Denon DVD-900

AndyDodds

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Hi all,
Has anyone got a Denon DVD-900?
If so, what are your thoughts, particularly on CD replay. I'm not interested in DVD-Audio/SACD and this is around £200 on the net. Are there any other players in this price range that match good AV quality and CD replay without looking like being designed for placing under a TV, not in a hi-fi rack. I do consider aesthetics and hate the look of the Toshibas/Pioneers at this price range.

Cheers

Andy Dodds

PS No offence to owners of recent Toshibas/pioneers - maybe i'm just behind the times.:D
 
Hi Andy

I just bought a multiregion one in black to match my other Denon components and to replace my Toshiba SD510E which is in silver and so looks out of place with my other components. I also bought this to tide me over until Denon bring out their new range of DVD players that don't have the problems of the 2800 Mk II and the 3800 that I've been reading about.

Denon 3802 AV receiver
Denon 1550 AR CD player
Denon DRM 555 Cassette
Mission M74i front
Mission M7C2 centre
Mission M70AS sub
Mission M7DS surrounds x 4
All the system is wired with Kimber cable and is placed on Atacama shelving.

When comparing the Denon and Toshiba for picture quality through a good quality RGB scart lead there is very little difference between the two but the Denon wins on account that it doesn't have the slight colour bleed that the Toshiba exhibits and the picture is just a little bit sharper.
The Denon wins using the coaxial digital output for both films and music, having a slightly crisper and airy sound and marginally improved imaging. The Denon also wins on straight CD analouge reply being again slightly more focussed and spacious, bass seems a little shy but hopefully this will improve as the machine burns in. My Denon 1550 AR CD player wins when compared to the DVD 900 but again not by much. So far a pretty impressive display considering the Toshiba has had some really good reviews and cost considerably more when new i.e. £400 compared to the Denons £250. However everything is not rosy. Build quality is not the best you've ever seen. It looks and feels decidely lightweight when compared to my other Denon seperates which admittedly cost a lot more. The Denon has managed to play every disc I've thrown at it so far both region 1 and 2. However I have found a few quirks. When navigating DVD menus the highlighted selection doesn't always line up with the background so it gives a weird kind of 3D effect, not to serious really but when I tried the Halloween collection on region 2 the highlighting was so far out it was impossible to see what features you were selecting. Maybe this can be fixed in the future with a firmware update. Features are also a little thin on the ground i.e. no picture adjustment menus. So all in all not a bad player offering fair value for money.
 
Thanks for an informed reply, I'd heard about the build quality but I guess you get what you pay for. If purchased I will also be running it through a 3802 into Mission M73 fronts. I am considering selling the 3802 and purcahsing something like a Yammy 630 with a stereo amp for the front channels. Ever since selling my Denon stereo setup about four years ago and diving into HC I can't help but think i'm missing out on stereo replay. This is the reason for my question as decent CD replay on a Denon 900 will help delay the purchase of a separate CD player (I have another thread in Amps at the mo) Maybe i'll just threaten my wife with divorce unless she agrees to an A85/CD82 purchase right now :devil:
 
Hi Andy

When you listen to stereo sources such as CD using your 3802 always select the direct mode as this helps bypass some of the electronics in the signal path. I also turn off my subwoofer and let the front speakers do all the work. To turn the subwoofer off in direct mode press the 'CH VOL' button on the 3802 and turn the subwoofer level down until 'OFF' is displayed. I have found this setting to be the best for straight stereo replay. The 3802 and your Mission M73 are a match made in heaven so should work great together. Also don't forget to use good quality cables and interconnects. I've kitted all my system out with kimber cable. Yes it was expensive but it's made a stunning difference. I didn't beleive it was possible that good quality cables could make such a difference. If anybody ever tells you that cables don't make a difference then they are talking out of their backside. I now look upon cables as a component in themselves rather than an accessory. My cousin who is a manager at Musical Fidelity and has listened to just about every piece of quality hi-fi equipment available was shocked by how good my system sounds and friends who visit regularly shake their heads in disbelief and then pick their jaws up off of the floor. So don't buy the Yamaha. Your 3802 has loads of untapped potential. Try to invest the money in some decent cables.
 
What cables/interconnects are you using and how much do they cost? I only need about 8 metres of spkr cable.
 
A few more q's if u don't mind:
1)where did you get your dvd player from?
2) Is it Multi region AND rce compatible?

Andy
 
Hi Andy

Go and check this site out 'www.russandrews.com' I came across this site while searching the internet, what this man had to say sent alarm bells ringing in my head. To cut a long story short Russ Andrews beleives that we are only getting about 10% of the potential of our system due to poor mains quality, radio frequency interference from radio signals e.t.c. He has some interesting files you can download from his site. I was very sceptical at first but decided to try one of his Yello power cords. At £40. I couldn't see how replacing a mains cable could make any difference but when I tried it on my CD player it made an improvement that I would have been satisfied with if I had upgraded my £350 player for a £1000 one. After this I ordered a silencer unit at £40 which cleans up any disturbances on the mains and yet again there was a huge improvement particularly with the picture quality of my DVD player. Next I bought a Kimber PBJ interconnect at £76 for my CD player and yet again a remarkable step forward in sound quality happened. Next I bought a 2.5 meter pair of Kimber 4TC speaker cable at £163 and yet again another big leap forward in sound quality. Russ Andrews exclusively distributes Kimber cable in the U.K. he offers a 30 day money back guarantee so you can't go wrong. Can I also point out that I do not work for Russ Andrews or have any connection with him. I am just someone who has benefited from Russ's unconventional theories. I'd also just like to say that they are probably the most friendly and helpful company I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Even the entry level speaker cable PR priced at £5 per metre unterminated would make a big improvement to your system. Interestingly if you go to the Mission web site they say that they only use Kimber cable for in house testing and demonstrations with their speakers.
 
Hi Andy

I got my DVD player from 'www.avland.co.uk' price £200 including delivery.

It is also multi region and rce compatible.

Ordered mine on a Wednesday and it come on the Friday. Excellent service.
 

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