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rynopr

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Anyone around here use an Arcam DV model dvd player? It seems like folks always brag on the CD playback of these players. Anyone experience the Arcam player sounds through ML :confused:

Will an Arcam DVD player have better sound than a Marantz 9600 or Denon 5910, or should I say how does the sound compare?


The new Arcam DV 137 is coming out any day now. It is the first Arcam to have DVDA and SACD. I have been reading the threads for a couple of weeks on it now. It will have the newest Zoran chip with ABT scaling like the Marantz and Denon. It will have Divx capability and HDCD playback.
It can do 480i through HDMI. The layer change is suppose to be a non issue now.

http://www.aslgroup.com/arcam/diva/DiVA DV137 flyer.pdf
 
I have not heard the Arcam, but thought you might be interested in knowing Denon is releasing 3 new players very soon, one of which is the DVD-3930. It is said to be the 5910 guts in a 3910 chassis for $1499.95 MSRP.

For scaling the DVD-3930 will use the new T2 chip.
 
I believe Marantz are/have releasing some new players as well. I currently run an 8300 universal to exceptional effect!
 
Unless you have plenty of disposable income, its hard for me to justify spending 1500 to 2000 dollars on a player that won't play blue ray or HD-DVD.
 
attyonline said:
Unless you have plenty of disposable income, its hard for me to justify spending 1500 to 2000 dollars on a player that won't play blue ray or HD-DVD.
If all you use your DVD player for is DVD’s then yes $1500 is pushing it, especially this late in the game. The DVD-3930 has got me thinking about upgrading again (and here I said my DV-59Avi would be the last DVD player I buy) because of how good the audio side of the DVD-5910 was. I don’t use my DVD player just for movies; I also use it for Redbook CD’s, DVD-A, and SACD. So if the DVD-3930 can get within 90% of the DVD-5910’s audio performance I may have to get one, the DV-59avi is good with audio but it could be better.

My 2 cents.
 
FWIW, I have the Arcam DV78 DVD / CD player (~$900). I did a head-to-head comparison with the Rotel RDV 1060 a couple of years ago (~$600?). IMO the Arcam smoked the Rotel on audio. Much closer with video, with the Arcam having the edge.

Never got into SACD or DVD-A (though I would have liked to) due to **** poor selection of content (sorry not much of a classical music guy I guess)

I've been very happy with my Arcam and will have a hard time upgrading at the price point. Guess I'm waiting to see what happens with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD audio codecs / high-rez 2ch. Will probably be waiting for a long time.

If the next gen universal players play redbook as good as the Arcam then I'll upgrade. Otherwise (if I get impatient :rolleyes: ) I may work to split audio equipment (dedicated top notch CD player) from video (lower cost universal).

Cheers!
 
I was aware that the 3930 was coming out. Initially, the word on the street was June/July. The last report I read was in Canada it would be Aug/Sept. It certainly has been in the back of my mind. However, I was under the impression that on the audio side Arcam would be better. I could be mistaken that is just the feeling I get. I don't get the idea that Arcam equipment would have the kind of bugs Denons have had.
Do you know if the new 3930 is going to have Divx support, or any other more specific details on this unit? I haven't been able to find specifics.

Marantz is already putting out a new replacement for the 9600? It seems crazy to have a top model replacement every year, or maybe it already has been a couple of years. That sure doesn't help the value of a player. What will it be another video improvement with no audio improvement like the 9500 to the 9600?


I have been sitting on the fence for 2 years on a universal player. I've got a used D1 coming this week and I've got company coming in July. I don't know if I can wait much longer. I want to have 7.1 back up and running with a good source this time around.
 
My thoughts:

The Arcam AVR300 was the best Receiver you could buy for a long time for pure SOUND reasons. There were some that came close (surprisingly a Denon). It had reviews saying it was REALLY as good as separates.

Recently on many boards I've read comparisons of the AVR300 to many separates, and it always was outperformed by the newer separates. However I received an AVR350 this week. It is hands down much better than the AVR300 for sound. So much so, that I wonder if it could go up with the new wave of separates.

So if the DV137 improves on the previous DV line like the AVR did....

Then you'll have a kick-ass DVD player, CD player, DVD-A player, and SACD player.

Now Arcam always told me they'd never, ever release a Universal player until it was true "Audiophile," quality in every aspect: DVD, DVD-A, SACD, and Redbook. So we never saw one. It wasn't because they thought SACD was dead, but because the best they could get it to sound was "above average."

I've messed with more Universal players than most. All the high end ones are great DVD players and generally good at CD and one of the two multichannels. Then they leave one out in the cold with average or at best "above average," sound. Few people have ever matched Sony's high end SACD-1 player from way back. Even less have matched Meridian's ability to play DVD-Audio. With a few exceptions, Meridian is unmatched in DVD-A playback. One of those exceptions has always been Arcam.

What I hear from my Arcam units: Audiophile Redbook, DVD-A, and DVD sound. Connected with Martin Logans you hear the best and unfortunately the worst of CDs.

What I'm expecting from the new Arcam 137 is the same sound quality for SACD: pure audiophile.

