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What is better than RP91 to SDI mod

2070 Views 42 Replies 15 Participants Last post by stevethx, Feb 27, 2005

stevethx

Discussion Starter · Feb 21, 2005

Hi all,

I've had a SDI RP91 for about 8 months feeding firstly a Lumagen VisionPro and now the HDP.The only other SDI modded player I've had in my system was a Marantz DV9500,both done using the PMS kit.The verdict between the two players was that the RP91 was the preferred picture being smoother through less noise,the sound of DVD's through my system sounded far better through the Marantz,much richer and more detail and way more bassline.So,what player is better than the RP91 to SDI mod.

Does anyone know what MPEG decoder the CAL audio labs 2500 uses?Is the PQ on an SDI modded Denon 5900 better than the Rp91?The comparisons between the SDI players being through a video processor to a Front projection CRT

Cheer's Steve

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1 - 20 of 43 Posts

Gordon Fraser

· #2 · Feb 21, 2005

Steve,

Best SDI modded image I've seen was from a Linn Unidisk (it was a 2.1 version I saw)....don't know what they use as MPEG decoder but the image had a real 3D effect quite beautiful.....sound was pretty excellent too.

Gordon

oferlaor

· #3 · Feb 21, 2005

stevethx,

The RP91 is very close to ideal, I have not seen a better SDI picture on another player yet.

stopdog

· #4 · Feb 21, 2005

I have an RP82 w/ SDI (closely related to the RP91 I think) and a Denon 2910 w/ SDI right now along with VisionProHDP and Barco 1209.

After doing quite a few comparisons with different DVDs I find the 2910 to produce a "deeper" more 3D picture with richer colors than the RP82. The RP82 looks "flat" in comparison. Both produce very sharp pictures with a lot of detail . At first I thought the RP82 looked a bit sharper. But after looking at test patterns from DVE the opposite seemed true, the 2910 looked to have more detail on test patterns. Possibly the RP82 does produce slightly shaper edges, like you turned up the sharpness level on the scaler without really gaining any detail. Of course that's impossible with the ProHDP because the sharpness control does not function with SDI.

In the end I prefer the more "filmlike" look of the Denon 2910 over the more "digital" looking RP82. Also the sound is much better from the 2910 and the build quality is a zillion times better.

stevethx

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 22, 2005

Hi all,

Ok so we've established the RP91 is a good SDI player(shame it sucks on the movie audio side of things)

Ofer,what other SDI modded players have you tried?

Do the Denon 2900/5900 2910/5910 all use the same MPEG decoders?

Would the CAL 2500 be worthy of SDI and does anyone know what MPEG decoder it uses(I have the opportunity to obtain a second hand unit )?

I've upgraded?from a Visionpro to the HDP and while the SD PQ has definitley improved(especially on LD)from my observations I reckon the SDI inputs have more noise on the picture,have changed nothing but the scaler.Would anyone else like to confirm or deny.(Also we've lost the black enhance feature from the menu.I found this useful,did anyone else?)

Cheer's Steve.

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Steve Bruzonsky

· #6 · Feb 22, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by stevethx
Hi all,

Ok so we've established the RP91 is a good SDI player(shame it sucks on the movie audio side of things)

I've had a Theta Voyager with Single Mode optical for years, you won't find a better sounding DVD movie player!!!!

Well, a bit more than a year ago, I got a Panasonic RP-91, which I had SDI modded. I also modded it to accept a three prong AC plug (to use my Granite Audio power cord with toroids each end for high frequency noise filtering, from a PS Audio P600 power regnerator). And I placed a set of Symposium Rollerblocks and a Symposium Ultra platform under it.

Now, DVD sounds about the same from each player - outstanding

(The Theta smokes the RP-91 though on redbook CD). HAAAAA!!!!

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jjtoma

· #7 · Feb 22, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by Gordon Fraser
Steve,

Best SDI modded image I've seen was from a Linn Unidisk (it was a 2.1 version I saw)....don't know what they use as MPEG decoder but the image had a real 3D effect quite beautiful.....sound was pretty excellent too.

Gordon

Gordon

Here's a Linn Unidisk 2.1 review. The fellow opened the

box and looked around inside. MPEG decorder was the

ESS Vibratto Videodrive es6038f. Here's a link.

Jim

http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Hardwar...Unidisk21.html

PS Gordon, do you know who perform the sdi mod on the Linn? Does

PJ HiFI in Guildford ring a bell.

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stevethx

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 22, 2005

Hi

Yes I've been toying with the idea of modifying the RP91 for better sound.Just before Xmas I thought I'd found the answer,as in NZ we run 240 volts and need to run step down transformers for US sourced hardware.My RP91 was using a step down transformer about the size of a wallwart,I needed to test another 110volt device and it wouldn't even power it up.I thought UUMMM maybe the RP91 wasn't getting enough juice,so I got the big block 454 stepdown transformer out of the garage(this thing weighs a ton and there ain't nothing it won't drive),well what a huge improvement,more of everything in the sound department.I was happy--------until I tried the Marantz 9500 in my system-----now the RP91 is back to sounding woeful.So what mods really work?Maybe we could get a thread going so that everyone can modify the sound quality of their RP91,we seem to have modded everything else on this player?It might end up being the perfect player for 480i.

Cheer's Steve.

oferlaor

· #9 · Feb 22, 2005

stevethx,

When you say that it sucks on audio, how do you have it hooked up (analog or digital)?

