Short answer. I tried both head to head and ended up keeping the 59avi.
Longer answer. Check my posts in the "Pioneer 59avi vs. Denon 3910" thread (I haven't tried a 3910, but took the time to paraphrase my 5900 results there).
Longest answer. Check my long posts at the end of the "macroblocking favor" thread.
Caveat. My results are specific to my display and my style of use. There are *LOTS* of happy 5900 users on this board, many of which wouldn'tt replace it with a 59avi on a bet. In reality both players are great but not perfect and liking one vs. the other is largely a matter of which imperfections you are more sensitive to. Note that the Denon 5900 was upgraded over the last year with several firmware upgrades fixing various problems (they send you a DVD with the firmware and you do the easy install yourself) and at least one important hardware upgrade (send it to the manufacture for this) related to fixing the IEEE 1394 or "I-link" digital audio output. The 5900 you have available to you may be subject to improvement depending upon its serial #, manufacturing date, and current firmware level. Denon technical support can help you out on this.
Update. The Denon 5900 is a discontinued product, temporarily replaced by the Denon 3910 which is also receiving plaudits here. Furthermore, the Denon 5910 is due out sometime next year, perhaps early next year, and the buzz is that when it comes out it will be the high-end machine to beat -- assuming nothing new from other manufacturers of course.
--Bob
Longer answer. Check my posts in the "Pioneer 59avi vs. Denon 3910" thread (I haven't tried a 3910, but took the time to paraphrase my 5900 results there).
Longest answer. Check my long posts at the end of the "macroblocking favor" thread.
Caveat. My results are specific to my display and my style of use. There are *LOTS* of happy 5900 users on this board, many of which wouldn'tt replace it with a 59avi on a bet. In reality both players are great but not perfect and liking one vs. the other is largely a matter of which imperfections you are more sensitive to. Note that the Denon 5900 was upgraded over the last year with several firmware upgrades fixing various problems (they send you a DVD with the firmware and you do the easy install yourself) and at least one important hardware upgrade (send it to the manufacture for this) related to fixing the IEEE 1394 or "I-link" digital audio output. The 5900 you have available to you may be subject to improvement depending upon its serial #, manufacturing date, and current firmware level. Denon technical support can help you out on this.
Update. The Denon 5900 is a discontinued product, temporarily replaced by the Denon 3910 which is also receiving plaudits here. Furthermore, the Denon 5910 is due out sometime next year, perhaps early next year, and the buzz is that when it comes out it will be the high-end machine to beat -- assuming nothing new from other manufacturers of course.
--Bob
