The Harmon Kardon DVD 48 as a dedicated CD player?
- Thread starter kowalski
- Start date
I'm very interested in your assessment of the performance of the DVD 48.
My thought is that older CDPs will not read CDs as well as a modern DVD player so these would be ideal as a drive platform.
From there one could either use the DVD's internal DAC or something like the Grant Fidelity external DAC-09 (for $225).
I've noticed when playing a CD on my DVD the TV screen shows the track information so why not get a small $50 - 7" LCD TV like this to show the track info via the video output? That way I'd have a thin CDP and a large screen that could be conveniently mounted to the side.
The DVD would have a remote which might be nice (or one more thing to add to the clutter).
JimB
My thought is that older CDPs will not read CDs as well as a modern DVD player so these would be ideal as a drive platform.
From there one could either use the DVD's internal DAC or something like the Grant Fidelity external DAC-09 (for $225).
I've noticed when playing a CD on my DVD the TV screen shows the track information so why not get a small $50 - 7" LCD TV like this to show the track info via the video output? That way I'd have a thin CDP and a large screen that could be conveniently mounted to the side.
The DVD would have a remote which might be nice (or one more thing to add to the clutter).
JimB
Aunty Em
can't get no.....
does yours actually show the track name onscreen? or just track number and time?
My DVD48 only puts track number and time up onscreen.
My DVD48 only puts track number and time up onscreen.
I'm very interested in your assessment of the performance of the DVD 48.
My thought is that older CDPs will not read CDs as well as a modern DVD player so these would be ideal as a drive platform.
From there one could either use the DVD's internal DAC or something like the Grant Fidelity external DAC-09 (for $225).
I've noticed when playing a CD on my DVD the TV screen shows the track information so why not get a small $50 - 7" LCD TV like this to show the track info via the video output? That way I'd have a thin CDP and a large screen that could be conveniently mounted to the side.
The DVD would have a remote which might be nice (or one more thing to add to the clutter).
JimB
I'm pretty pleased with it thus far - I wouldn't be put off by refurbished units from Harman Kardon at all after picking this up. It shipped in like 2 days and is in pristine condition. Still can't believe I scored it for $61! I'm trying to keep purchases to a minimum because this is a secondary system...I'll go all out on the main system in the living room when I do that
It's a warm unit. I'm listening to one of my all time favorite CDs: Led Zeppelin Sessions, Disc 2 and it sounds great. I've got 2 sets of speakers running at once across the room from each other so it's like the entire room is a set of over-ear headphones! lol
It's a warm unit. I'm listening to one of my all time favorite CDs: Led Zeppelin Sessions, Disc 2 and it sounds great. I've got 2 sets of speakers running at once across the room from each other so it's like the entire room is a set of over-ear headphones! lol
nickv41
Well-Known Member
Told ya so. Glad it worked out as well as my buys from HK on ebay. Im a Zep fan too. When you get a tv set up with this HK DVD 48 player, check out Zep's two disc DVD. It will blow you away.
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Aunty Em
can't get no.....
fwiw, earlier I'd said that track names, album names etc, don't display onscreen. Wrong. I stuck a DVD with tons of MP3 albums on it in and it IS up on screen on a thing called "media player" - shows "root" then all the album folders within, then track names within. Pretty cool!
I'm wondering if the HK DVD 47 and 38 would also fit the bill? The 48 has not appeared in the HK store for a while although they are listing the 47 and 38. The 47 does state SACD support. Both have this description (like the 48): "Audiophile-grade output DACs for the finest audio reproduction."
Furthermore, is it worth the trouble to bid for one of these if one uses an external DAC, such as the Grant TubeDAC?
My particular use is for a bedroom and I'm looking for small footprint equipment. Would use laptop drive for optical media anyway. Would couple a TubeDAC with passive pre, small Sony XD tuner and a small Chinese tube amp (or ST-35, also of small footprint).
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Furthermore, is it worth the trouble to bid for one of these if one uses an external DAC, such as the Grant TubeDAC?
My particular use is for a bedroom and I'm looking for small footprint equipment. Would use laptop drive for optical media anyway. Would couple a TubeDAC with passive pre, small Sony XD tuner and a small Chinese tube amp (or ST-35, also of small footprint).
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Man, I need new glasses...
Aunty Em
can't get no.....
on surround system, must use analog outs for SACD!
UPDATE: so, now I have a surround system. The DVD 48 plays surround (5.1) movies just fine through the HDMI out. I'd expected that to be the case with SACD music discs too. But nooooooo......
HOWEVER (and this took me a long time last evening to figure out) when playing an SACD you have to use the 6 channel analog outs! and then a set of composite outs to whatever screen you want the SACD tracking listing and settings, etc to appear on.
Sheesh, I feel lucky I had enough interconnects on hand to be able to do the hook -up!
Just posting this in case someone does a forum search; maybe this could be helpful.
so: if you want the true SACD (surround) sound from the Harman Kardon DVD-48, you must use the 6-channel analog outputs! HDMI will not work (at all). It recognizes the disc as SACD and says "nope! out through analog only".
I tried it and tried it, and THEN when I read the manual, it says it too. Point blank.
I guess in a sense it's a good thing the disc won't play out in HDMI in a 2-channelish version, because some people might not know/realize. By only allowing it to play AT ALL through the analog outs, you know you are getting the surround - and it does show up on the face of my receiver as LR SL SR C and S. So that's good - I know it's not one of the receivers (many) surround effect modes, but real surround from the source disc.
Hope this can help someone.
UPDATE: so, now I have a surround system. The DVD 48 plays surround (5.1) movies just fine through the HDMI out. I'd expected that to be the case with SACD music discs too. But nooooooo......
HOWEVER (and this took me a long time last evening to figure out) when playing an SACD you have to use the 6 channel analog outs! and then a set of composite outs to whatever screen you want the SACD tracking listing and settings, etc to appear on.
Sheesh, I feel lucky I had enough interconnects on hand to be able to do the hook -up!
Just posting this in case someone does a forum search; maybe this could be helpful.
so: if you want the true SACD (surround) sound from the Harman Kardon DVD-48, you must use the 6-channel analog outputs! HDMI will not work (at all). It recognizes the disc as SACD and says "nope! out through analog only".
I tried it and tried it, and THEN when I read the manual, it says it too. Point blank.
I guess in a sense it's a good thing the disc won't play out in HDMI in a 2-channelish version, because some people might not know/realize. By only allowing it to play AT ALL through the analog outs, you know you are getting the surround - and it does show up on the face of my receiver as LR SL SR C and S. So that's good - I know it's not one of the receivers (many) surround effect modes, but real surround from the source disc.
Hope this can help someone.
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Aunty Em
can't get no.....
I wonder if, say, Playstation does. Will have to research.
I'd originally bought the HK DVD-48 because it perfectly matched my 2-channel HK 3390 receiver. I have no real need to replace it - it does what I need, but I also now have no reason to keep it because "it matches" since I'm not using the 3390 receiver anymore.
I'd originally bought the HK DVD-48 because it perfectly matched my 2-channel HK 3390 receiver. I have no real need to replace it - it does what I need, but I also now have no reason to keep it because "it matches" since I'm not using the 3390 receiver anymore.
