Samsung hd-841 Universal Format Player

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I just purchased a Samsung HD-841 DVD player with DVD-Audio/SACD playback that just hit the market and retails at $199 (US). I wanted the player for high-definition television upcoversion and DVI output, but was glad to get DVD-Audio/SACD as an extra bonus. I connected the player to my Yamaha RX-Z1 receiver using cheap interconnects (which I will try to improve need more money first). Here are some of my initial observations.
(1) The player looks great, especially the pixilated LED display panel. The drive is whisper quiet (unlike the buzz-saw Toshiba 3960 that I tried after reading the General Digital page)
(2) the RCA connections are flimsy. This is obvious a mass market product, but at this price, I don't really mind. I think that the Panasonic 563 is a little more sturdy, but the extra di-def video features of the Samsung make it a better value.
(3) the audio from CD playback is okay at best. This plays like a mass market DVD player. The sound is a little thin, and the output lacks clarity and mushes together the different instruments.
(4) my SACD and DVD-audio discs play without any problems. The two channel analog output sounds like the CD output (thin). The digital output provides SACD in only 2 channels and does not support DVD-Audio, so you will need a five channel amplifier. In five channel output, SACDs just like CDs, likely because of the cheap processor. DVD-Audio playback is noticably richer and fuller. I was pretty impressed.
In conclusion, if you want to get into DVD-audio, most people would really like this player. You can get better universal players, but you will pay more, likely a lot more. Personally, I don't like spending money on digital sources since the technology advances so quickly. Audiophiles won't like it, but this is not an audiophile product. As this and other mass-market DVD-audio players become available, maybe we can get more DVD-audio releases and this format won't die out.

P.S. - the DVD playback and upconversion is awesome. You have not lived until you have seen a move in 720p.

http://www.samsungusa.com/cgi-bin/nabc/product/b2c_product_detail.jsp?eUser=&prod_id=DVD-HD841/XAA (Open in New Window)

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Topic - Samsung hd-841 Universal Format Player - iamddn 07:38:01 06/11/04 (7)

video upconversion - mike_p 15:05:18 06/15/04 (0)

Re: Samsung hd-841 Universal Format Player - triple_A 18:24:51 06/12/04 (0)

Re: Samsung hd-841 Universal Format Player - Vinnie R. 05:34:14 06/12/04 (0)

Re: Samsung hd-841 Universal Format Player - Freya 18:04:21 06/11/04 (1)

Samsung hd-841 at Best Buy Stores - mrtanner42 08:56:28 06/12/04 (0)

Nice summary review - rnhood 17:59:51 06/11/04 (0)

Re: Samsung hd-841 Universal Format Player - Arch 10:35:17 06/11/04 (0)

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