Best new 5 ch.SACD/ DVD-A/ DVD/ CD player?


I'm considering a change from my Sony 9000ES to gain 5 ch. SACD/DVD-A/CD-R playback and need feedback from members who have had the chance to check any of the newest players out. I wonder how the Pioneer DV-47's DVD playback compares to the Sony 9000ES? Please elaborate a bit on any experiences with the DV-47. I have owned the Pioneer DV-05 and the DV-37, and although they were good players, my Sony 9000ES is superior on every level. It has clearer, sharper video and better CD playback. I am considering the DV-47 because I'm anxious to have 5 channel SACD with DVD-A as well. I wouldn't care about DVD-A, but there are some DVD-A titles I would very much enjoy having. The DV-47 still has the red chroma bug problem, but to what extent?. I'm not sure I can overlook that. I currently use a Toshiba 42H81 HDTV, but will eventually get a DLP pj, and I'm concerned that the red chroma bug will become an issue on a larger screen. Denon has some multi format DVD players coming out with similar features, and no chroma bug. They are usually quite good in terms of audio, but to date their video quality has never been great, so I don't them expect them to excel in that aspect this time as far as DVD playback is concerned, but would be happy to hear that they have produced a winner this time. I use my DVD player as my 2 ch. CD source for the time being, so that aspect must be very acceptable. Tx, Martin
bmpnyc
Well Bmpnyc:

I cannot comment on the player that you are talking about switching to, but I will look into it when it comes out (if it's not out already).

But as I also do have a Pioneer Elite DV-37 myself also (and I am also watching out for the pending release of the Pioneer Elite DV-47A, but in the meantime, I am using my DV-37 as an audio CD Player right now, and doing so with terrifc results), I am also thinking about buying the new DV-47A myself. My reason for buying the DV-47A is because it is going to be one of the first TRULY universal digital players to hit the market (with the Pioneer DV-X10 being the VERY first one to appear on the market. It was introduced last year and it costs a whopping $5,000.00, and it is built like Ft. Knox), and it is going to be the VERY first one that's affordable. Of course, the 12/108 video processiong, and 24 bit/192 kHz. DAC circuitry certainly will help the DV-47A make a strong case for itself (it will be the equal of last year's DV-38A, but it's going to be about $600.00 less) as well.

When the DV-47A starts shipping, I am going to rush down to my dealer and stake my claim on one of the first ones to get inside the door. When I finally get my new DV-47A home, I will try it out in my home theater system first, just to see if the picture quality will improve over the DV-37. Afterwards, I think I am going to either sell my Toshiba SD-2700 (or give it away to my cousin) and the DV-37 is going to return to my home theater, as the new DV-47A will be connected to my audio system (because of its CD/SACD/DVD-A playback capability, as well its 24 bit/192 kHz. DACS).

Stay tuned and be patient, the DV-47A will arrive soon.

--Charles--
Charles, you might find it difficult to keep the DV-47A away from your video rig and end up buying two!
Bmpnyc:

Yep............ that might be all in true in what you say about the DV-48A when I finally get it home and get it hooked up. I suspect that the picture quality of the DV-47A will improve over the DV-37 thanks to a large part, the 12 Bit/108 MHz. processing circuitry inside of the DV-47A. But since I am planning on keeping my DV-37 even when I purchase the DV-47A, I probably will still transfer the DV-37 back to my home theater system, even if the newer DV-47A will top it in picture quality. But in either case, it will be a big improvement over the Toshiba SD-2700 that I am now using. And besides, even though it will become a superseeded model eventually, the DV-37 still delivers a nice picture now. What's going to keep the DV-47A out of my home theater system and put it in my audio system instead will be the DV-47A's CD /SACD/ DVD-A playback capability and those 24 Bit/192 KHz. DACs (as opposed to the redbook CD playback capability of the DV-37 as well as its 24 Bit/96 KHz. DACs).

