[Welly Wu]

I received my ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi last Wednesday and I have let it run in for a solid week and a half. It took two months and eight days to get to me because Mr. Dan Wright had a very busy and hectic schedule. As such, delays were inevitable but he was honest and candid with his bastion of clients. He also said that the quality of his work would not go down as a result of overwhelming (and I truly mean overwhelming) demand for his specialty work.

I must pause to think about what my impressions are thus far. It is so very hard to find language that can describe this gem and masterpiece. I no longer write HI-FI reviews. I no longer care about HI-FI sound. I no longer need to use arcane audiophile language. It just simply sounds like pure music. I have changed my perspective on how to approach future reviews. I will describe how the music sounds because it is first and foremost. Now, I have a universal DVD player that just wants to play music instead of rendering its cold hard HI-FI interpretation of the music.

I listen to music first and foremost and my ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi is a musician unto itself. Natural. Dynamic. At ease yet powerful. Fast. Nimble. Neutral. Balanced. Coherent. These are words that jump out at me that certain performers are known for. Right now, I am listening to Hilary Hahn's Bach Concertos on Hybrid SA-CD. When I used to listen to this very fine and deeply cherised masterpiece, I listened for the strengths and weaknesses of my stock HI-FI equipment. I used audiophile jargon to describe the sound. Things have changed. Now, I will say that her level of musicianship is exceptional. She is fast, nimble, balanced, coherent, dynamic, and so too is my heavily modded universal DVD player. I just realized that "very high end" (who said that) HI-FI is not about HI-FI sound: it is about the communication of music in its most unadulterated and expressive mannerisms. At this level, music is put forth on the stage and the equipment just sits in the dark shadows ready and able to give all of the spotlight and attention to the music. At least, that's what I'm trying to describe what I hear.

This has radically changed how I have come to think of music and the symbiotic role of HI-FI equipment. It is how I have come to discover what is truly musical to my ears and worth listening to and what is not. Hahn plays with such gilded talents and passion with each stroke of her violin bow. My source component digs deep into the lands and pits of the hybrid SA-CD disc to reveal her gifts with nary any congestion, artifice, or garnishing of sound.

What used to sound dark, warm, and poetic now sounds musical, natural, and believable. I believe the music is reaching me so much so that I need not resort to any deliberate usage of audiophile jargon to describe the HI-FI version of music. Now, I know how to re-tool future reviews with my instrument of truth, candor, and honesty...

It calls my attention to the music first. It's not just about greater clarity, immediacy, or PRAT. It is about how well does Hahn play as compared to Rachael Podger. What are their styles of interpretation? Contrast that to Bruce Springsteen. I can understand the personae (latin, plural feminine) of musicians and why they make the decisions that they do when they play. It all begins to make sense. So much so that I've become more focused and more dedicated to the fine art of searching deep into artist's back catalogs and getting to know that aspect of them intimately. In a refreshingly honest, candid, and truthful way.

I am free from the fetters of audiophile HI-FI. When I want to hear rock 'n roll, I rock out harder but at much lower volumes. Rock music takes on more distinct personalities, idiosyncrasies, and all consuming energy of attention, focus, and adoration. Classical music becomes my main staple of musical nutrition: it's fine filigree is not lost upon me through the often frustrating and distorted lenses of HI-FI equipment limitations. Jazz/Soul are my soul food. Yeah. I can dig it. I can get my groove on. And I'm just an Asian American. heh. New Age such as Enya transports me into this ethereal world filled with a landscape of colors, tones, and hues to fill my mind with fanciful delights. I am transported from my ho hum world into my own private universe through my ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi.

