New Pioneer Universal CD/DVD/DVD-A/SACD Player

Anyone have a chance to hear the new low-priced Pioneer universal player? It is being sold by Crutchfield for $179.

 

I asked about it here:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?threadid=17660

I don't think it's released yet

 

I have a question for the tech heads here.

Regarding this conversion of DSD to PCM: Could such a conversion result in a more accurate digital output? Hence player manufacturers choosing this playback method?

This is my theory behind this:

There are chips available for "pure" DSD-to-analog conversion but it seems few companies use them (according to this article, no one is using them). Last year I distinctly remember reading a news bite about a hi-end manufacturer (McCormack??) debuting a universal player that was designed with DSD-to-PCM on purpose so they could better deal with DSD's noise issues (they were probably referring to its ultrasonic noise).

And another DSD head scratcher: in Stereophile's test of Musical Fidelity's new Tri-Vista sacd player (May 2003, I think; in the test results section), they said sacd had less resolution above 12kHz than redbook CD. They did not elaborate on this rather startling statement. If someone has this magazine & this is wrong, please correct me!

So......could turning DSD into PCM restore lower noise levels and full resolution? Since Sony supposedly developed Direct Stream Digital originally as an archiving format, designed for easy conversion to other digital formats--and to me archiving means to carefully store things in their original condition--could DSD's "warm" sound (when converted directly to analog) just be a happy accident?

Thanks.

[T]

 

I needed a new DVD player so I bought a DVD 47ai by Pioneer. This unit plays everything except HDCD. I haven't tried it yet because I am moving soon so I just kept it in the box. I really don't care about redbook cd from this unit but I will compare it to the Krell.

 

No one has a even a good guess to my question?

Life's short - take a chance!

[T]

 

Thanks Gary....I think!

(To clarify something: when I was talking about conversion chips, I meant the dual-purpose dvd-audio + DSD variety.)

I fully realize this is a discussion minefield, but when I constantly read of CD-R's (made from a vinyl source) that use "low resolution" 16bit/44.1kHz PCM sounding nearly identical to the vinyl source it causes my analytical side to go into high gear.

[T]