WoW. Toshiba SD-4900 amazing redbook and Dvd-A at 60 bux - Page 2

Thanks for the heads-up and idea for buying a super cheap DVD-A player. I'll check with the local BestBuy to see if they have one for sale. It'll be nice to have an almost disposable DVD-A player.

Quite true, I have lost my faith in PC Audio , since i heard a friend's discman sounding better than my Revo. His discman costed him 55$ and my Revo a ********* 100$ !!

would this work well as just a transport?
has anyone tried it as such?

Probably I should consider returning the 3950 and getting the 4900 then. The 3950 does have some transport noise that is a bit annoying, great sound for the money, but noisy transport. Have you tried the 3950 xtreme? Beside having a more silent transport, is the 4900 as good sounding as the 3950 with redbook?

I picked up a Toshiba SD 4900.........but not for $60, mine cost $80 at HH Greg electronics (across the street from Best Buy). This is just an upgraded 3950 with some extra useful features, nicer remote with more functions and better more informative LED readout. Same audio DAC section as 3950 so sound should be same, operation noise unfortunately is equal to me although 4900 does not seem to generate as much internal vibration, drawer for disc is faster & smoother operation with 4900, overall just more quality feel.

I purchased 3950 for $55 yesterday from local Best Buy, but decided extra features/quality of 4900 were worth another $25 and returned 3950 without extensive listening tests

BTW the Toshiba 4900 replaced a Panasonic CT470 portable CDP I was using with Grado RA1 amp and Grado 325 headphones, I can dispense with special mini/RCA cable now and just use regular ICs.

Toshiba 4900 DVD --> Grover MkIII ICs --> Grado RA1 amp --> Senn 580 headphones

Avoid the Toshiba 3960
This unit has crappy minimalist LED readout vs 3950

Wait a minute. I like the minimalist readout on the 3960. I like the display on my EAD even more. It has the option to turn off completely during play

Well if the transport noise is the same I don't feel so inclined to change to a 4900. I don't care about the features, not even the progressive scan, just the sound. The fact that the DACs are the same I think doesn't necessarily mean they will sound similar enough. The DAC's are just part of it, there's the output stages which might have differences, and there's video circuitry separated from the audio possibly differently in one unit compared to the other. Unless hearing both and hearing basically the same sound, I wouldn't jump so quickly to assume they should sound the same just because of same dacs and same manufacturer.

There definitely is more "stuff" in Toshiba 4900 because the unit is 10+ inches deep vs 7+ for 3950/3960.......although most of the extra features are for DVD playback there are useful extra audio remote functions like "repeat" and "program" which 3950/60 lacks.

Also I must mention the 4900 recognizes CD faster and starts playback sooner vs 3950/60, my 3960 had trouble on a couple CDs recognizing the format

Overall this is really great CDP for under $80........
but I don't buy the hype being spread at AA that 3950/3960/4900 competes with 1K CD only players, far too many cost compromises in the audio chain parts wise to be in that league.

Yes up to $1K I don't buy it either, maybe the midrange is nice enough, but the bass of the 3950 is not up to some $500 players like the Azur. I do think, however, that overall it is possibly around the $500 league, at least given my limited experience with some players in that range.

OK..........I am crazy but went to local Best Buy and purchased Toshiba 3950 for $55 (again) and it is now setting on top of 4900
for easy audio playback comparisons. I have listened to several CDs on 4900 yesterday/today and first impressions with 3950 is that is does have warmer tone to sound, not sure yet if it is less detailed vs 4900 or equally detailed with warmer tone.....more listening required.

Break-in is harder for 3950 because I don't see anyway to put CD on "repeat" play........anybody know a way to do this?

Wait, I figured it out
"play mode" button allows you to select all repeat mode.

It's the "play mode" button, bottom row on the remote.

Thanks.........I just figured that out after running through instructions.

Well, enjoy your $60 players... it's really pretty laughable when you think about how poor the quality of these things absolutely have to be for that price. In order to make a profit, the entirety of these players (from power supply to transport to laser assembly to amplification to digital readout to remote control and etc.) has to cost substantially less than $60 to make. I mean, there are some standalone remote controls that cost more than this. Since this is rock-bottom quality as a given, the fact that people are saying it's better than PC-based audio only shows ignorance and inability to set up a PC-based rig. Either that or it's the clique-y need to agree with the "PC audio suxxx" B.S. floating around this forum.

Before anyone tells me to run out and waste my money on one of these plastic "Made in China" players so I can subject my ears to something costing less than a low-end portable, I've already A/B'd between my Audiophile 24/96 and Toshiba SD-2109 DVD player (one of the earlier DVD players, and more solid than the crap being made these days)... the sound card won by light years in the SQ department. Far less grainy, far more detailed and realistic presentation.
Something's obviously wrong with your setup... maybe all that modding only created an illusion in your mind that the Revo was sounding better. Either that, or you just like the sound of a cheap discman. Nothing wrong with that, but this whole "audiophilia" business is something of a joke considering how subjective it is -- in the end, it comes down to buying the most expensive gear you can afford that pleases your ears.