All I can say is that I want to change from listening to equipment to listening to music. If any piece of equipment forces me to go back to my old habits of listening, then it is gone. I do not want to move backwards. I only go forward from here on. It is so very very true: the source component affects all sound. It is the origin, the genesis of sound. It doesn't just make or break your rig, it is the heart and soul of your rig. It determines whether you listen to HI-FI equipment or to music. And that is all the difference in the world. Your reviews, mine included, and the language used will show the world whether your equipment is making you listen to music first or equipment first. It reveals so much about your character. IMHO, a proper source component makes me listen to music first and foremost and it causes me to dismiss HI-FI equipment. That is my new criteria. That is what I will spend thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of dollars chasing after: o, the music...the music (not a higher realm of HI-FI). If it took $2800 USD to make me listen to the music first to last, then it was worth every penny paid.

After I am finished listening to my most cherished music, the music still lives in my mind for hours afterwards. I am refreshed. I am re-invigorated. I can return to my ho hum world having just returned from a vacation in the land of music.

 

[Dimitri]

Welcome back, Welly Wu. i've been anticipating your review for a while--I'm about to pull the trigger on dv59avi and its great to hear that this already excellent (according to many a pro review) player can be modded with success. nice review/epiphany narrative.

Enjoy the music,

Dimitri

 

[Welly Wu]

Given my insatiable and voracious readings of the current crop of universal DVD players, I would like to make some clarifications:

1. Why are there suddenly a rash of universal DVD players entering the market? Why are they priced from as low as ~ $100 USD up to $75,000 USD? I think it is because audio manufacturers catering for both the 98% market base of general consumers and 2% market share of audio/videophiles see potential in all digital, DVD-video upscalers, and DVD-Audio / SA-CD along with HDCD formats. They are literally making the hardware with which to play all of these formats possible for everybody no matter the budget. Amazing.

2. Does this mean that DVD-Audio and SA-CD will survive or even...thrive?! Possibly. As I have said for some time, FY 2005 will prove to be a very important year for DVD-Audio / SA-CD supporters as we have only begun to see the influx of universal DVD players priced at different ranges. Time will tell whether consumers will begin snapping up hi-rez recordings. Much of the brunt work is still outstanding and incumbent upon the shoulders of the major record labels: a massive, collective, and coherent marketing push for both hi-rez formats is the key to get consumers to spend money on hi-rez formats. Lack of public interest in both hi-rez formats is not necessarily attributable to the lack of technical superiority of both hi-rez formats over the Red Book Compact Disc format, but it is a vicious self defeating cycle in which major record labels have not promulgated the benefits of both hi-rez formats. While DualDisc and SA-CS2CD offer hope of combining audio and video onto one disc, the technical details are still a bit of a concern to me. However, it should also be noted that such technical glitches do not represent the most important barrier through which both hi-rez formats must break through. It is the responsibility of major record labels to begin a massive marketing campaign complete with educational materials for both sales professionals, audio manufacturers, and consumers together about the key benefits associated with both hi-rez formats. If they are all on the same page, then perhaps DualDisc's technical glitches can be resolved and we can move into the next evolution of the DVD-Audio format. If SA-CS2CD hits the market before the all important Thanksgiving -> New Years holiday shopping season with an aggressive and robust marketing campaign, then perhaps FY 2005 will be a very slow and gradual transitional phase from dominant Red Book CD sales to more DVD-Audio / SA-CD sales at the end of FY 2005 when the RIAA compiles sales data.

3. The Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi, in its stock form, is still an excellent universal DVD player. It had features such as iLink (IEEE 1394), HDMI, T-REX internal video upscaling with 480I output, separate fiberglass PCBs for audio, video, and power supplies among other key features way before other AV manufacturers decided to get in the game. It is still very much cutting edge technology that is not saddled down by technical glitches or quality control issues. I would say that it is the best Red Book CD player I have auditioned for under $1600 USD MSRP due to the HiBit and Legato PRO DSPs which mollify digital stridency in the trebles and a hollow midrange usually associated with the 30 year old format. SA-CD is simply sublime. DVD-Audio is three dimensional and holographic. It is the jack of all trades and the master of them all within its price point.

