NonPayingMember
Previously Liam @ Prog AV
Hi guys,
I've got my DV139 into the home system, as promised here's a quick account of my first impressions before I get stuck right into a movie. As we're all Arcamites around here I've saved on mentioning all the usual reasons that Arcam gear is so brilliant (!) and concentrated purely on performance differences from the DV137 which it replaced and to my best memory the DV29. This level of performance is already very high so the DV139 has some work to do...
My system currently is Meridian 561 audio processing, Genelec HT206 fronts, Genelec HT205 rears, Velodyne DD-12 sub, Panasonic plasma, Lumagen VisionHDQ video processor. My Domino D80 only just turned up and I haven't the time to get that in nor do I have the old H79 anymore. So i've used the SD plasma for most tests and quickly rigged up a HD LCD for the upscaler to be 100% sure.
Video Performance
- video deinterlacing is excellent. No jaggies nor any significant loss of detail in HQV video deinterlacing tests (where the Lumagen will flicker a jaggy on the top of the flag test, and will also just fail the moving bar test in the green area).
- film deinterlacing is also very quick and on most material exactly the same as the Lumagen for 3:2. 2:2 I haven't tested yet as I managed to forget my discs. Should have Thursday afternoon to get a play but given the 1 frame delay it took on the racing car test I'm guessing it will be ABT102 level (which means not as heavy a film bias as I would have liked). However this is a £1800 DVD player not a £1600 dedicated processor. In other words for the price it's amazing (easily betters the Denon A1 for example).
- scaling for a DVD player is exceptional. The Lumagen is sharper mind (will get proper play time when the projector is in). Again though, for DVD player internal processing this has got a ridiculous amount of power.
- no other advanced video features, just the raw deinterlacing and scaling of the ABT technology (which is does brilliantly).
Audio
My test CD today is something I doubt anyone here has ever heard of. Jimmy Barnes Live - an Aussie rock singer with a truly amazing voice (former Cold Chisel lead singer). He can do the kind of range Axel Rose can and just turn it on and off at will. He also has a brilliantly gravelly 40-a-day voice which is a real delight when done well. What can I say? It sounds brilliant so far albeit a little held back. Would like to run her in because there is definitely more to come and we can see just what level of performance it can do compared to say a dedicated CD deck. But already I can tell the seperation is far better than the DV137 and a DiVA CD player would struggle to keep up. From what I remember of the DV29 the DV139 is a definite improvement
SACD I just had to crack on Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon the only SACD I've ever used for comparisons. As Meridian fans will know, I am unfortunate enough to have no bloomin 6ch input on this system so I've just done 2ch (come on Arcam - gimme an AV9 for Christmas I've been ever such a good boy!). The only dedicated SACD deck I have heard up close and personal this year was one of the Marantz ones lower down in the food chain, otherwise haven't messed about with SACD much. Apart from the Linn unidisc which is in it's own league, I've only heard it on the likes of Denon, Pioneer, Primare. This is the best I have ever heard Pink Floyd without doubt. And still not run in yet...
Unless running in proves to go nowhere further I think it's safe to assume Arcam have just built the last DVD player you will ever need to buy. Unfortunately for this review I have always been a huge Arcam fan but I really don't think I am being biased here. Will follow up with 2:2 tests hopefully Thursday otherwise over the weekend.
P.S. I've kept listening to Pink Floyd while writing this and flicked back to "Time" (one of my favs), it's getting better and better by the second. I am one incredibly happy bunny tonight
P.P.S sorry for the briefness but I just have to put a movie on now!!!
I've got my DV139 into the home system, as promised here's a quick account of my first impressions before I get stuck right into a movie. As we're all Arcamites around here I've saved on mentioning all the usual reasons that Arcam gear is so brilliant (!) and concentrated purely on performance differences from the DV137 which it replaced and to my best memory the DV29. This level of performance is already very high so the DV139 has some work to do...
My system currently is Meridian 561 audio processing, Genelec HT206 fronts, Genelec HT205 rears, Velodyne DD-12 sub, Panasonic plasma, Lumagen VisionHDQ video processor. My Domino D80 only just turned up and I haven't the time to get that in nor do I have the old H79 anymore. So i've used the SD plasma for most tests and quickly rigged up a HD LCD for the upscaler to be 100% sure.
Video Performance
- video deinterlacing is excellent. No jaggies nor any significant loss of detail in HQV video deinterlacing tests (where the Lumagen will flicker a jaggy on the top of the flag test, and will also just fail the moving bar test in the green area).
- film deinterlacing is also very quick and on most material exactly the same as the Lumagen for 3:2. 2:2 I haven't tested yet as I managed to forget my discs. Should have Thursday afternoon to get a play but given the 1 frame delay it took on the racing car test I'm guessing it will be ABT102 level (which means not as heavy a film bias as I would have liked). However this is a £1800 DVD player not a £1600 dedicated processor. In other words for the price it's amazing (easily betters the Denon A1 for example).
- scaling for a DVD player is exceptional. The Lumagen is sharper mind (will get proper play time when the projector is in). Again though, for DVD player internal processing this has got a ridiculous amount of power.
- no other advanced video features, just the raw deinterlacing and scaling of the ABT technology (which is does brilliantly).
Audio
My test CD today is something I doubt anyone here has ever heard of. Jimmy Barnes Live - an Aussie rock singer with a truly amazing voice (former Cold Chisel lead singer). He can do the kind of range Axel Rose can and just turn it on and off at will. He also has a brilliantly gravelly 40-a-day voice which is a real delight when done well. What can I say? It sounds brilliant so far albeit a little held back. Would like to run her in because there is definitely more to come and we can see just what level of performance it can do compared to say a dedicated CD deck. But already I can tell the seperation is far better than the DV137 and a DiVA CD player would struggle to keep up. From what I remember of the DV29 the DV139 is a definite improvement
SACD I just had to crack on Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon the only SACD I've ever used for comparisons. As Meridian fans will know, I am unfortunate enough to have no bloomin 6ch input on this system so I've just done 2ch (come on Arcam - gimme an AV9 for Christmas I've been ever such a good boy!). The only dedicated SACD deck I have heard up close and personal this year was one of the Marantz ones lower down in the food chain, otherwise haven't messed about with SACD much. Apart from the Linn unidisc which is in it's own league, I've only heard it on the likes of Denon, Pioneer, Primare. This is the best I have ever heard Pink Floyd without doubt. And still not run in yet...
Unless running in proves to go nowhere further I think it's safe to assume Arcam have just built the last DVD player you will ever need to buy. Unfortunately for this review I have always been a huge Arcam fan but I really don't think I am being biased here. Will follow up with 2:2 tests hopefully Thursday otherwise over the weekend.
P.S. I've kept listening to Pink Floyd while writing this and flicked back to "Time" (one of my favs), it's getting better and better by the second. I am one incredibly happy bunny tonight
P.P.S sorry for the briefness but I just have to put a movie on now!!!