REDBOOK: It uses Wolfson 8740 DACs for Redbook playback, and in the right Engineer's hands these DACs can really blow people away with their audio quality. However it's their new "Mask of Silence," EMC damping technology that has me excited about the DV 137. This technology is in their FMJ lines and has always been what makes the FMJ "just that much better," than their DV line that has made you lust for the FMJ sound. With that technology being more affordable, thus able to be in a DV line.... the result should be better sound than ever before from a DV line.

The DV78 is one of the best under $1,000 CD Players on the market. Forget that it plays DVDs, as a CD player it is one of the best you can buy. That may well hold true for the DV137 due to the trickle down technology in the the under $2,000 range.

If you want to impress people with sound, the Arcam DVD line is one of the best you can choose. There are better units like the Meridian & Linn lines that come to mind, but they cost MUCH more.

Does it compare to a Denon? The 5910 almost sounds as good as the DV79 imho for CD playback. That should give you an idea of how it stacks up.
 
rynopr said:
I was aware that the 3930 was coming out. Initially, the word on the street was June/July. The last report I read was in Canada it would be Aug/Sept.
I was told end of July for the US.
 
tsd,

Excellent input, I really appreciate it! It's rare that I get a great answer like that aside from Joe :D

How is the menu system on the Arcams? Do you believe the layer change is eliminated like it is suppose to be?

Lastly, have you heard the Esoteric D50? If so, how does the audio compare?
 
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rynopr said:
tsd,

Excellent input, I really appreciate it! It's rare that I get a great answer like that aside from Joe :D

How is the menu system on the Arcams? Do you believe the layer change is eliminated like it is suppose to be?

Lastly, have you heard the Esoteric D50? If so, how does the audio compare?


You know comparing these units is tough. For one the Esoteric is a 3 year old model now moving on 4 years. It is also a much more expensive unit at around $5,500 if memory serves.

I heard the unit extensively way back when I had it in my house for about 3 weeks when we were considering the line. At the time I had my Casablanca pushing an old Theta Dreadnaught, which in turn was pushing ML Ascents.

I remember CDs sounding very easy and laid back. It was a very open player in terms of sound stage.

SACDs were amazing and not converted to PCM, which at the time was a big deal.

I don't remember my thoughts on the DVD-A, which likely meant it was at worst "above average."

Some things I remember are that it was fully balanced...

I do remember layer changes, and the $13,000 Teac had the same problem...

Now layer changes are from limited buffer systems. The specs on the DV137 show that it has a larger buffer system than others.

How will a current $2,000 player sound vs. a 4 year old designed $5,500 player?

I'm willing to gander that the performance would be very comparable in Audio. However I'd definately believe the video to be stronger on the HDMI unit.

I recently was sent a Blu-Ray player to test out with 3 titles....

Now the Blu-Ray can't play CDs.... so its pointless as a Redbook player. However the difference between High Def movies and DVD is night and day.... its far better than HD-HBO, HD-Cinemax, and HD-Showtime.

Which leaves me to think that perhaps you should be hunting for a nice CD player.

Then again the DV-137 might be the best CD/SACD/DVD-A player for under $2k. I'm supposed to get one ASAP. When I get it I will post in here my thoughts.

As an industry guy, its hard right now to push DVD, when I've seen the future and it is actually worth it to change if you already have the video setup. Its a wierd time right now, hopefully one side will win out quick over the other and players can start coming from the high end manufacturers.

I know Arcam has prelim specs on a Blu-Ray and HD-DVD player. They are just waiting to see who wins.
 
Zip3kx07 said:
Rynopr,

Have you looked at the Shanling CD-T100 and SCD-T200?

There a little pricey, but I here nothing but rave reviews about them. I love the look of them; they have such an elegant look you would hate to hide in a cabinet. Been thinking about picking up the CD-T100 myself.


http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/mfglisting.asp?hdnMfg=Shanling&MFGID=252

I had the SCD-T200 in my system for over a year. I loved the SACD sound, but when I ended up replacing it with an Oracle 1500. I don't miss SACD because the software just wasn't there. I love the CD quality I have now...

but I have been thinking of finding a used Wadia 860 on Audiogon.
 
You should be able to pick-up highend universal/DVD players for pennies on the dollar pretty soon due to the release of HD-DVD and BlueRay DVD players. I would hold off on any purchase.
 
There is a guy with a situation on AVS that is telling me he has one coming that his dealer gave him 15% off and he was offering it to me for 10% off. I don't have a dealer within 150 miles...the closest one I could find across the state offered me 10% off with shipping included. I think I would do 15% off with free shipping. Any input?
 
jjqiv said:
You should be able to pick-up highend universal/DVD players for pennies on the dollar pretty soon due to the release of HD-DVD and BlueRay DVD players. I would hold off on any purchase.

I don’t agree, it will take at least a year or two for HD DVD/Blu-Ray to catch on, by then manufactures will no longer be focusing on high end DVD players but reference quality HD DVD/Blu-Ray players.
 
rynopr said:
What percent discount can you expect from an Arcam dealer?


10%. If you can get 15% and free shipping go for it, that is an exceptional deal. 10% and free shipping would be my low.
 
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