4. The ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi is simply a fine musical instrument unto itself. I now know that I can trust Mr. Dan Wright's ears when it comes to music reproduction. The greatest surprise is not increased fidelity and resolution in both SA-CD or DVD-Audio but a much more natural, believable, and convincing musical character overall on all formats. Red Book CDs sound better than SA-CD and DVD-Audio if it is properly engineered, mixed, and mastered. That is my brutally honest and truthful opinion. I have the FIM Audiophile Audition HDCD disc and it trounces the Single Layer SA-CD Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Top Gun Special Extended Edition album on most of the tracks with the exception of one or two bonus tracks that were obviously taken from the analog reel masters. I will not say that the performance of Red Book CD has been elevated to such a point that the key benefits of superior sound fidelity of both SA-CD and DVD-Audio are moot, but I will say that every 12cm disc I throw at it sounds so natural, believable, and musical. It is a fine hand crafted musical instrument.

 

[Welly Wu]

Well, I've been listening to music first all day since 9:00 AM EST non-stop today. I'm still listening to the music first.

I've never listened to so much music for so long a period of time without getting fussy or critical of the sound in my entire young audiophile life. I'm not only just hearing finer nuances and details: I'm hearing the music for the first time. I haven't had the best work week, but I feel totally refreshed and re-invigorated. I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow with higher goals and performance expectations.

I'm hearing the mods burn in gradually over time. Music sounds sweeter and pure. It has its own mesmerizing chant that just draws me nearer.

I'm going to hit the sack...if I can stop listening to music. Good night.

 

[bln]

What have you been listening to?

 

[Welly Wu]

Just about my entire collection from Hilary Hahn, Rachel Podger, Bruce Springsteen, Natalie Merchant, Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, Linkin Park, and Tori Amos. It took me all of this time and all of this money to realize that my passion should be concentrated on the music first and foremost. If I start analyzing the sound or offering critiques after the first album is done, then it's all wrong and I've had a real world education. From this day forward, I devote myself to the music first and I only invest in musical instruments (AKA HI-FI equipment).

 

[BigD]

Welcome back, Welly.
I guess the mod pioneer dv59avi is just smooth and effortless machine replicating music. Good to see you happy with an investment. who else has pioneer dv59avi in head-fi?

So do you think even stock dv59avi is better than denon dvd2900 in redbook cd? Looking around under$1000 SACD/CD player and my short list contains pioneer dv59avi, denon dvd2900 and marantz sa8260. I'm more interested in redbook cd playback capability amongst these players, because all of them play excellent SACDs.

Also I was curious if all pioneer dv59avi is region-free. In my dvd collections, I have discs from Europe, Asia and America. Really need a multi-region player as well. If not, how can I get the code cracked?

 

[Welly Wu]

I have owned these two universal DVD players: the Denon DVD 2900 and Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi.

I have auditioned these universal DVD players:
Bel Canto Design Player-1
Linn Unidisk 1.1
Marantz DV-8400
Denon DVD 3910 (very briefly)
Samsung HD-841 / 941 (very briefly with the HD-941)
Pioneer DV-563a / DV-578
Denon DVD 2200
Denon DVD 5900
others but I'm kind of pressed for time as I got to go to B&N work in 1 hour and I got errands to run

For the best audio/video playback at under $1000 USD, I would put my money on either the Denon DVD 2900, Denon DVD 2200, or Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi. If you can work harder and longer hours to generate more assets, then I would highly recommend you look into the Marantz DV-8400. It is Stereophile Rated Class A product for 2004. No joke.

For the best stock universal DVD player, I would recommend the Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi in terms of the best sounding Red Book CD playback for under $1000 USD. SA-CD on my stock unit (according to memory) is markedly improved than the Denon DVD 2200 through their Denon DVD 5900. DVD-Audio is on par with the Denon DVD 2900 and 5900 and it is par excellence. However, DVD-Video performance...well, the Denon DVD 5900 and Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi are neck and neck. It comes down to preferences.

