Denon DVD-2900 Tips for a Newcomer

Hello all!

I am days away from receiving a brand new Denon DVD-2900 "Universal" player. This will be my foray into the world of audiophile electronics equipment, and I was wondering if anyone out there had any tips for me in terms of optimizing my "2900 Experience". Are there certain cables I should use for optical and 6 ch. input? Are there any common pitfalls I should avoid? My setup now is as follows:

Yamaha 5440 Amplifier
Yamaha NS10M Main Speakers (connected with Monster Cable)
Yamaha Medium-Sized Center Speakers (don't know which ones off hand)
Yamaha Small Rear Speakers
Sony Sub-woofer (not terribly high end, but seems to do the trick)

As you can tell, I truly am a novice in this territory, as I'm sure many of you are laughing at the fact that I'm so ignorant of my speaker set-up, and that my receiver is so dated. Hopefully it won't limit me terribly in terms of fidelity, as I've been quite happy with everything up to this point, and unfortunately I can't afford to upgrade anything else in my system.

I'm very excited to experience DVD-A and SACD for the first time, and I want to make sure I do everything right. I would really appreciate any help you can offer. Please go easy on me, as I'm just a layman!

Thanks so much!

Lee

 

I think some Grover interconnects (at the top of the page)would be a good place to start.I'm interested to hear how that 2900 sounds.Good luck.

 

Thanks Gary. I've received a lot of flak from friends for using Yamaha NS10-M's for my main speakers, since they are "studio monitor" speakers, but I've enjoyed them.

What are isolation devices? I'm scared!

I've been reading previous posts about the Grovers, and they sound great. Should they be used for my 5.1 SACD connection from the 2900 to the receiver (called "6-channel input" on the receiver)? I guess that would mean buying three pairs! And would I then need a fourth pair for the stereo connection? Oy vey!

And what about the digital optical connection for DVD-A, DVD-Video and my Dish Network tuner? Are all optical cables created equal? Am I better off using the digital co-ax connection for DVD-A, and if so, what kind of (affordable) cable should I use?

And a quick sarcastic thank you for using the avatar from "Phantom of the Paradise" which used to give me nightmares when I was little. Nothing like opening old wounds while learning about high-end audio!

 

I have the DVD-2900. I have been using either Grover IC's or Magnan Vi's. Go for the Grover's. The price is reasonable and the sound is one of the best out there.

 

I'm using Grovers in my 2900, replacing Monster Interlink 300s. The difference in quality is quite appreciable. I would recommend getting some if they're in your budget now, because they'll be good with virtually any speaker upgrade you may experience in the future...I can't say the same for the Interlinks.

 

Just thought I'd post a follow-up...

I received my Denon DVD-2900 today. I hit a few snags setting it up, mainly stemming from the fact that I didn't realize that both SACD *and* DVD-A utilize the 6 channel ANALOG outputs. I was under the impression that DVD-A went through the optical connection. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why I could only access the 5.1 surround mix from a DVD-A disc using the "6-CH Input" setting on my receiver, as opposed to the same DVD input I use to play movies. A quick call to Denon set me straight on that one. It'd be nice if they explained that in the owner's manual!

Now that it's all set up, I am EXTREMELY pleased with it. I had never heard DVD-A or SACD before. I was always relegated to the DTS track on my DVD-A's (or Redbook layer on SACDs). Now I really hear the difference. Suddenly the music has PRESENCE. You can hear the hammers hit the strings inside the piano. You can hear the breath of the singer into the microphone. Just incredible. My best experience thus far has been with the Last Waltz DVD-A, although I did quite enjoy Trey Anastasio's solo album as well (I'm a huge Phish fan).

My thanks go to all of those who recommended Grover Interconnects to me. Unfortunately, he doesn't accept credit cards, so I'll have to wait until I have the cash to pick those up. For now I'm using (GASP!) the stock RCA cables that came with the unit. I can't even imagine how much better the unit will sound with the Grover Interconnects running out of it. Anyone care to elaborate, just to torture me?

All the best,

Lee