Pioneer Elite DV-58AV

Here's a thread from about a month ago talking about the new player. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=904061

larry

This thread mentions an estimated MSRP of $500. Considering the feature set of the OPPO 980H is basically the same, I don't see the point in paying over $300 more for the Pioneer. I will admit that this player did catch my eye at first though, I've been very happy with my 563a.

The only reason (from my perspective) to add HDMI 1.2a to an SD DVD player is to use it as a universal transport, in which case all the added analog components which increases the price of the 58AV are not needed.

I bet the Pio has just a little bit better analog output stage. Better build quality, vibration isolation, maybe a better power supply, etc.

I have the 980H, and it does have some operational quirks that I bet the Pio doesn't have too.

How is this unit any better than the DV-48Av? I don't seen anything different other than the looks, both have HDMI 1.2, multi-channel audio outputs, upscaling to 1080p. The only thing I don't see is that the 48 plays divx files, but I don't see any mention of that about the 58.

I am in the market for an upscaling DVD player such as this Pioneer (my choices are between Pioneer, Denon, and Yamaha) and I have an incredibly dumb question:

If the DACs in this DV-58AV are indeed superb, why would I want to send the audio signal to my receiver via HDMI? Because if I send them via HDMI, then the signal is not being decoded in the DVD player, but in the receiver, correct? Wouldn't I want the signal to be converted inside this unit with the superior DACs (and therefore sent via analog cables) rather than in the receiver (where the DACs may not be as good)?

Most people send the digital signal to the receiver or pre/pro for flexibility. Most players can't do much processing on the digital signal like cinema re-eq, DPL IIx, THX, etc.

To be honest, in a $500 player like this, I don't think its DACs alone will have much of an impact on any perceived sound quality differences between it and a receiver of similar cost.

The obvious difference stated at the top is that this one will output SACD over HDMI.

as far as i can tell the dv-48av also outputs sacd over hdmi, this is from pioneer's website "Discover a DVD player built with HDMI® 1.2a, allowing for SACD streams to be passed to a compatible AV receiver". then again i don't own one and can't know for sure. vaya con dios.

Yes, you are right. I was thinking of the DV-79 and assuming (hah) that cheaper player would not be more advanced.

DV-58AV spec sheet and owner's manual.

[For the asterisks in the spec sheet link, substitute the name of an Internet retailer that sounds a lot like "won cawl."]

So does anyone have some test results to share regarding this player? How is the upconversion? good analogue sound quality? pic quality? I'm on the fence regarding purchasing this player or waiting for the Oppo 983. (I have a Pio PDP5080 Plasma) I do not want to get into the HD/BluRay thing as of this moment though a friend of mine is really pushing me into getting a Tosh HD A30 as it does have very good SD playback and when I saw Planet Earth on HDDVD in a local big box store, well my jaw hit the floor with a mighty thud!

Looking forward to seeing some feedback regarding the DV-58AV.

Can't really give you feedback on your questions because I use it only for DVD-A/SACD/CD thru hdmi. In my experience, stereo and multichannel performance is very good.

Thanks Pisay87 for the reply.

Looks like this is the US version of the DV-800AV released in Japan. It has Burr Brown 24-bit / 192kHz PCM1796 for audio. Does anyone know anything about this chip? What about the video?

I read somewhere that DV-48AV also has Burr Brown DACs. Is there a comparison available of DV-48AV and DV-58AV?

The Pioneer DV-58AV has some of the best audio out of its analog outs I have even heard in a stock player......quite something. No stock Denon (I have a 2930 here now), Oppo or other Pioneer (I have a Pioneer DV79AVI here now) is as good. Someone on Audio Asylum stated it had better video and audio then a Marantz 8400 (last generation $1500 universal with discrete analog output stage). I have been using it to watch videos on my Pioneer Plasma (4270) and the picture is good. I will be comparing it to my Oppo 980 on video sometime this week. I think the video on the Oppo will be at least as good, if not better (we shall see).......audio.....no comparison....the Pioneer is killer.

I will be looking forward to it. I am sure others will be too.

Ric,

Go at the video comparison with an open mind

The Oppos are great but there is a lot of hype around here. I've an Pioneer 400 which uses the same chip as the Oppo. Very nice picture but the 59avi is equal or better to it at upconversion.

The 8400 had good audio but very mediocre video.

Stereophile and Secrets both like Oppo. Audio quality too. Doesn't seem like hype to me. And I had a 59AVi and I now have a 980H. No layer change was the biggest reason why I switched. Couldn't stand that on the Pio. I'll keep my eye on the 58AV, but if you have to use the analog outs to get the better audio it has, then I just don't see the point. Even it should be able to deliver SACD/DVD-A via HDMI ... just like the much cheaper 980H.

If you are talking about audio out of these players then the analog output it is. The point of using the analog out for audio is to get the "latest/greatest" audio chip processing without updating your pre-pro/receiver. The 59avi has clearly better analog audio output than the Oppo 980. Video is too close to call. The layer change doesn't bother me that much (how many times does it happen over the course of a movie?). What the 980 has over the 59avi is price... $1000 vs $170.

Seems like a pretty big difference to me if there isn't going to be any difference to audio quality via coax/optical/HDMI. And that price difference, while not nearly as large, still exists for the 58AV too.

Is there any issue with the layer change in DVDs with this player? If so, can someone please detail it before I go out and buy this thing? Thanks!

Agreed. The 59avi, 79avi and now 58av only make sense, to me, if you are going to use the analogue outs for multi-channel sound. I'm still curious about the 58av's video performance. At CEDIA last year Pioneer had a sign that claimed "world class reference video processing". But I won't jump in unless I can get it heavily discounted from its $500 MSRP.

Paid $349. @ B&M. Extremely pleased w/A & V.

Obviously I have not played with this yet, however you SHOULD be able to let the player decode the signal and then pass it via HDMI or you can choose to ahve the reciever decode the signal. This is an option on their new Blu-Ray players, I wouldn't see why it wouldn't be the case here.

mayberry,

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