Coming to the US: Pioneer Elite UDP-LX500 Hi-Res Disc Player with stereo analog outputs $999.00*

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by soundboy, Jul 18, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. cdgenarian

    cdgenarian Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Could have sworn that I posted this previously, but I couldn't find it. Anyway, HERE is a YouTube video of Techno Dad's UDP-LX500 box opening.
     
  2. scobb

    scobb Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    I'm not sure there would ever be a case to be using the HDMI audio and the analogue at the same time would there so, I'm not sure if this would be an issue? It might even be that they found they could improve the analogue audio by switching off as many other functions at possible (including the HDMI audio). I know I have noticed an improvement in the performance of some players even just by turning off the display.
     
  3. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    The point isn't about using HDMI and analog at the same time. The issue is for those that use both the HDMI and analog audio outputs would have to go into the setup menu every time one wants to switch from HDMI to analog or vice versa. With my Oppo 205 HDMI is used for movies and multichannel music and XLR analog for 2ch music.

    I tend to doubt Panasonic's reasoning was to improve analog audio. If that was the case I'm sure Oppo would have done that a long time ago with their 83SE, 95, 105 and 205 players. But Oppo did not and I doubt that it causes the audio to be degraded in any way.
     
  4. scobb

    scobb Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    I thought Oppo gave you the choice to switch off the secondary audio and also to switch off HDMI audio? I can't see why someone with the Panasonic would want to switch at all let alone frequently ? It looks like the Pioneer lets you switch HDMI audio off and in addition has a pure audio selection which, one would expect, switches off all the video circuitry? This "could" lead to better analogue sound and would require the user to use the menu each time.
     
  5. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I think we are talking about two different things here. The Panasonic 820 and 9000 are setup so not all audio (digital/analog) are not active at the same time. So that's what I was referring to. Not the fact that one can turn off HDMI audio or use the Pure Audio mode. Oppo players do have the option to turn off HDMI audio and have a Pure Audio mode. Secondary Audio is always off but that's a no brainer. Having Secondary Audio off will not impact audio SQ at all IMO.

    I use both HDMI audio and the XLR analog output of my 205 so I leave HDMI audio on. I've tried setting HDMI audio off and use the Pure Audio mode all the time. With that I noticed no audio SQ improvements at all. I've closed my eyes with music playing and toggled the Pure Audio mode on and off with zero change in audio SQ. I use the Pure Audio mode to mute my display when playing Blu-ray Audio and DVD-As not for any SQ improvements.
     
    Linger63 likes this.
  6. MemoInPR

    MemoInPR Señor Memo

    I posted this on the "OPPO-What is the next go to player compatible to the Oppo?" thread:

    There is a Massdrop where you can get the Pioneer UDP-LX500 for $699

    Pioneer Elite Ultra HD Universal Disc Player

    It is listed for $1,099 but you get a coupon for $400 that you apply at checkout.
     
  7. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks for posting :). Just ordered one as at that price it's an excellent deal. Will see how it compares to the Oppo 203 and 205.
     
    IGD Positive likes this.
  8. That is a good deal!
     
  9. soundboy

    soundboy Senior Member Thread Starter

    [​IMG]
     
    ti-triodes likes this.
  10. ti-triodes

    ti-triodes Senior Member

    Location:
    Paz Chin-in


    LOL. Last time I looked 10 were sold. I wonder how many guys around here are on that list? :laugh:
     
  11. Only 10 sold? That’s crazy. I guess demand for these types of players just isn’t that high.
     
  12. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Up to 11! We're rolling now :D! I've never bought anything through Massdrop. Do they have a minimum amount of units to be sold for any the specific item they're selling? Or do they just list a timeframe then ship the items no matter the amount of units sold when that time is up?
     
  13. They usually have a minimum number that need to be bought but if the drop price isn’t met, the sale doesn’t happen.

    It’s very easy to get lost browsing past and current massdrops. They have a lot of cool stuff.
     
  14. Rocketstail

    Rocketstail Forum Resident

    First I've heard about Massdrop! I'm taking a guess that most potential buyers haven't either?
     
    scobb likes this.
  15. ti-triodes

    ti-triodes Senior Member

    Location:
    Paz Chin-in

    Most likely. It might be better if they don’t. Damn place is addictive and expensive in the long run. :)

    The mods over at AVS keep deleting any reference to the Massdrop listing. That’s probably keeping the number down.
     
  16. Why would they delete it? Because they don’t get a cut? :laugh:
     
    Shawn and ti-triodes like this.
  17. More or less. I'm assuming AVS wants Massdrop to pay for advertising or something. I've noticed these for-profit media sites getting quite stingy allowing external links.
     
  18. joeym3

    joeym3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Does the LX 500 playback DSD through analog as well as HDMI, and does it play flac files gapless from a hard drive? Thanks in advance for any input.
     
  19. ti-triodes

    ti-triodes Senior Member

    Location:
    Paz Chin-in

    DSD is output via bitstreamed HDMI only. Analog is PCM. No info on gapless FLAC yet.
     
    joeym3 likes this.
  20. joeym3

    joeym3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks for your help.
     
  21. Hymie the Robot

    Hymie the Robot Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    That sucks about the analog outs...
     
  22. scobb

    scobb Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Wow, that surprises me. Is that the same with the LX800?
     
  23. Nesto719

    Nesto719 Active Member

    Location:
    Colorado
    I’m assuming the pioneer uses its own dacs to decode dsd then plays it via analog out , just like the oppo 203 does , but won’t send out a dsd signal to another dac , hence the need for hdmi
     
  24. Massdrop deactivated the drop. I guess not enough people signed up. A real shame as $400 off would have been a great deal! I guess the market for these types of players is REALLY small—a lot smaller than we all believe, evidently.
     
  25. ti-triodes

    ti-triodes Senior Member

    Location:
    Paz Chin-in

    They claimed it was an “error” which probably means Pioneer didn’t want to sell a brand new model for $400 under list- yet. The last time I checked, 20 people signed up which is pretty good for a non headphone audio item (Massdrop’s main audiophile focus). The original number of buyers to enable the drop was 3. They were way over that.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine