[King Titus]

I am thinking of purchasing an PIONEER ELITE DV-58AV DVD PLAYER player for its analog connection capability to play SACD's. Any opinions on this, or other SACD player suggestions?

I can't use HDMI for this system.

I found a DV-58 new for $250 shipped to the door.


Its connecting to a McIntosh MA 2275. (Int amp)


Thanks!

 

[King Titus]

Installed the Pioneer DV 58 today.

SACD playback sounds better then my Oppo 980H and PS3 (80gig)(old unit).

I read reviews that said the 980h was close, but not to my ears.

Any difference is big to me though...

The analog out, was a complete run away in definition (Classical music used)


Plus it was cheap $250, 1/2 of MRSP

Anyone looking for a spare SACD player, put this on your short list.

I did not compare cd's or video as I will never use the video beyond the set up menu.

 

[OtherSongs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by King Titus /forum/post/16950677


Installed the Pioneer DV 58 today.

SACD playback sounds better then my Oppo 980H and PS3 (80gig)(old unit).

I read reviews that said the 980h was close, but not to my ears.

Any difference is big to me though...

The analog out, was a complete run away in definition (Classical music used)

I have a P.E. DV-58 universal player, as well as an OPPO 981 and also have a bit of hands on with an OPPO 980 (given as a gift).


IMO the P.E. DV-58 is a decent unit (used through the analog outs).

Quote:
Originally Posted by King Titus /forum/post/16950677


Plus it was cheap $250, 1/2 of MRSP

Anyone looking for a spare SACD player, put this on your short list.

I did not compare cd's or video as I will never use the video beyond the set up menu.

IMO (note *IMO*), a closeout Denon player is a better pick.


Try Amazon; search on: denon sacd player


At 75 to 80 percent off the suggested list, my vote goes to either a Denon 2930ci ($199.88 new/closeout) or a Denon 5910ci ($999 new/closeout), both of which I also own (as well as a P.E. DV-58).


None of these players is perfect (including the above Denon units).


Main flaw of the P.E. DV-58 is that it tends to need the TV to be on in order to use a number of it's functions, which should be usable directly from the remote. And as far as I remember, it also does not recognize a CD that is HDCD encoded (not a big deal IMO). But at $250 is half off of it's suggested list.

Cheers

 

[King Titus]



Quote:
Originally Posted by OtherSongs /forum/post/16951103


I have a P.E. DV-58 universal player, as well as an OPPO 981 and also have a bit of hands on with an OPPO 980 (given as a gift).


IMO the P.E. DV-58 is a decent unit (used through the analog outs).





IMO (note *IMO*), a closeout Denon player is a better pick.


Try Amazon; search on: denon sacd player


At 75 to 80 percent off the suggested list, my vote goes to either a Denon 2930ci ($199.88 new/closeout) or a Denon 5910ci ($999 new/closeout), both of which I also own (as well as a P.E. DV-58).


None of these players is perfect (including the above Denon units).


Main flaw of the P.E. DV-58 is that it tends to need the TV to be on in order to use a number of it's functions, which should be usable directly from the remote. And as far as I remember, it also does not recognize a CD that is HDCD encoded (not a big deal IMO). But at $250 is half off of it's suggested list.

Cheers

Too late for me! Its installed and really sounds great! Currently running analog outs to my McIntosh 2275 int amp.

I have lived with my Oppo 980H for a year and the DV58 sounds sweeter in the highs by a good degree on my systems. Using Sonus Faber Speakers and Sierra -1's (FYI, Best inexpensive speaker that I have ever heard.) Until you blast it, then it can be challenged by other speakers.

Then, at $250 delivered, I feel like I stole it. 1/2 the price of a box of cigars/burnt leaves.

 

[Ifoonu]

I am also considering the P.E. DV-58. I need a player that can play SACDs and CDs without having to power up my projector. OtherSongs mentioned that the TV needs to be on for a number of functions. Does that include the basic play, pause, stop, next functions?

 

[King Titus]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ifoonu /forum/post/16954223


I am also considering the P.E. DV-58. I need a player that can play SACDs and CDs without having to power up my projector. OtherSongs mentioned that the TV needs to be on for a number of functions. Does that include the basic play, pause, stop, next functions?

No TV is needed for CD/SACD playback after initial setup!

 

[OtherSongs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Ifoonu /forum/post/16954223


I am also considering the P.E. DV-58. I need a player that can play SACDs and CDs without having to power up my projector. OtherSongs mentioned that the TV needs to be on for a number of functions. Does that include the basic play, pause, stop, next functions?

The P.E. DV-58 remote does not directly do 1) repeat disc or 2) repeat track.


OTOH it's a decent player (both audio and video); runs cool, has good AQ (via analog out which is the only way I've ever used it), has good build quality, and closeout pricing at 50% off.


For $250 or less, a possibly better closeout alternative is Denon. Go to www.amazon.com and search: denon sacd player


Which shows some strong closeout alternatives at 60% off to 80% off. Given $250 or less, the one I like (and have) is the Denon 2930ci at $199.88 (list of 849.99), plus it does HDCD (enhanced CD playback) has a more complex remote which permits track/disc playback directly via remote buttons, and has with the Reon chip has slightly better video than the P.E. DV-58 (IMO).


One thing that you can do/get with the DV-58 is turn it into a unit that will play back all DVD movies regardless of region. ValjeanPhantom posted how to do it some months ago in the DV-58 thread: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=923868


Another thing that I like about the DV-58 is that it remembers DVD movies that you've recently played. e.g. you play an initial DVD movie, then remove it from the player and player something else (music or another movie), then put the 1st movie back in and it picks up where you left off without having to go through the nosebleed of all the bloody pirate warning messages.


Which is another way of saying that there is no perfect disc player.

