SACD/DVD-A/MP3/DVD-V for 179$!!!

The Eagle has landed!! Heres a SACD/DVD-A Combo player for 179$$$
And get this...its even progressive Scan!!!


Implementing both SACD and DVD-Audio decoder chips in a single player usually catapults the retail price to the $1,000 mark or higher. So how can Pioneer electronics offer a universal player for under $200? Due out by mid-year, the company’s new DV-563A progressive scan DVD-Video/Audio player can also play SACD discs by internally converting SACD’s native DSD bitstream to PCM prior to D/A conversion and analog output. Although such a conversion will doubtless alarm SACD purists on principle, SMR’s resident technical encyclopedia, Andre Yew, claims the crossover from one high resolution format to another is potentially facilitated by DSD’s design: “DSD was designed originally to archive Sony/Columbia’s recorded legacy, and to be easily decimated to any conceivable PCM sampling rate, so they’d just have to do one analog to digital conversion for their entire catalog, and then decimate appropriately as different PCM distribution methods came to market.”


Of course, whether Pioneer’s implementation decimates or preserves the audio quality of SACD sources remains to be heard. What’s in no doubt, however, is that the entry fee for a little toe dipping in both formats will get dramatically more affordable. For around $250, Pioneer also plans to also offer an “upmarket” DV-663 version that adds HDMI output A no-frills version, the DV-463, will offer neither SACD, DVD-Audio nor on-board bass management. On a hopeful note, although the dreaded words “chroma bug” are still not part of Pioneer’s official vocabulary, Gary Bauhard acknowledged the company has been evaluating MPEG decoders. [Philip Brandes]

 

Whats HDMI output? Anybody know?

 

High Definition Multimedia Interface

http://www.hdmi.org/index.asp

Basically an all-in-one digital interface.

 

I'd like a cheap universal player. Mainly for the home theater setup and plus do the multichannel audio. I refuse to get serious on the mulitchannel stuff. Its expensive enough just for the stereo. But a cheap player would fit the bill for the occasional fun fling with multichannel.

 

cool, thanks. Might have to get that one. Somehow, I think it might be possible to extract the high res mix to PC....

 

Mikey, I posted about the exact same player last week here and it disappeared. Not only that, the new Crutchfield catalog says it is available NOW!

 

Hey Grant, I checked out Crutchfield, they wont have it till August 1st.

I'm sure they will sell a BOATLOAD of these things. The progressive scan makes it a great Video player, which is important to many people.

I have no doubt that the lack of posts is because people here on SH see that this player does the DSD to PCM conversion, and for some reason these people immediately dismiss the player. I still dont know why. I bet 99% of 'em would not be able to tell any difference in sound in a blindfold test of pure DSD or DSD converted to PCM.

 

Actually, most people that I have auditioned DSD to can, infact, tell the difference when played in a A/B setup.

Stand alone.. they can not tell...

One of my fun little experiments at the house when guests come over...

 

do you know where it says this player converts dsd-> pcm. I talked to someone at AudioAdvisor last week and he said that the specs were not out yet, so this talk about converting to pcm could possibly be just speculation. Do you know where I can get any info? I know sometimes these units are released overseas first. maybe that's where people are getting the specs from.

 

Specs

>>>>>>Well, the Pioneer people should be able to tell you, but its 99.9% certain that it does the conversion. Thats the only way to get SACD and DVD-A at this kind of price point.

 

I'm wondering about this too. I'm wondering if this DSD-->PCM talk is coming from the fact that is is incredibly cheap. I haven't read anything about this. Can someone point to me to some credible info?

In other words, i'm wondering about any degredation caused by any possible conversion.

 

A/B test

>>>>>>>Well, maybe it sounds DIFFERENT somehow. I just dont think it could really sound worse.

 

Thanks Steve. I do not have the CCR disc, but I do understand resolution and what to listen for because I work with a DAW and high bit-depths. Is there anything I can use on your Zombies hybrid?

We shall see what this little player is capable of before I decide on it. Of course, the fact that it does both SACD and DVD-A is attractive to many of us who can't really afford to get the premium of both.

But. we shall see...

Besides, there isn't a single high-end place anywhere within 300 miles from here.

 

Steve, do all Sony machines handle DSD with no conversion to PCM? I own a Sony (DV-NS900V), and would like to buy another one... surely, I wouldn't want to buy an inferior product.

TIA!

 

After a cursory look, I still don't see whether this will pass SACD and DVD-A digitally.

Anyone know?

 

And *especially* due to having been told what we should hear, it's important to do the comparison *blind*...in other words, to not know which of the two players you're listening to during the comparison.

 

Your test compared 'pure DSD' players to DSD-->PCm player, or was it a comparison of SACD vs Redbook layers?

 

Same here. 24/96 is no competitor for real DSD. Even my friends' girlfriends (who care nothing of this stuff) can tell a difference in blind A/B tests.

 

Oh no..the dreaded 'even my wife/girlfriend can hear it' post.





IIRC you have access to recording studio stuff, yesman, so would I be right to assume you are referring to your own recordings done in either DSD or hi-rez PCM, where the only difference was the final encoding? And were the tests blind or double-blind?

'No competitor' is a very strong claim, and I rarely see reference to having done ANY sort of controls (thank you!), otherwise I'd hardly bother asking.
As it stands my fingers are crossed that this doesn't get gorted.

 

Hey Steve-
Do you know the guy who did that SACD master???

Seriously though- this is the one of your SACD's that I have(only one that Tower had in stock!) and was absolutely amazed! The tonality and breathe is fantastic. Hell- the redbook layer alone blew away most anything else. Played back on my Sony 775 is heaven.


I now work less than 8 miles from a Tower, and haven't been there since I bought Willie...Poor Boys(in January). Me thinks its time for another visit, as I'd love to find CCR for Suzy Q.


Chris

 

Boy, that's some kinda self control - after hearing that one SACD, I'da thunk you woulda burned tracks and gotten the rest!!! Get online and order the rest ASAP...

 

I'd like to know if Steve thinks the 45a , which is supposedly true DSD, is a good player for SACD.....

 

That's a great bargain.

Can someone recommend $200 speakers and a $150 amp to make a complete high-rez system?