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Hi all,I'm back into Video, for the last couple of years I had no TV in my stystem. I came back to Video and DVD-Audio on the cheap:
Toshiba SD 5700 DVD-Video/DVD-Audio/HDCD purchased in Mint condition on eBay $109.00 (original retail was $449.99 later lowered to 399.99), manufactured August 2001.
24 inch true Flat Screen TV by Sanyo purchased at Wal Mart for $188.92.
Philips Component Video cables with 24k Gold connectors purchased at Wal Mart for $17.96.
Total outlay to re-add Video and DVD-Audio: 315.88, I really went cheap!
I already had some AudioQuest Turquoise interconnects which I used for the audio to my tubed pre-amp.
first thoughts:
Doesn't sound as good as my old SD 9200 especially in the bass, but it's retail is only 1/4 the price as I didn't expect it to. On the up side it doesn't click between tracks when playing HDCDs as the 9200 does. And this is important as I love Reference Recordings and I found this clicking as disturbing.
Movies are enjoyable and it is nice to see movies at home again.
The DVD-Audio's I have tried so far sound very good: Neil Young: Harvest; Steve Huffsteter Big Band and Start Here sampler on AIX; the new Classic Recordings 192kHz 24 Bit DVD-Audio's including Alan Parson's: Turn of a Friendly Card and older Classic Recordings 96kHz 24 Bit recordings.
HDCDs have more resolution on this player decoded than on the Xindak SACD player undecoded but they sound warmer on the Xindak. Not sure yet which way I like them best, correctly decoded or tubed and upsampled only time will tell.
CDs don't sound so good in fact like the Toshiba 9200 and my old Sony DVP-S9000ES SACD player, CDs are quite painful! The Xindak will be used for redbook CDs, this is the first player in which I do not suffer pain when listening to redbook CDs, and many are actually quite enjoyable, the Xindak not only has tubes but upsamples CD to 24 Bit 96kHz and that could be it's secret.
IMPORTANT NOTE: All listening was done 2 channel (I prefer 2 channel) and in the setup I have the choice of PCM or Bitstream, anyone know which is better for a 2 channel system? I chose PCM for now.
IMPORTANT NOTE: HDCDs CDs are only decoded for set for PCM or Bitstream. If 6 Channel Audio is selected HDCD output is UNDECODED. So if you use the 6 channel outputs you will need to go to setup to switch to PCM or Bitstream to hear HDCDs decoded. Could this be because HDCDs are a 2 channel format?
ALSO because the DVD-Audio player is so cheap I will reframe from comparing the sound of SACD (through my expensive tubed SACD player) to DVD-Audio though this mid-fi DVD-Audio player as any comparison would be UNFAIR.
Also if anyone knows so great sounding DVD-Audio titles please share, especially those with 2 channel 24 Bit 192kHz high resoltion.
Follow Ups:
I always enjoy reading other people's early impressions.of the DVD-As i have with 192/24, i really liked Linda Rondstadt's What's New and Grover Washington Jr.'s Winelight.
The former is not quite as good as my LP but close enough.
I'm not sure we'll ever get any more 192/24 DVD-As from Warner as the spokeperson said DVD-A only discs (as opposed to DualDisc) are "history" so enjoy the ones that are already out there!
I also read that Warner will be releasing DualDisc and no more DVD-A only discs and from what I have seen if 2 channel stereo is included it is usually lower resolution due to the space issue.Looks like I got the DVD-A player just in time to buy these before they disappear forever.
Right now I am listening to Classic Records' Gershwin's Complete works for Orchestra and Piano and Orchestra on 24/96 DAD, great sound and killer performance! Classic Records is one of my favorite re-issue labels and the number one reason I made sure my new DVD player could play the new Classic Records 24/192 DVD-A's. Since my Xindak SACD does not play DVDs and DADs I am back to DVD-As for good as my DVD-Audio player is my only DVD player.
Thanks again for the suggestions,
Teresa
I purchased a Tosh SD 5700 several years ago, when my JVC 721 failed. It is a good, and faithful player. However I replaced it with the SD 4960 when newer DVD-A's came out with new software programs, and the SD 5700 couldn't play them.I find Hodie a great disappointment. If you can live with their frustratingly slow tempo I will be amazed. a complete waste of money.
Try ARTS, MDG, Tacet, and AIX for some superior classical recordings.
Toshiba is offering free firmware updates if you join the class action lawsuit.Everything has played perfectly so far, what is it you could not play on the 5700?
The Andrea Bocelli, Verdi, disc; and the Cecilia Bartoli "Vivaldi" album, would not play at all, froze up the player. About half of the Silverline Classics albums appeared to play in hi rez format, but no sound came out. When I went to the menu screen and played them in the low rez Dolby Digital 5.1 setting they would play in that format. I contacted Silverline, who advised it was an issue with some of the older players.I contacted Toshiba who advised that a firmware update had been issued several years ago; when I contacted their local repair service they would have charged me more to install it (if it was even appropriate for the problem), than it cost me to buy the newer Toshiba SD 4960 player. Anyway, that one plays everything, including SACD, well. So I use the SD 5700 as a "back up" player.
"About half of the Silverline Classics albums appeared to play in hi rez format, but no sound came out"...
I received in the mail today two letters from the DVD Player Claims Administrator about the lawsuits, with claim forms involved.My SD 5700 was manufactured in September, 2001, but I purchased it in August, 2002, so it is not apparent exactly what remedy, if any, I will receive. A free, easy firmware update would be nice. We'll see. People who purchased a DVD player by Dec 31, 2001, appear to be the beneficiaries of this settlement.
.
All Toshiba DVD players must be purchased prior to October 15, 2004. My 5700 was purchased on eBay October 18, 2004, 3 days too late!I must have got the notice in the mail based on my prior purchase of the Toshiba 9200.
Oh Well,
Teresa
Welcome back to hirez PCM!My 5200 has no clicking on HDCD either. Maybe the 9200 used a different technique for HDCD? Maybe better?
It appears that either Toshiba uses different DACs or different processing for the Analog 6 ch setting. Even if listening to a non-HDCD disc from the stereo out, there is a slight difference between analog 6ch & the other settings. The output level between 6ch setting & the others is not the same too. Cannot remember now (in my office) which is higher.
For certain settings, the player downsamples hirez audio. So avoid Bitstream & PCM. This is documented in the manual. If you did not get the manual, I can email you 5200's options.
If you like classical music you many check out Hodie. All their recordings have a 192/24 stereo track. But the tempo is slow. If you buy 2 discs direct, they give you a DVD-A free this month! Just got 4 discs from them but have not yet finished listening to them all.
Also for the 2 channel analog outputs the SD-5700 does not downsample with either PCM or Bitstream selected. However they both downsample if you use the Bitstream/PCM digital out.I do have the manual and it is thick: 71 pages in English and 71 pages in French.
I bought
Beethoven Symphony 9
Mozart Requiem
Mozart Symphony 40
and the Mozart Overtures 3 was freeI have listened only to parts of 2 discs and have not compared them to 48/16
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