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XA2 Review  

post #1 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:34pm
Thread Starter 
We spent our day with the XA2 at one of my stores. I've so far loved the HD content available, but today...

WOW

This player... is currently the best HD content player on the market, hands down. It is just amazing in PQ.

First we hooked it up to a Ruby, then we decided to go to the small room and see how it looked on the Mitsu 5000BL.

It looked great on the Ruby. On the $4,500 5000BL it looked better. It was sharper and more 3D, in fact many movies just looked a heck of a lot better on it.

We finally had our ISF tech calibrate the full Mitsu/Tosh setup. The results were amazing. He was very pleased with the internal picture changes available.

There is no doubt that the Realta chip in this player makes it top dog.

I've been living with a 360 addon at home, because well I didn't feel any of the 1st gen (or the A2) were worth the money. I wanted to wait until a company like Arcam or Meridian got a hold of the technology. I changed my mind today. I brought one of the units home.

I've also decided to remove the Ruby from my house for the Mitsu. Although I'm still honestly waiting for the new JVC....

The XA2 makes titles like HULK, KONG, BATMAN BEGINS, etc. even BETTER. In fact our ISF tech agreed "Now it's blowing BD away, this isn't close. Someone needs to make a better BD player."

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post #2 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:39pm
How would compare it the A2? I am very please with my A2, is there an obvious improvement in PQ?
post #3 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:39pm
Nice, XA2 is looking real good now, now just to get a hold of one
post #4 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:39pm
WHat is the load time compared to the HD-A2??

Any HDMI audio issues?
post #5 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoof View Post

How would compare it the A2? I am very please with my A2, is there an obvious improvement in PQ?

It is a lot better than the A2.

The PQ from the XA2 is right now in a class of it's own.
post #6 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebland View Post

WHat is the load time compared to the HD-A2??

Any HDMI audio issues?

I wasn't paying any attention to load times. So the answer would be "Whatever it was, it wasn't noticable."

As for HDMI audio issues or freezing or any of the problems that seem to happen to certain people...

We had no issues. Batman Begins looked better than we'd seen it before and sounded brilliant. Same with Kong. The Hulk however was mind blowingly three dimensional.

There is definately some amazing synergy with the XA2 and the Mitsu. I'd suspect the Panasonic LCD would work well too, as it's right behind the Mitsu in sharpness.
post #7 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebland View Post

WHat is the load time compared to the HD-A2??

Any HDMI audio issues?

On my HD-XA2, it's about two seconds faster. Not much difference, though.
post #8 of 369
1/3/07 at 3:58pm
Wow, great review. I cannot wait to get this player. Are you sure it made Batman Begins look better? I am psyched for this player!
post #9 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:17pm
What more can you tell us??? (make up stuff if you have too)
post #10 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsd2005 View Post

It is a lot better than the A2.

The PQ from the XA2 is right now in a class of it's own.

I find this hard to believe that is is 'a lot better than the HD-A2'? Was your A2 ISF calibrated as well? In what respect is it 'a lot better'?

If it is free of the plaguing issues on the HD-A2, I may get one myself!
post #11 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:35pm
The OP is 100% correct. The XA2 is the BEST HD optical player.

-Robert
post #12 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsd2005 View Post

It is a lot better than the A2.

The PQ from the XA2 is right now in a class of it's own.

Crap now I have to upgrade from my 2 week old A2
post #13 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:42pm
Robert, do you have any instock as of now? I'm twiddling my thumbs deciding
post #14 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsd2005 View Post

We spent our day with the XA2 at one of my stores. I've so far loved the HD content available, but today...

WOW

This player... is currently the best HD content player on the market, hands down. It is just amazing in PQ.

First we hooked it up to a Ruby, then we decided to go to the small room and see how it looked on the Mitsu 5000BL.

It looked great on the Ruby. On the $4,500 5000BL it looked better. It was sharper and more 3D, in fact many movies just looked a heck of a lot better on it.

We finally had our ISF tech calibrate the full Mitsu/Tosh setup. The results were amazing. He was very pleased with the internal picture changes available.

There is no doubt that the Realta chip in this player makes it top dog.

I've been living with a 360 addon at home, because well I didn't feel any of the 1st gen (or the A2) were worth the money. I wanted to wait until a company like Arcam or Meridian got a hold of the technology. I changed my mind today. I brought one of the units home.

I've also decided to remove the Ruby from my house for the Mitsu. Although I'm still honestly waiting for the new JVC....

The XA2 makes titles like HULK, KONG, BATMAN BEGINS, etc. even BETTER. In fact our ISF tech agreed "Now it's blowing BD away, this isn't close. Someone needs to make a better BD player."

