Pioneer Tries A More Affordable Hybrid - But Is the Savings Worth The Sacrifice?
Written: Apr 16 '03
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Pros: Versatile, slightly less expensive, good quality- a better than-utility hybrid
Cons: Marginal difference between 47Ai and 45A models, read review for details
The Bottom Line: 4.5 stars on merit, though the price has to come down a bit to make the choice between savings OR quality an easier one to make...read review for details!
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| nick1326's Full Review: Pioneer DV-45A DVD Player |
Yep, it's official- the Hybrid market is on fire. "Hybrid" you ask? The term "Hybrid Player" is becoming an industry staple - with the ongoing war between DVD-A and SACD, there's been an ever-increasing demand for players to are compatible with both -- Yet again, adding to the notion that both SACD and DVD-A are BOTH here to stay.
Many recently, there has been an influx of players to this market, what we haven't seen is an influx of budget-minded players - in fact aside from Pioneer's 45A (MSRP of 700.00) Onkyo is the only other manfacturer with a sub-1000 hybrid player. Many of the recent hybrids making great impressions have been within the 1000-1200 dollar range - however there is one inherent difference between those players and the 45A - They include top-notch componentry and better audio/video circuitry and parts! Make no mistake, the 45A is a very good player- it handles a totally diverse array of media (DVD A and V, SACD, CD, VCD, DVD R...etc etc and so on). However the shortcomings of the unit have to do primarily with audio and video quality - and although they're very good on this player, the question becomes something like this:
If you are set on having a DVD-A and SACD player, it would indicate that you're clearly interested in higher quality sound, since the two formats were designed for that... So why then, would you sell yourself short on optimum quality to save a few bucks? This is a key question to ask about this player-- I'm not saying I don't recomend it, it does very well. However with an MSRP of 700 (and a street price of about 575 - 625 or so) are you really saving that much money that it is worth a sacrifice in quality? In my opinion, if the player's MSRP was in the 500 dollar range, with a street price of in the 400's, I would say hands down, this is a great way to play everything and save money. However at a price in the 600s range, considering the far-superior 47Ai model sells at around the mid to high 800's, you may find that it is well worth the extra money to get the better quality unit- however this is very subjective, based on your wallet and your A/V priorities, so only you can answer this accurately through an audition... The unit is DEFINITELY worth at least an audition- You may very well find it the right one to take home.
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First, the spec's on the 45A as quoted by Pioneer:
"Video Performance Features:
PureCinema Progressive Scan (2-3 Pulldown)
54MHz/10bit Video DAC for high-quality DVD pictures (Analog Devices)
Super-Fine Focus Filter with 4:4:4 Video up-sampling (Progressive Only)
Video Parameter Adjustments w/ 3 User Memories, Fine Focus, Contrast, Sharpness,Brightness PureCinema (on, off, Auto), Hue, Chroma Level
Parallel S-Video / Composite Outputs
Pioneer Exclusive Viterbi Error Correction with Accurate Digital Servo for Superior Reading Accuracy
Still Step Play Forward and Reverse
Slow Motion Playback
Audio Performance Features:
DVD Audio Playback
SACD multi-channel playback (1 bit)
MP3 Playback Capability
Twin-Wave Laser Pickup for: CD / Video CD / CD-R / CD-RW / DVD-R / DVD-RW playback (recorded in Video Mode)
Triple 192KHz/24-bit (3x2) Audio DAC's for superb sound quality (Burr Brown)
Dolby Digital and dts Digital Outputs
Dolby Digital and dts Decoders
Video Off
Bass Management
Output Terminals:
Video:
Component Video (Y, Cr, Cb) Output x 1
S-Video (S2 Compatible) x 1
Composite Video Output x 1
Audio:
Dolby Digital / dts / LPCM Coaxial Output x 1
Dolby Digital / dts / LPCM Optical Output x 1
Analog Output x 2 (2ch)
Analog Output x 1 (6ch) ther:
SR System IN & OUT
Warranty:
2 Years parts and labor
Dimensions:
Height: 4-1/8"
Width: 16-9/16"
Depth: 11"
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The 45A is a very easy unit to set up. Equipped with the standard array of outputs, as per above, the unit is pretty universal and can be inegrated into just about any imaginable setup, making it ideal for the higher-level consumer-grade A/V enthusiast. Clearly, this is who Pioneer has intended this for. The unit is also considerably smaller than other hybrid cousins in this class- since most are designed as near-reference level models, and are built with much heavier and better componestry. The unit is build on good quality components, just not great -- For this reason, Pioneer was able to fit it into they're proven slim-line chassis, albeit at the expense of better picture and sound quality.
First, notice the Video DAC features: the unit plays video on a 10 Bit/54Mhz DAC platform, which is very good, yet clearly this is one area where Pioneer chose to save money. The unit includes Pioneer's Pure Cinema Progressive-scan playback technology, however the componentry used is not the same high-grade componentry as used on the big-brother 47Ai, again, one method by which Pioneer managed to save money and reduce the cost of the unit. The unit has dual-laser pickup, so disc transitions and read-times are very low and smooth, although not quite as smooth as the 47, and this is easily noticable by inserting a DVD into both and seeing the pickup on the flip-chapter, or just seeing the actual playback characteristics. The better the system you have, the more noticeable the difference between units will be- video wise, the 45 is closer to the 47 than in audio however - which is where the units really stand apart in terms of sound (more on this later).