Which is why I run multiple disc players.


Cheers

 

[WilliamZX11]



Quote:
Given $250 or less, the one I like (and have) is the Denon 2930ci at $199.88 (list of 849.99), plus it does HDCD (enhanced CD playback) has a more complex remote which permits track/disc playback directly via remote buttons, and has with the Reon chip has slightly better video than the P.E. DV-58 (IMO).

You forgot to mention the extremely high laser failure rate it has, and the 3930ci as well. 3 out of 8 amazon reviews, and I believe even higher here in the DVD forum.

 

[OtherSongs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by WilliamZX11 /forum/post/16962318


You forgot to mention the extremely high laser failure rate it has, and the 3930ci as well. 3 out of 8 amazon reviews, and I believe even higher here in the DVD forum.

My one hunch is that these reports are blown out of proportion on AVS.


The one small group of people on AVS who'd have a clue would be those who are in the biz, and I can't see any of them posting repeatedly on a subject like this.


Anyway, I like the closeout Denon players more than I like the closeout P.E. AV-58, and given the better deal that I got on my Denon players I'm not worried about it one way or the other.


Also I clearly don't agree with those that think that one disc player is all one needs, which is a big factor in my opinion.


Cheers

 

[King Titus]

Try them both, and send the loser home.

Using Analog out, the DV58 is amazing!


Kal did a, what I believe to be, very fair write up on it, in Stereophile.

Music in the Round #31.

Good read.

 

[WilliamZX11]



Quote:
My one hunch is that these reports are blown out of proportion on AVS.

Maybe, but I have read the same reports of failure at every audio forum I visit. My hunch is that some people ignore things they don't want to hear about. Especially if it looks like a good deal.

 

[gychang]



Quote:
Originally Posted by OtherSongs /forum/post/16951103



IMO (note *IMO*), a closeout Denon player is a better pick.


Cheers

OtherSongs, have you chance to hear Denon DVD-5000 for analog CD output? I am considering it (no SACD disc unfortunately).


gychang

 

[King Titus]



Quote:
Originally Posted by WilliamZX11 /forum/post/16966254


Maybe, but I have read the same reports of failure at every audio forum I visit. My hunch is that some people ignore things they don't want to hear about. Especially if it looks like a good deal.

Unfortunately, + 1


D-58 Negatives are:
1 On the DV58 you are never positive that you are on 2 channel, as it does not show it on its screen, like the Oppo 980h. I do miss this, as I do not like to wonder if some how the multi button was pushed.
2 Also Not being able to " Repeat Disc" w/o TV is a PIA!


Unless someone here, knows something, I do not about this player.

 

[OtherSongs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by gychang /forum/post/16968254


OtherSongs, have you chance to hear Denon DVD-5000 for analog CD output? I am considering it (no SACD disc unfortunately).


gychang

I have no experience with the above Denon player.


A quick check of audiogon's blue book shows that it weighs 40 lbs, and 1st came out in '99. So if it is a new unit that you're looking at, it has been sitting somewhere unused for quite some time.


FWIW, this past 3 months I bought a similar (but newer) Denon 5910ci player from Crutchfield (through Amazon, at closeout of $2k; if the price is the same I'll go through Amazon every time), and when it showed up it had a build date of Dec.'06. And it seemed to clearly have "minor" playback problems. Two weeks later ListenUp showed up (on Amazon) selling them at closeout of $1k, so I bought a 2nd one from ListenUp with the added note that it also has the same build date of Dec.'06. Sure enough the 2nd unit worked noticeably better than the 1st one.


I returned the 1st unit to Crutchfield, and fortuneately Crutchfield paid for the shipping both ways and I got a full hassle free refund.


Cheers

 

[OtherSongs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by King Titus /forum/post/16968633


D-58 Negatives are:
1 On the DV58 you are never positive that you are on 2 channel, as it does not show it on its screen, like the Oppo 980h. I do miss this, as I do not like to wonder if some how the multi button was pushed.
2 Also Not being able to " Repeat Disc" w/o TV is a PIA!


Unless someone here, knows something, I do not about this player.

Agreed that the P.E. DV-58 universal player *remote* lacks a "Repeat Disc" button, and that having to turn the TV on to do it in the menu system is a PITA!


OTOH, it's fairly easy to check what audio format is playing with a movie: just press the remote's "display" button twice and you get a full status of the movie playback status/stats. There's also an audio button on the remote, but I don't have things on at the moment and it's been a while since I used it.


Perhaps the most serious pluses of the DV-58 (that I have) are: 1) it's seems likely to have a long life (I've had mine for a year now) and 2) that it plays every one of the marginal discs that my much more expensive Denon 5910ci universal player refuses to play.


IMO, in comparison to the 5910ci, the most serious weakpoint of the DV-58 is it's VQ of DVD movies. Whereas the AQ (again: *IMO*) of the DV-58 is reasonably close to that of my Denon 5910ci (regardless whether it's CD or SACD or DVD-A or movie sound (DD5.1 or DTS5.1).


Cheers

 

[King Titus]



Quote:
Originally Posted by OtherSongs /forum/post/16975138


Agreed that the P.E. DV-58 universal player *remote* lacks a "Repeat Disc" button, and that having to turn the TV on to do it in the menu system is a PITA!


OTOH, it's fairly easy to check what audio format is playing with a movie: just press the remote's "display" button twice and you get a full status of the movie playback status/stats. There's also an audio button on the remote, but I don't have things on at the moment and it's been a while since I used it.

Cheers

I only use it for SACD playback, analog output. I assume it returns to the stereo channel SACD setting, everytime (powered on / off).

Otherwise you have to scroll through the unit with a button on the unit.

From, multi to stereo, to cd, ect...

Lots of little hands around here, that change settings! So I alway verify.