It's the SiliconOptix Reon-VX that does the 1080i to 1080p work. Great news nonetheless!
post #15 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:55pm
How well is the bass management/speaker setup for the analog audio on the unit? Is it more accurate? The audio setup on the XA2 is my biggest pet-peeve. I will buy an XA2 after CES if this issue is resolved.
post #16 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:55pm
There goes my New Year's Resolution LOL Thanks for the reveiw.

I can't wait to get my hands it! Too busy today, so I'll make some calls tomorrow!
post #17 of 369
1/3/07 at 4:58pm
Here's the official press release from SO.

http://www.siliconoptix.com/chipProd...6C136384CFDE33
post #18 of 369
1/3/07 at 5:06pm
If the XA2 is better then the A2 then I do not know if I should order the A2 or Xa2. Is it worth the extra 500 bucks for the XA2 or is the A2 just as good. Any advice would be appreciated.

Rob
post #19 of 369
1/3/07 at 5:15pm
now we know about what's driving the video side of XA2..... but what's under the hood for XA2 audio?
post #20 of 369
1/3/07 at 5:25pm
I was a skeptics before I had my Realta VP. I couldn't belive how it affected the overall PQ. Very 3D. I would imagine this would be even better than an HD-SDI connection that videophiles crave for.
post #21 of 369
1/3/07 at 5:29pm
tsd2005,

What are the available crossover points for the analog outs? I'm hoping there are more selections than the limited 80-100-120 Hz with the A-1 and XA1.

Thanks.
post #22 of 369
1/3/07 at 6:07pm
I'd like to know how the HD DVD 1080i output compares to the A2 (my display is only 1080i).
post #23 of 369
1/3/07 at 7:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebland View Post

I find this hard to believe that is is 'a lot better than the HD-A2'? Was your A2 ISF calibrated as well? In what respect is it 'a lot better'?

If it is free of the plaguing issues on the HD-A2, I may get one myself!

It would be unfair to compare a calibrated unit vs. un-calibrated.

The picture on the 100" Stewart, with the Mitsu was just flat out AMAZING. I really can't say enough about it. Consider that my home DVD player is the current Arcam FMJ.

This player is just amazing. I believe the Silicon Optix chips in the mitsu and XA2 result in an outstanding PQ. It is so 3D... even some titles that we originally thought didn't have mind blowing PQ look better. Army of Darkness for instance looks so much better.

It's the brilliantly mastered HD-DVDs that just make you go WOW, SO THIS IS WHAT HD-DVD IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE

I expected a better player. I wasn't expecting this. For a 2nd Gen player, it's awesome.

Also take note that the Mistu combo will be 1080p/24 as soon as the FW upgrade is available. The Mitsu is already 1080p/24 capable.
post #24 of 369
1/3/07 at 7:44pm
tsd, thanks for the updates...the more, the better!
post #25 of 369
1/3/07 at 8:01pm
Damn, this is really getting exciting. I've been squirreling away my nuts to anticipation of treating myself when I came across a PS3, but could I really blow it upgrading my HD-DVD player? I'm awfully happy with my A1.

Would there be any reason to believe that a 720p projector could see a benefit from the XA2?
post #26 of 369
1/3/07 at 8:23pm
I am so glad that this player is outstanding.....i am so tired of people 1080p the BD and saying it is better....the speed in which hd dvd is maturing is very surprising....now if they would hire the guys from OPPO Digital as thier firmware team it would be perfect!!
Sure do miss the days of posting in the Oppo thread about a problem and the next day having a FW update......
post #27 of 369
1/3/07 at 9:01pm
Can you comment on the SD upscaling ability on this unit compared to the A-2? I have about 400 DVD's......and I just got the A-2 and am extemely pleased with it...Is there a truly recognizable difference in your opinion?
post #28 of 369
1/4/07 at 4:09am
Since I will be using my XA2 on my RUBY , I would like to know if you gave the RUBY a fair shake. Did you have your ISF guy recalibrate the Ruby/Tosh combo and watch that first before you decided to switch to the mitsu/tosh calibrated setup ?
post #29 of 369
1/4/07 at 7:12am
Can someone explain what exactly makes the AX2 have a superior PQ over the A2? I was under the impression that 1080i60 and 1080p60 would look the same on a 1080p tv.
post #30 of 369
1/4/07 at 7:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tsd2005 View Post

We spent our day with the XA2 at one of my stores. I've so far loved the HD content available, but today...

WOW

This player... is currently the best HD content player on the market, hands down. It is just amazing in PQ.

Gee! I was not expecting the XA2 to be so superior to the A2. I have a XA2 on order and I am anxious to get it.
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