Here is the direct quote in case somebody can't find it:
"The way Pioneer elected to do DSD conversion for SACD's is quite interesting, and not unlike a couple of very expensive and well regarded SACD players. With Bass Management off, the signal goes from DSD to Analog directly, and with Bass Management on, it goes from DSD to LPCM to Analog."

I've got a Marantz DV-8400 and it's great. Not cheap but a wonderful player. It's plays just about every format known to man. I've had lesser players and I can hear the difference. YMMV though...

Sorry, I just read the part of your message that mentions a budget. My bad. Nevermind :-)

Lawrence

[This message has been edited by foamx (edited October 22, 2003).]

I'm a new convert to SACD. I tried the Sony DVD 999ES and I own the 775 carousel. I can't recommed either one. In both cases, the CD layer sounds better going through my DAC2 than the SACD layer through the unit's internal DAC. However the Denon 5900 changes all that. SACD sounds wonderful, amazing, better than my Bel Canto DAC2. And picture is superb. What a unit!!!!

I would LOVE to have the Denon 5900, but it is a little pricey for me, and I just bought a Denon 3800 (refurbished, affordable, and, spectacular)....I know the 5900 is the culmination of what Denon has been striving for, and from all reports, and my research too, I think they have acccomplished near perfection! I wish I could have the 5900, but am happy with the 3800 for now, and it was incredibly affordable.....I would assume the 5900 goes for about $1500.00 or so.......
man, I wish........
but that is why I said I have a budget.....I really do!!! Especially explaining any new purchase (and one over $1000.00)to my wife!!!
It was a lot easier to justify a purchase when single...would just ask myself, and voila!!!
You have the best player out there in my opinion with the 5900.....
Outlaws really know there stuff, but Denon really knows DVD and CD players, and builds with a quality like no other...unless we're talking ridiculously overbuilt mega bucks players.....
So, in my budget range($200.00 or so...), and with the reviews I have read, Sony or Pioneer seem to have pretty good SACD reproduction, and that is what I was trying to confirm.......
Can I get a pretty good sounding SACD player in my budget range????
Anybody else??????

[This message has been edited by daddy_guy (edited October 22, 2003).]

I sell the DV-563a at work. It's a good unit all-in-all, because it's universal, you'll only need one set of 6 channel analog cables to your reciever to get both DVD-Audio and SACD (which is going to be very handy because the vast majority of recievers/processors only have 1 analog 6 channel input.

I was curious about this DV-563 conversion issue so I emailed Pioneer. They responded,

"The DV-563 does not downconvert DSD to PCM before outputting analog."

Forgive me. I erased the original email so the above statement is a paraphrase of what they said.

So, I stand corrected by the manufacturer. Let the comparison tests begin!!

[This message has been edited by Jason J (edited October 27, 2003).]

As I say, I sell these at work. Talking with the Pioneer rep today, he made the statemet similar to Jed M. The downconversion only occurs if you use the onboard bass management system. If you bypass the bass management, then no downconversion occurs.

Embries,
Thanks for your input
Have you had a chance to compare the Pioneer DV-563 with the Sony DVP-NS755 at work??? These are the two players I am looking really hard at......I figured because Sony invented SACD, they might have the edge....but you have got me thinking.......
I sure would like an Affordable SACD Player.......it is the cabling nightmare and switch boxes that are my next nightmare.....man, that would sure be a mess of cables with two 5.1 players!!!! And I worry about using those Radio Shack Switchers (I heard I should modify (remove 2 small resistors??)if I use the Video plug as a third audio plug...)!!! But there is nothing else out there under $400.00 to use!!!!!
Oh, the things we do for.......good sounds and good movies!!!

I have indeed listened to both at work (however the store in which I work requires us to play music on overhead speakers, so the listening environment is not 100% clean). Having said that, I could honestly tell no difference in the two players on the SACDs which I tried. It could be that the Pioneer Elite reciever is incapable of highlighting the differences, subtle as they must be. The sound system is all Polk Audio with the RT 100s for the front RT70i's for the rear. Again, without the benefit of a 'listening room' I was unable to hear any sonic differences between the two players.