In the upsampling department, the 45 fares quite well, though sadly, with the use of Pioneer's technology, as opposed to Faroudja or Silicon Graphics, the unit DOES display slight touches of the chroma bug- however these are very slight and I imagine a good portion of the target consumers that would consider the 45 probably wouldn't notice it too much if at all. In terms of upgradability though, the 47 clearly has one key advantage- it is warrantied for 5 years from Pioneer (NOT 2 like the 45A) and Pioneer also offers free continuous upgradability for the 47, which is NOT included on the 45 unit. To me, this is a key difference to pay attention to - the hybrid market is SOOO new right now, and technolgoy continues to get better each and every day -- Chipset not only improve, but also get CHEAPER - which means that in time, hybrid prices will fall substantially and quality level will either stay the same OR get better AT A LESSER PRICE. This is essentially the begining of Hybrid popularity, which means for the time being, it comes at a premium! Another key consideration you must think about if looking at a hybrid!
Think of the above like this: It was the same for Progressive Scan technology.. Not too long ago, a progressive scan player would cost about twice as much (if not a bit more) than a comparable non-progressive unit. Obviously now, with the popularity and high demand of Progressive scan, chip and component manufacturers fought hard to give stuff competition to win those contracts from the video manufacturers like Sony and Pioneer etc. The result is that a progressive scan DVD player that cost 550 2 years ago, can easily be bested in quality and features by a player that costs around 200 dollars nowadays... this is simple progress - but since Hybrids are so new in terms of demand and popularity, the componentry market hasn't gotten a chance to respond to the new demand for these products - not to mention, SACD and DVD-A are only at the tip of the iceberg in popularity (JUST like DVD was a few years back, look how that has grown!!!) The point is that in time, units will be substantially cheaper and despite the lesser cost, they'll be even better!
Audio Playback on the 45A is very good- it is by no means bad. CD playback is excellent, quality out of the stereo analog outputs is very crisp, digital output is more perfect for sure, the difference more dependant on the quality of RCA interoconnects you are using on the analog side. For DVD-A, the 6.1 outputs are excellent - I recomend the best cables you can afford - your system is only as good as its weakest link, so having great speakers, receiver,player does nothing if you have shoddy cables - you're spending hard earned cash on the electronics- make it worth it by buying good cables and interconnects. SACD playback is very smooth as well - read time is pretty low, I was impressed with this on the 45A- however like many SACD players, the shortcoming is the lack of allignment ability. Also, the unit does not offer bass-management on the DVD-A/SACD level, and if audio supremacy is a priority, this may be a stumbling block in considering this player. Overall sound quality is very good - I listened very carefully to Bjork's vespertine for delicate gloc. nuances and the many transient female vocal tracks which play on both front stereo speakers and which bounce around the room when listening on 5.1 mode. The player speaks clearly, though without any doubt, the 47Ai did far better in audio quality - more things were audible, more nuances, and the music certainly felt warmer without any sacrifice of crispness - the simple fact is you get what you pay for... However once again, the key question becomes are you getting ENOUGH for what you pay for, and what unit gives you the most bang for your buck.
DVD Movie wise, I used my standard stack of DVDs to give this player a thourough run for its money. I paid specific attention to the darkness and PLUGE, especially on darker movies like "From Hell" and "Sleepy Hollow" - the blacks are illustrated very well - though ambiently, I've seen played do better on making blacks BLACK! I watched Star Wars Episode 2's space-dog fight scene a few times- on a really good player, space seems to be a living thing - the depth and vividness of the black of space has a more profound effect on a better player and of course on a better monitor. I also used Apollo 13 for the "space effect" and although a relatively minor complaint, the unit certainly doesn't make the blacks quite as dark as other players, including the 47Ai. It's important also to consider your monitor in this regard- the better your TV/MOnitor, obviously the better your chances of appreciating the difference in a better player.
I've tried to be as objective as possible on this review. Clearly the 45A is a step in the right direction for Pioneer and hopefully other manufacturers will follow suit and begin ti produce hybrids with lower prices aimed at a mid-line market. However I can't strees enough, that 1) prices will be coming down across the board as soon as the Hybrid demand kicks the market into high gear. 2) The real-life street-price difference between the 47Ai and 45A are not nearly as great as MSRP would imply - for this reason, if you are concerned with quality, the 47Ai should not be overlooked - I would most suggest AUDITIONING BOTH UNITS! Lastly, in terms of audio quality, again, DVD-A and SACD's greatest attribute is their ENHANCED BANDWIDTH - for this is what makes these formats so vastly superior to CD! While the 45A handles both formats and plays them well, the lack of top-notch componentry, allignment capability and bass management equate to a player that won't sound quite as good- YOU WILL NOT REAP THE FULL BENEFITS THAT SACD and DVD-A AFFOR THE LISTENER! Notice I didn't say this isn't a great player- it certainly is.
Pioneer is obviously on to something good- the 45A is well worth an audition, but I would expect that for all the people that audition BOTH the 47Ai and 45A, I would believe more of them would opt for the slightly more expensive option and taking the quality - however certainly there will be those who appreciate the price difference and are plenty happy to have a hybrid universal player at a lesser cost. Either way, Pioneer produces winning units - it is a critical matter of shopping carefully, auditioning, listening and viewing critically and making an educated decision.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 579.99
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nick1326
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Location: Long Island, NY
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