And at $1,200.00 a pop, I doubt it very seriously that I can afford two of them anyway.

Then again, there's nothing wrong with dreaming, right??

--Charles--
Make sure you take allok at Pioneer's new top of the line Multi-Player- the DV AX10 excellent all-around unit. Expensive at 5k however....
Plnney:

Yep, the Pioneer DV-AX10 is an an "all around" universal digital player as well. It is nicely constructed and it is nice looking too. But at $5K, all I can do is look and be very smitten by it. But, that's about all I can do with the DV-AX10, as I cannot afford to spend what 90% of audio system costs just for THAT one item. It was good that I waited the year or so just like I did. Now, Pioneer is coming out with the Elite DV-48A which can do just about everything the DV-AX10 could do a year ago, but only the Elite DV-47A doesn't cost $5K. It will be priced at about $1,200.00 (according to Pioneer anyway), and I may very well pay THAT full amount when the DV-47A finally arrives at my dealer since I would like to get one of the first ones as soon as they arrive at my dealer. With the battlelines between DVD-A and SACD drawn, it turned out that I had to use my existing Pioneer Elite DV-37 as a CD Player for a while until either a new high resolution format was decided on, or until an affordable universal digital hit the market. And now, with Pioneer pending the release of the Elite DV-47A, it looks like now, my ship is going to finally come in.

--Charles--
but why does the dv47a cost so much less than the apparently inferior dv38a? what giveS???
Is it true that the 47A will decode DD, DTS, SACD Multi, and DVD A...??? I MAY be able to get rid of my McIntosh MSD4 Decoder if this is the case.....My Mac C39 has a 6ch audio input that I think will work just fine with the Pioneer>>>>Anybody try it out yet ?? I also have the Sony 9000ES. Tremendous results for video. I'd hate to loose any quality in the video area.....Any good reviews ??? Thanks.......Macfan
I have heard that all the Pioneer combo players convert the SACD to PCM before outputting to the DAC stage. This eliminates any sonic advantages that the SACD may have over the DVD-A. I think they did this on purpose to convince people that SACD is not better than DVD-A. Whether it is or not, you are not really hearing SACD. You are hearing SACD PCM sampled to DVD-A levels. These are not true multi format players. They just offer multi format compatibility, by allowing you to play SACD discs through the PCM converted output. Virtually everyone that I have heard say that they think that SACD is inferior or no difference has listened on one of these players. And you think it is only Sony that is playing games? Keep your 9000.
Sorry, Twl, you are wrong on this. The DV 47A does not convert SACD to PCM on output. Pioneer had so much negative response on their earlier players relative to this point that they specifically kept the Sony 'native' format. This has been confirmed repeatedly, its not an opinion.
Thanks, Flex. I guess I heard it about the earlier ones, and didn't hear the update about the change in the newer models. Disregard my above statements about the newer players.
Although the DV-47A has multichannel SACD output, it does not have multichannel DVD-Audio. The DVD-Audio output is stereo only. Still, it's about the only thing going that can handle both formats at its price point. There's a short review at the Sound & Vision website.
Sorry guys, my last post may be in error on the multichannel DVD-Audio sound issue. Although that's the information I was given at the shop, the manual available on-line certainly suggests that the DV-47a does have multichannel capability for DVD-A. Can anyone confirm this?
The ultimate irony -- multichannel playback of DVD-A is actually confirmed in the article I mentioned. Guess I should have read more closely. Happy listening!
I too am in the market for a new DVD/DVD-A player. The problem with the Pioneer for me relates to it's DVD-V performance. While I can't say I've seen it in action, I can say it is not using either one of the highly regarded de-interlacing chipsets, namely the Sage Faroudja or Silicon Image. The majority of the reviews I have read have been mixed to negative. There are a ton of DVD player threads going on at AVS forum. The holy grail of DVD player's doesn't appear to out in this year's batch.