A beautiful progressive scan DVD player
Written: Oct 02 '02
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Pros: Build quality, video quality, warranty
Cons: Size, weight (no big deal), SACD standard?
The Bottom Line: A high-quality, reliable progressive scan DVD player that is a definite "add" for your system. Enjoy!
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| led_zec's Full Review: Sony DVP-S9000 ES DVD Player |
Most everything about this player has been covered in one review or another, but I thought I would weigh in with a summary view. I replaced a Denon multi-DVD player (about a $700 model, can't remember number) with this after the Denon broke down. Since replacing it, I have been wowing friends and family with its great picture and sound, enjoying the ease of operation, and using it as both my primary DVD and my secondary CD player.
The best thing I can tell you right off the bat is that everything is better than the Denon, by far. If you have an older DVD without progressive scan you will see the difference. This is even more true if you have a HiDef TV. I am not easy to please, nor quick to adopt the new. In this case, it was a foolish delay on my part. I looked at it over and over in the store and never really saw a huge difference. Let me state right up front the new player went in as the old, same cables, TV (Sony 43" HDTV), amp (Yamaha DSP-A1), etc. Right off the bat, the picture jumped off the screen, same source better quality. No questions asked. I watched a number of movies, sampled some of the best I have as well as some of the standard tests. Two things I recall. On one of the sessions at West 54th street, I caught the artists face as a reflection on the piano. No joke, I actually stopped and went back to look at the picture on a music DVD. Second was Saving Private Ryan. A test DVD I use all the time. I found the opening beach scene disturbing. I have seen it 50 times easy, but this time around the blood and guts were just a little too real. The screams a little to in your face. I knew something was different when my wife actually jumped when a shell went off behind her chair. I think those that have said the picture is more film like have it right on the money, the experience is closer to what I get in the theater then anything I have seen to date.
Music and SACD, are a different beast altogether. On CD. Its a good CD player. Not bad, or harsh, difficult or bright as some have stated. It is not however outstanding in any way either. Its just a good player, at least outta the box. I would not invest in this model for its audio capabilities -- it really shines on home theatre work. I saw one review that said that this player need 200 hours at the least before the player will open up and sing.
SACD, is tough for me to talk about at this point. There are a few CD's that I know well enough to comment on. I have been a big fan of Train for awhile now and know the album Drops of Jupiter well. On SACD, its better, you can hear more of what's going on instruments are more pronounced, as are vocals. I caught a number of riffs and back vocals that I did not know were there. I also picked up SRV Texas Flood. Again, words really don't do the experience justice, you need to hear it. Its different, its better, and you will hear the difference. How much you hear will depend on both your system, and how important two channel play back is to you.
I simple terms I feel that SACD took a great system and pushed it up near the preformance of a true high end two channel playback system. My sub disappeared for the first time ever. I had to check twice to see if it was on. Music was just there, not in your face, or to laid back, it jumped out of the system and into the room.
Now the bad news. SACD is on the line just like DVD-A. Who will be the betamax. No one knows. For my part, the DVD makes the show anyway. For the price I get some great music as well. If you want one of the best DVD players out there, pick it up, if your goal is two channel playback first, I would look elsewhere. On the upside, you get to try SACD, but its a DVD player first. Cables and the packaging are at best poor. There is a simgle S-Vid cable, and one set of video/L/R plastic wrapped K-mart specials. Other then that I got two batteries and a remote. No sample SACD, no highend DVD's, no video essentials, or perks. The docs are not bad, but they are by no means the best I have seen either.
If you want this box as a DVD player for a HiDef TV then you get everything you pay for. If you have a hidef TV you won't blink at paying a bit more for some decent cables, or your own copy of video essentials. If you want to try out SACD its there, and it works. If you are just looking for a decent DVD player, or you are thinking of this as a CD first, and DVD second, I think you can get more for your money. Its not a bad CD player, and SACD is great, but it is not a CD first.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1050
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Epinions.com ID:
led_zec
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 96
Trusted by: 38 members
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