Hi,

I just got a Cambridge Audio DVD57 to couple with a Marantz 5400
(the guy at Richer sounds convinced me that it was a good all-rounder for video and audio)

However, I'm not too convinced and I was wondering if I would be better off exchanging it for either a Pioneer DV565 or a Marantz 4300.

What do people reckon?

Also would I be best off using a digital connection to the amp and letting it do all the audio decoding?

Thanks

[Mr_Belowski]

I don't know about the pioneer or marantz, but I got a DVD55 (which is the same as the DVD57 but without the DVD-Audio support).

IMO, the DVD55 is rubbish, and its built in de-coder is no less rubbish than the rest of the player. The P-scan output is completely unusable, the sound is poor (both digital and decoded) compared to my 3 year old Samsung player, the remote control is crap. I could go on.

Richer's did the same to me. Anyone that asks a salesperson for advice seems to end up being sold a Cambridge Audio dvd/amp/cd/tuner/car/house/wife or whatever the hell else they think you might buy.

I'm not an expert, but I think both the players you mention are NTSC prog-scan only (no PAL p-scan). They seem to be well regarded, but I *think* the Pioneer will only output an NTSC signal from its component connection - PAL DVDs are Scart / S-video only. I guess a lot depends on your TV. If you're using a normal (non-HD / Progressive Scan) telly then any of the players you mention will look OK, even the DVD57.

[rupbert]

Cambridge Audio, now owned by Richer Sounds has produced a large bias on behalf of the RS staff...

A member of staff stated the Cambridge Audio Azure 640c was "significantly better" than a NAD 521i...

Shame he was not aware that I had a demo of both machines a few week before. They sound very, very similar...

Sorry,

I should have mentioned that the TV is only a 24" Widescreen Philips, but I plan to change this to a TV with Component Video input quite soon - I'd rather not have to buy a new DVD player at the same time.

I think I read somewhere that the Marantz 4300 does PAL p-scan (though it's some kind of conversion to PAL60).

I don't really care about DVD-A or SACD at the moment, though the Pioneer does both, just in case (though I can alway get an SACD player if I really wanted to)

The reason I ask is that the Cambridge Audio DVD57 didn't have that wow factor which kind of disappoints me a bit

[pepsi]

I just got a 4300 (2 weeks ago) and it is an outstanding DVD player. It has every connection you'll ever need (well maybe not DVI but...)

The remote is very good and has a good feel, the setup menu's are a doddle. It seems to play every disc I have thrown at it and the actual machine itself (I have it in black) is very solid and feels
like a Marantx should.

Only quibble is that the DVD players display is abit small to see if your sitting more than 10ft away (but you can change the brightness of it)

.

[Gary Lightfoot]

I can concur with Mr_Belowski that the CA players aren't very good. I had tried a few players from Richers which I ended up taking back, and they pushed the 57, so I thought I'd try it.

The interlaced picture was very soft, and both PAL and NTSC had issues which meant they were unwatchable. That one went back too.

I've seen the Panasonic S75, and that gave a very detailed image indeed - on a par with the Pioneer 656 IMHO, and definately worth £100 MR which is the current price IIRC. The Toshiba SD52e was also very good, and I would have kept that but PAL images suffered from a slight green shift. Only noticable on a large screen though (probabaly 50ins or bigger).

Gary.

Pioneer if you need universal playback
MArantz fo Picture quality and build quality
Cambridge audio @~#;
I may be wrong but:
RS don't own CA they are the sole UK distributor
RS probably (Due to this) get very good margins on CA stuff and so are probably telling there sales people to push them over the rest.
If people are looking for CA equipment they won't be shopping elsewhere as it's the only place you can get them.
But I refuse to take part in calling them crap, I'm happy to say I have never seen one to slag off, or as I will never enter a RS, probably ever will.