Good DVD player for CD playing?

Sony BDP-S570 for about $190. Super Blu-Ray and audio, plus excellent up conversion.
 
Wait a sec John - I thought the PS1 was basically as good as any $6000 CD player?!!! Why bother with the Denon?

After reading a lot of those PS1 comments on various boards I've come to the conclusion that the PS-1 is as good as a $6000 player as long as you haven't actually ever heard a $6000 player in a system that can show you why people pay $6000 for a CD player.

BTW- I like this Denon as a DAC so much that I'm thinking about buying a McCormack transport to use with it.
 
After all the hype came out about the PS1 (SCPH-1001), I dug out my PS1 from my closet and put it into my system.

All I have to say is that I don't know what drugs these people are on but if it makes the PS1 sound like a $6000 player or even a $600 player, I want those same drugs. To me, it sounds veiled and overall really no better than a $200 DVD player. This whole PS1 hype is much like the hype that surrounded the Optimus CD-3400 portable CD player back in 1994. It was decent sounding for what it was, but IMO that's all it was. Nothing more, nothing less.

I also dug out my original (not the slim version) PS2 and tried it straight into my system. IMO, the PS1 sounded better, being less offensive whereas the PS2 sounded harsh and grainy. Lastly, I connected the PS2's digital output to a Musical Fidelity A324 DAC and this combination killed the PS1 every which way and back.

After reading a lot of those PS1 comments on various boards I've come to the conclusion that the PS-1 is as good as a $6000 player as long as you haven't actually ever heard a $6000 player in a system that can show you why people pay $6000 for a CD player.

BTW- I like this Denon as a DAC so much that I'm thinking about buying a McCormack transport to use with it.
 
It'd be interesting to do a little experiment.

I'll pick up a Coby portable disk player at the thrift store for around $2.00. I'll do a review lauding its fantastic detail and airyness, yet, its apparent lack of clinical dryness . A few of you guys with really nice systems can tell me I'm full of it, but you'll decide to try one out, just for kicks. Then John can comment on how it sounds slightly better than his Denon, but just a hair "different" than his Marantz player.
We can start tweeking it with different laser pickups and by adding weight to the plastic, Sailor Moon cover. We can then comment on how it changed the sound (generally for the better).

Maybe we can create a buzz in the audio world. People will be combing the thrift stores as ebay prices for Cobys will skyrocket. The unit will be featured in Stereophile magazine, then....profit!

Now I just need the time and the will, of which, I have neither.
 
I'll pick up a Coby portable disk player at the thrift store for around $2.00. I'll do a review lauding its fantastic detail and airyness, yet, its apparent lack of clinical dryness .

I picked up an upconverting DVD player at a garage sale for $1.00.

It unexpectedly sounded muddy through the phono outputs, but it came with an optical output, which sounded fine. I'm not convinced that digital outputs can sound that different. I'd like to see someone pass and ABX test on that.

I do know that players differ in their ability to play dirty or scratched disks.
 
Now I just need the time and the will, of which, I have neither.

You have no idea how often I've wanted to try something like this, and then pull the curtain back at some later date.

We could say that COBY stands for the "Certain Obliteration of Bit-rate Yearning", which is loosely translated from its original Cantonese (or was it Mandarin?), but means essentially that once you buy it, you never want another player because this one is so freakishly awesome.
 
I like the comments on the COBY player! Have to pick one up at GW! :)

Seriously, I use a Panasonic DVD RV-32 that I picked up new at Best Buy in 2002 to play DVDs only. Used it as such until 2007 when I bought a TV with HDMI, thus replaced the Panasonic with a Sony for DVD duties. I started using the Panasonic for CDs when my Sony CD changer took a puke on me. I was pleasantly surprised the Panasonic sounded better and was less fatiguing to listen to than the Sony, plus a very nice soundstage. Utilizing the digital outs made it even better. Plus, it has a full set of controls on the unit including a turn-dial shuffle control for fast forward or rewind. I've tried other players, and I keep turning back to the Panasonic as it sounds 'right' for me - slightly warm 'fat' sound with gutsy bass and great separation. My short answer is check the second-hand stores for a quality SD DVD player without HDMI outs - everybody is dumping those for HDMI upconverting or BR models. You'll be able to find the standard DVD players cheap.
 
I pick them up for a couple of bucks as spares all the time; just picked up a Sony w/ SACD capabilities for $20 and it sounds quite nice. i also have a couple of $3.00 garage sale Sonys and Toshibas that do pretty well.

The biggest slam on these is operational; long loading times and not much in the way of controls or displays, but if you just want to toss a CD in and listen they do fine.

You really should give one a try, especially a cheapie. It's only a couple bucks, probably less than a new (or even used) CD, so there's no downside if you don't like the sound.
 
After reading a lot of those PS1 comments on various boards I've come to the conclusion that the PS-1 is as good as a $6000 player as long as you haven't actually ever heard a $6000 player in a system that can show you why people pay $6000 for a CD player.

I agree, but I don't even think one necessarily has to have a really high-end system to hear the differences between a PS1 and a $6000 CDP.

After all the hype came out about the PS1 (SCPH-1001), I dug out my PS1 from my closet and put it into my system.

All I have to say is that I don't know what drugs these people are on but if it makes the PS1 sound like a $6000 player or even a $600 player, I want those same drugs.

My thoughts exactly.
 
Any chance you could provide a bit more detail on modifying the DVP-S7000? I just picked one up. I'm reasonably comfortable using a soldering iron, but otherwise pretty much clueless when it comes to electronics. Not sure I could identify the audio board, let alone an op-amp. A few photos would be very much appreciated if you have them.

Thank you.

I actually haven't ever opened mine up(I think she sounds pretty good as is) but iirc the audio board is in the back on top by the outputs. If you just google sony dvp-s7000 mods you'll come up with loads of info. Allegedly swapping the power cable is super easy and pretty effective, certainly a good way to break into modding.
 
I'll add two units that I would NOT recommend for CD listening.
First the Panasonic RV31, (interestingly enough Bozzmonster just recommended the RV32 for playback). This was my first DVD player, fine for DVD playback but seriously underwhelming for CD playback, dull and lifeless.
The other unit is the Toshiba SD-K310. This is an early unit with two lasers (or lenses, not quite sure) the DVD part has stopped working, so will only read CDs now, which it is quite woeful at. It replaced in my study system a NAD 501 with the Philips swing arm (developed a problem in the drawer, now fixed) and the Toshiba was noticeably inferior. Even old real cheapo Akai and NEC CDPs will outsound this thing. Which is a shame as it has good track info and display as well as jog/shuttle and headphone with variable out.
So, it pays to make sure which old DVD player you get.
Plus DVD players seem to be noticeably slower at reading discs and generally getting themselves ready.
Cheers
Tony
 
Hey guys, I've been seeing the phenomenon more often where people talk about how good a DVD player sounds playing CDs. I know people seem to be selling off their old DVD players in favour of Bluray players, so the opportunity to pick up a good CD playing DVD player for cheap seems easier than finding good CD players. But I'm curious - are there any well remarked brands/models to look for? Are any of the old "fat" DVD players from the late '90s good CDPs? Or are they bested by some of the newer ones?

Mostly just want to find something that actually displays the track number on the face and time into the song (Though I'd really like one that lets you set the time mode to the standard settings of Current/Total/Remaining Current/Remaining Total as well as show you a calender view of all the songs on the disc). Are there any DVD players like this or am I going to have to buy a CDP to retain all those time/track listing functions?
I highly recomend a pioneer elite DV-47Ai--sounds awsome on redbook cd's and equaly as well on dvd audio and sacd's too, and you can find one cheap if your patient enough--but well worth it in the used market--pioneer makes very awsome transports, good luck on your search! the bird!
 
Okay guys, I hear people say Redbook CD's all the time. What is that? When I looked it up it basically sounded like uhh...any CD made pretty much ever. I mean the specs must be:

1.Maximum playing time is 79.8 minutes [6]
2.Minimum duration for a track is 4 seconds (including 2-second pause)
3.Maximum number of tracks is 99
4.Maximum number of index points (subdivisions of a track) is 99 with no maximum time limit
5.International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) should be included

So is calling them "Redbook CD's" just a snobby way of saying "CDs" - and to somehow clarify from DVD Audio CDs and SACDs? It just confuses me that people throw that word around all the time and I don't really know what it entails. Besides, how does one KNOW a CD is 1411 kbps? It's not like I've ever heard someone say CD and thought "Huh, I wonder if they mean SACD?" - people always seem quite clear to ID the CD if it's not a regular CD, just seems redundant to me.
 
No it's not a snobby way of saying "CDs," it's a way of differentiating between different formats that all use the compact disc medium as a storage platform. Redbook CDs are standard CDs, not SACD, not DVD-A, not Bluray, and so on. The CD player in your car, for example, is a CD player that plays standard "Redbook" CDs.

This way one can also tell if a disc player is universal, plays SACDs, or only standard Redbook CDs.
 
Well, perhaps snobby wasn't the right way to put it - but unnecessary. Like I said, I've never seen anyone not refer to SACDs or BluRays exactly as such. It just seems for the intents of most conversations you don't need to specify. Although I recall why I said snobby now - because lots of people will say something like "Listening to my new Redbook CD or somesuch." I thought it was a specific test CD or album at first, the way people talk about it. I think using the Redbook CD term is highly technical and unnecessary unless having a highly technical discussion. If I were looking for an SACD player I would have titled the thread "Good DVD player for SACD playing?" and I think anyone else would too.
 
It is simply to mean that the CD is in accordance to the standards set forth by Philips. Which were contained, I believe, in a book that was red.

The other types of CD, and their corresponding books:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Books

So yeah, its kind of a douchey -err, unnecessarily precise and technical-- way of saying CD.
 
Well thanks, I'm at least glad to know that the assumption I had that Redbook CDs were just normal CDs was right. I thought maybe there was more to it that I didn't understand.
 
I think you guys are exaggerating a little. It helps to clarify things during certain discussions, like I said.
 
Just kidding 'round y'all. But I still can't think of a single instance that it really needs to be said (even though I've used it many times as well). I can see talking about the 'redbook standard' I suppose, but Redbook CD seems really redundant now that I've gotten bored enough to think about when I would actually need to say it. But its a free country and language can be as descriptive as any of us desire it to be...

Screenshot2011-04-15at121646PM.png
 
Back
Top Bottom