I'll be back to ask you more questions about that too. Thanks very much for all of your responses. They proved most helpful in making my decision. Bobby

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