See my signiture for my pending order from Outlaw!

Im loading up the saddle after 15 years of child rearing. Daddy getting some new toys!

My multidisc Sony DVD is a nice unit but not SACD/DVD-A ready. The OPPO DV-970HD looks like a nice deal.

Im thinking the Sony unit is good for the kids, the V INC Bravo D1 good for more critical viewing and the new OPPO DV-970HD for cd,DVD-A and SACD listening. Given the ever changing landscape of players and my dwindling funds left over after buying everything this month, I was wondering if anyone can recommend another choice.

Perhaps the Oppo alone instead of the Bravo would suffice. My Loewe 38' Aconda does not accpet DVI or HDMI so anymore video than the Bravo would be llost. I am going in thru Component. The Aconda has a VGA input but I can only find a DVI-VGA converter for $500 and perhaps this is all silly given its a 38' tube. Picture is spectacular as it is!

Gonk, I see you have an Oppo unit but use a Yamaha for listening.

The New less expensive Oppo as a universal unit seems like a great disposable unit until the next break through product comes along. At $149, this is easy for now. Going $1400 for a denon unit is not good for me at this time, nor can I see any great benefit.

I'll spend more for balanced cables than for an Oppo! Crazy man, just crazy!

WAF is good right now, I just don't want to push it!

Any thoughts, impressions, recommendations, trails and tribulations, regressions, and creations????

Thanks!

The 970HD may actually prove to be a better player than the Bravo D1 - it doesn't use the 971H's Faroudja chip, but it is still a pretty respectable upscaling player and the D1 is a couple generations old now. Of course, with component output being the best connection offered by your display, that changes matters somewhat, but there's also a hacked version of the 970HD firmware available "out there" (linked numerous times in the AVS 970HD Brain Dump thread) that allows for 720p and 1080i output over component. It's not the latest version of the firmware, but it's fairly recent.

I do have a Yamaha for DVD-A and SACD (which I also use for CD's just to keep it busy, since my DVD-A/SACD library is pretty small) as well as an Oppo for DVD watching, but I am actually looking closely at Oppo's upcoming 981HD (not yet officially announced but discussed in some detail at AVS and expected out possibly as soon as this week) to replace both. Video performance would be basically identical to the 971H, but it would offer DVD-Audio and SACD to boot. It won't have a component video output at all, so it wouldn't be a good fit for your case anyway, but I'm probably going to try one out to see if the DVD-A/SACD performance is good enough to justify letting the Yamaha S1500 go.

The SMS-1 and those three subs should be a pretty potent low frequency mix, Nalod. It sounds like you are just getting ready to pull the trigger on it, so I'll offer one bit of advise: download and read Outlaw's Guide. The SMS-1 is a really nifty tool, but it's complex and not at all your typical home theater gadget - getting that guide in hand will help untangle much of the confusion that would otherwise get in the way.

Oh, and welcome to the saloon!

Thanks,

I was told the upscaler on my Loewe was great and thats why my old sony does so well.

No Component on a new product? Wow, fast getting obsolete!

Im using just two woofers as the "old" LFM-1 is getting kicked upstairs.

That old D1 is real slow getting booted up and my kids think the darn thing is busted. 2 years ago bought two for $100 on e-bay. They sent two thinking one might not be good. They are, just slooooow!

Plan on downloading the SMS guide asap and start reading up. Got to get electrician in to get a dedicated circut for the 7500.

Any advice on line conditioner? I have a Paramax unit but its a basic unit and a bit old. I don't remember the model number (its at home) but it has some lights on it! (I know thats silly!)

E-bay has good deals on monster power units but im skeptical. I forgot about line conditioning and cables when I figured the budget! Wife said she won't ask if I don't tell!

Thanks for the heads up. I am certainly taking on a lot of new technology in a short time. Basically starting all anew! Not much basis for comparison. Im coming off a 15 year old denon surround reciever and those cambridge soundworks pasive sub/sat. Added LFM-1 about 2 years ago and been lurking/lusting here ever since.

The M&K's all sit in boxes awaiting the new outlaws. Old Denon making some funny noises and now operates on 3 channel mode now.

I was considering a Bose lifestyle system (sacrelig!!!!) as it would be plug and play with a hard drive built in and Auto EQ. But nooooo!, I am

If your going to have an electrician come by, have him put a surge protector on the panel. This will cover the whole house against surges! Also have the electrician put a double duplex, (2 plugs) in on the dedicated circuit. Jim