Well, my new Outlaw 950/770 is on the way. I expect delivery on the 16th of this month. I am now in the market for a new DVD/CD player and a surge/conditioner. My budget for the new DVD is 800 - 1200 dollars. I'm considering a Sony DVP NS999ES or a Denon DVD2900. Could any of you please offer some recommendations for a DVD player (any brand) in my price range?
I am also looking at a Brick Wall surge protecter. Should I purchase a 15 AMP or 20 AMP device?

I own sep. SACD and DVD-A players because I had to jump into multi-channel as soon as I could. They are both very good (at least IMHO given my not so very good monitor yet) DVD players as well. But...I wish (primarily due to hook-up situations, only one set of multi-channel inputs and no affordable multi-channel swithes around) that I had a really good universal player.
So if I had it to do all over again...and given enough time I probably will, I'd look into the best universal player I could afford.

the denon is better.

Denon makes some of the finest DVD players available.....
Go with Denon.
The Denon DVD5900 is the ultimate......maybe you might be able to find one close to your upper range spending limit....if you are looking for the best, and can add a few dollars more.....
well, maybe........
I have the Denon DVD3800, and it is just an incredible machine....
Every day I am amazed at the quality and performance of this player.....a more film-like image is hard to get. And sonically, it is hard to beat too. Denon's DVD player (along with my new Outlaw products, the 950/755 combo) has re-awakened my enthusiasm for music and home theater.
Two words.......
Outlaw......
and
Denon.

I demo'ed the Sony DVP NS999ES, and the Denon DVD2900 at the local Tweeter store. I watched DVD's, listened to DVD Audio, and SACD. The Sony does not do DVD Audio. I liked the Sony better. It handled the SACD format better (not much of a surprise since it's their format), and I preferred its video performance too. The Denon units have all received good reviews too. The best suggestion I could give is to go and have them demo'ed, and then decide.

[This message has been edited by Oil Can (edited February 13, 2004).]

i am not fond of sony, and while they may make some ok products here and there, i wont buy a sony unless i have to. they make so many things its not hard to see why they cant make anything really well. no one used to be able to touch their tube tvs, now they break all the time. their lcd projections that are so hot need to be recalled because of all the problems they are having. sony is turning into samsung. the only thing i would use a sony product for is a stand for my other product . this is not in defense of denon, just an attack on sony!

you should be careful buying a dvd player that is pricey, because too soon will it be obsolete. hd-dvd is right around the corner and it is going to start out a little over 1k. at ces this year hd-dvd was a hot topic (not that i went ), and that means that companies are focusing on it, so we should see them in a year at most. dvd players are a technologically driven product that has not really seen any dramatic increases in the past, but it is about to.

HD-DVD is certainly getting closer, but I doubt that early players will support DVD-Audio and SACD, so there's still a niche for some of the new, pricier DVD players (such as Denon's 2900 and 5900) to fill. While the more expensive players aren't for everyone, they can still be a worthwhile investment.

I'm hoping to be able to demo Yamaha's upcoming universal DVD player (the DVD-S1500) this spring -- it is supposed to retail for $400 or so when it comes out around March, supports DVD-A and SACD, has Faroudja DCDi for progressive scan, and is supposed to be CUE-free. If my local Yamaha dealer is cooperative, I'll probably A/B between it and Denon's 2200 (perhaps even using Sherbourn's 950 clone as pre/pro if they have a demo unit handy, since they handle all three lines).

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

I don't think so, because who wants a couple of $1000 or more dvd players? I think the trend is to make more universal type dvd players instead of making them more specific; therefore, I think we shall see hd-dvd players that also support sacd, dvd-a. i have had the chance to talk to some reps for several higher end audio companies about things like this and then lead me to believe that what i have stated above is true. i further think that people on this forum are primarily looking for value, hence the niche for outlaw audio, and do not want to constantly replace their gear. we all know that things will advance, rendering our equipment obsolete, but having it last 5 years instead of 2 is an achievable goal.

That statement seems to contradict what you said previously. If you don't want to "constantly replace your gear" and have "it last 5 years instead of 2," I would think you would want to buy the higher end equipment. Inexpensive components can work as well initially but can be also more prone to breaking down due to their lesser build quality and shortcuts taken to make them meet their price point. If you're looking for a durable player, buying the cheapest player out there is not the best idea.

Also, I think some of the above posts have pointed out that in the range from $500 to $1000, you can have the higher quality player that does everything you need it to while also getting a player that will last the 5 years or so till HD-DVD comes out. Going above that price point does bring in the point of diminishing returns but that is for the end user to decide.

maybe i was unclear, you can get a high quality dvd for a low price and then when hd-dvd comes out and you want to buy one, you havent lost much. THEN that new hd-dvd will last you 5 years. price and longetivity dont go hand in hand.

If the plan is to get a player now that would tide you over for a year or two until you could get an HD-DVD player, that would be good advice. But how many early adopters who bought DVD players in spring or summer of 1997 were still using that same player a year and a half or two years ago? If HD-DVD does launch in 2005, it will be similar to the DVD launch. The first model year of any product like HD-DVD is going to have teething problems that will make an upgrade worthwhile after a couple years, and most of the buyers in that model year are early adopters who are most likely to turn around and upgrade when a newer model fixes those early quirks a year or two down the road.

How about this advice for someone whose budget allows for a player in the $1000 range? Shop around, demo some players (as Oil Can wisely suggested earlier), and include a few less expensive models in your search (like Denon's 2200, Pioneer's 563, or Yamaha's S1500 whenever it shows up). If a universal player isn't necessary, there are also a number of good progressive scan players in the $500. If you think you'll want to upgrade to HD-DVD early, then it may make sense to seriously consider the less expensive ones and set some of that budget aside as seed for a future HD-DVD upgrade. If you think you'll wait for HD-DVD to get on its feet a bit and for the library of movies to start to grow, then decide which player would make you, your listening/viewing preferences, and your pocketbook happiest today. Maybe it'll end up being the 2900 for $1000, or the Denon 910 (without DVD-A or SACD) for $300, or maybe it'll be the Pioneer 563 for $180.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Is testing the new Yamaha DVD-S1500 still in the cards for you this spring, Gonk?

Gonk,

If/when you do this checkout, please let me know. I'm currently running a JVC XV-SA75 for DVD-Audio and a Sony SCD-CE775 for SACD in my listening system. The JVC is having problems with more and more DVD's lately. I'm seriously considering a new combined unit to replace these two.

Also, while I have your attention ... did you ever get the two email replies I've sent you over the past couple of months?

Later,

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pat----

email: pat@sklenar.info ---===--- home page: Grumpy's Lair

RE: the Yamaha S1500 -- Still planning to check it out when the local shop gets some in. I'm giving them until the first or second week of April before I quiz them about it again, since I've only recently started seeing signs of S1500's listed at some online retailers (J&R World now has them in their system, but only for in-store pickup).

Pat -- Just checked my old mail, and I have one from January and one from early March. Sorry about being a bit quiet on the e-mail side, but with the last big deadline at work arriving this Friday evening there's hope that I can stop and catch my breath soon.

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links