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Experiences with Blu-ray players

I'm starting to build a home theater and am investigating BD players. I could use some stories of experiences others have had.

I'd like to keep good 2-channel capability, but I do have a few multi-channel SACDs so I'd like to be able to play them as well. My 2-channel gear consists of Theta source, Cary preamp, Threshold amplification and Avalon speakers. Given that, I'm thinking that a BD player with analog audio outs and a multi-channel preamp might be best for my particular priorities. My wife would kill me if I brought home the Ayre, so I'm in the sub-$2k realm. The reading I've been doing brings the following manufacturers to mind as having products I could afford and might like:

Oppo: Seems to be the default player for the past couple of years. I like the 7.1 analog audio output and the universality of the transport. The high, generally positive traffic on the various forums seems a good sign, too. I am concerned about it's 2-channel audio performance, though.

Cambridge: Ditto with the 7.1 analog output. A bit more talk about the sound, but less about the video.

Marantz: The 7007 has only two-channel analog out, but 7006 has 7.1 analog audio out.

Arcam: Reliability problems? I haven't experienced any with my Arcam DVD, but I don't own any other Arcam gear, so my experience is limited.
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Showing 4 responses by doggiehowser

doggiehowser
672 posts
 
For me:
two channel SACDs are played on an EMM Labs XDS1
two channel DVDAs are played on Oppo 95 feeding optical to XDS1

XDS1->ARC Reference 5SE->Electrocompaniet Nemos->Thiel CS3.7

multichannel DVDA/SACDs
Denon 4010 Universal player ->DenonLink/HDMI->Denon AVR-4810
AVR pre out to ARC Ref 5SE to front L/R
AVR pre out to
- Bel Canto REF500M to Thiel MCS1 centre
- Bel Canto REF1000M to Thiel PowerPoint 1.2 surround
- Wyred4Sound ICEBox MC 6xASP500 to surround back/wide/height Thiel PowerPoint/1.2

Only downsides are the Denon 4010 is having problems reading discs.
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
Or get an SACD player that does DSD to analog conversion directly without converting to PCM.

EMM Labs/Playback and I believe dCS have custom built DACs that do this.

I believe the Oppos use DSD capable DACs (off the shelf) as well.
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
@DougC

Not quite. Multichannel SACDs can be played using a Playback MPS5 and a cascade of MPD-5 DACs via the Playlink chain.

Using 1 MPS5+1 MPD5 gives you a 4.0 channel playback from a 5.1 source. Using 1MPS5+2MPD5 gives you 5.1 channel playback.
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
MPS 5 has a fibre Playlink output.

This goes to the Playlink input on the first MPD5

The first MPD5 has a Playlink output that goes to the second MPD5 :) if you can afford the 3rd unit.

The Playback Designs MPS5 and MPD5 list for US17k and 15k respectively. You can choose the layers to be played on the MPS5 (SACD stereo, SACD multichannel, CD)
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