I tried several players, including various Panasonics and Pioneer players. I've seen only one Denon (I'd have to look at my notes, I don't remember the model).

Josh Z

· #10 · Feb 22, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by stevethx
Ok so we've established the RP91 is a good SDI player(shame it sucks on the movie audio side of things)

When you use the digital audio connection, all DVD players sound the same.

Please let's not turn this into a "My $8,000 optical cable and green marker make my CDs/DVDs sound better than yours" thread. This thread is supposed to be about MPEG decoders and SDI mods.

Elliot

· #11 · Feb 22, 2005

Jim

It is indeed PJ HI-FI who carry out the SDI mod to Linn Unidiscs they also have done 500 / 800 series Meridian and Arcam players

Steve Bruzonsky

· #12 · Feb 22, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by oferlaor
stevethx, When you say that it sucks on audio, how do you have it hooked up (analog or digital)?

Even with my tweaks, the RP-91, connected by a coaxial digital cable,

sucks on redbook, and that's that. Again, on DVDs, sounds about same as my Theta Voyager Single Mode.

Sorry, all digital transports, digital out, do not sound the same.

I might add that when I connected the RP-91's coaxial digital to my Theta Casablanca 2's BNC, that was the final step in improving the sound, vs the CB2's coaxial digital connection.

Josh Z

· #13 · Feb 22, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by Steve Bruzonsky
Sorry, all digital transports, digital out, do not sound the same.

Believe what you want to believe and throw around your money as you see fit, but let's keep this thread on topic please.

Steve Bruzonsky

· #14 · Feb 22, 2005

Josh, you started it - anyway, when you're in the Phoenix area, come on over, we will play both the Voyager and the RP-91 over digital and let you decide if you hear a difference on redbook CD. It ain't even close. I've had a number of folks who aren't audiophiles visit and I've done the demo and everyone agreed - and I didn't tell them which was which.

stevethx

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 22, 2005

Hi

Ofer,I use the digital coax output fed into a Meridian 565 etc,and listen only to Dolby Digital,DTS and Dolby Stereo soundtracks from both DVD and Laserdisc.I have very little interest in music from my system.This of course doesn't mean I don't like music,I just want to recreate the Home Cinema experience best I can with what I've got.

Josh,I don't mean to be rude dude but no ones forcing you to post on this thread(you can just read it)I do apologise if I've asked too many questions,but most of the guy's who have contributed to the thread actually own the gear in question and seem to share the same passion to get the most from it.Not all DVD players sound the same from their digital outputs playing DD,DTS etc.Your statement regarding the fact they do is like saying the world is flat because you know it is and know no different.And anyway Ofer is the thread police not you lol.

Cheer's Steve

asjackson

· #16 · Feb 22, 2005

Just to add to the Pile,

I have Pioneer DV-47Ai, and a Denon 3910, both being used as transports

for audio, Denon sounds richer, more detailed for redbook CD's and DVD movies....

My two cents.....

Josh Z

· #17 · Feb 22, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by stevethx
Josh,I don't mean to be rude dude but no ones forcing you to post on this thread(you can just read it)

No, but I was (and still am) interested in the original topic of this thread, which has now been completely derailed.

Quote:

Not all DVD players sound the same from their digital outputs playing DD,DTS etc.Your statement regarding the fact they do is like saying the world is flat because you know it is and know no different.

Here's a nice site that sells magical pebbles that will improve your room harmonics, and super-advanced computer chips that will "upgrade" your CDs to SACD/DVD-Audio quality just by placing the chip on top of the CD player while the disc is spinning:

http://www.machinadynamica.com

Have a blast.

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Gordon Fraser

· #18 · Feb 22, 2005

Yes it was Elliot, PJ HIFI and one of their modded players I had the chance to see a couple of times. I've seen lots of SDI modded players....RP91'S 82'S 62'S 598 Meridians, 800 Meridians, Arcams....Pioneers..Denons.....If I had the money then it'd be UNIDISK,,,,,no question...

Gordon

oferlaor

· #19 · Feb 23, 2005

Never heard of a single difference between two *working* players on audio. On PCM (redbook CDs), there is some chance (because there's no error correction, AFAIK, on the actual cable) there could be *some* difference.

Of course, we don't want to hijack this thread and this subject has been trampled to death on many other forums in AVS...

DigitalAV

· #20 · Feb 23, 2005

Josh Z,

It seems you've missed the entire point of this thread and are accusing the original thread starter, stevethx, of straying from his own thread!

The topic is finding an SDI-moddable player with better-than-average quality AUDIO in the digital domain, with respectable MPEG decoding as a requirement (NOT simply finding good MPEG decoder SDI players...there are a million threads on that topic already)!

Also, you need to educate yourself -- paramount factors like jitter (clock phase noise) can have massive impacts on SPDIF (DIGITAL-OUT) AUDIO. All DVD players do NOT sound the same using digital-out. The bottom line is that digital audio at some point HAS to be converted to a wave form before you can hear it (i.e., digital to analog)! When that digital stream hits your DAC in your pre/pro/amp before it goes to your speakers, if it's lost clock, you WILL get inferior audio! Just google "SPDIF jitter" and have fun!

stevethx,

I really don't think you could go wrong with either an SDI-mod Denon 2910 or 3910.

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1 - 20 of 43 Posts

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