You can easily find a brand spanking new Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi from an AUTHORIZED PIONEER E-COMMERCE RESELLER for $1000 USD shipped. I would still hold out until December 2004 to make a purchasing decision as I expect prices to drop another $25 USD - $75 USD depending on the merchant. My casual price research indicates that buying a brand new unit from an authorized Pioneer e-commerce reseller is cheaper than buying it used on Audiogon or Videogon, but I may be wrong.

There is indeed a region free hack for the Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi which requires you to do some searches within the VAST AVS Forum databases (http://www.avsforum.com - go search under DVD players or Ultra High End Home Theater forums). It is akin to doing some Play Station 2 cheats through the remote control but I don't play video games at all anymore. I know it works. However, I don't really need that feature.

DrewWinters and MusicLover (I think) have the Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi (stock units) over here at Head-Fi that I know of. I'm only one of a handful of people who sent their stock units in for heavily aftermarket modifications in the United States. I think a total of 3 - 5 customers have done business with Mr. Dan Wright of ModWright LLC (http://www.modwright.com). I trust this man's reputation, communication, and especially his ear for music. I will do business with him in the near future when I acquire:

A $5,000+ USD Super Universal Player:
HD-DVD / Blu-Ray
DVDO video upscaler
DVD-Audio
SA-CD
Red Book CD
HDCD
DVD-Video
Realta HQV Teranex processing
HDAM (op-amp free design)
Cleans my car
Washes my dishes
*To be heavily modded by Mr. Dan Wright himself in time!

Red Book CD performance experience:
The Denon DVD 2900 and Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi use completely different op-amps in their stock configuration. Hence, the sound of Red Book CD is entirely different between both fine universal DVD players. The Denon DVD 2900 and Denon DVD 5900 are decidedly very neutral, very colorless, and are nicely detailed (especially the DVD 5900). You will hear pretty much what is deeply embedded into the lands and pits of the Red Book CD with either machine especially with the Denon DVD 5900 as it employs Denon's proprietary and non-defeatable AL24+ simple upsampling (16-20bit -> 24bit and 44.1/48kHz -> 96kHz). It is very clean. It is very pristine. Nice. Very nice on the Denon DVD 5900.

Pioneer has decided to employ their own HiBit and Legato PRO custom DSPs to mollify and ameliorate some of the inherent limitations in building a quality Red Book CD player within the design and engineering challenges of incorporating DVD-Video, SA-CD, and DVD-Audio capabilities into a one black or silver box machine. Basically, HiBit converts 16/20 word length bits -> 24bit. But, it gets more complicated with Legato PRO but that's not necessarily a negative characterization either. What it does is it uses a simply 4X upsampler for 44.1kHz -> 176.4kHz and 48kHz -> 192kHz through four custom, pre-set DSPs. It does this in real-time but it does not incorporate a buffering system to hold the data and reclock it or upsample the data like Meridian systems because Meridian patented their design and it costs mucho dineros.

That's how the Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi processes Red Book CD differently from Denon's chosen method. Do some searches for my impressions of the stock Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi within the Head-Fi databases. You'll learn what I'm talking about.

IF you make the decision to buy a Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi, Denon DVD 2900, or Denon DVD 2200, then you will most likely be a happy man for the holidays 2004. IF you decide to send these specific units to an aftermarket modder, then you will most likely in all probability be ecstatic. The changes are on the order of a paradigm shift. Instead of listening to HI-FI equipment for flaws and strengths, you will be listening to music for countless hours. That is what my experience is of sending my stock unit to ModWright LLC.

In any event, these platforms are rich ones for heavily aftermarket modifications. They are not inexpensive but they do fall under the strict budget category. Modding them suddenly changes the equation. You will have dollar for dollar one of the best damn sounding and looking one box universal solution for all of your entertainment needs.

My formulating conclusion is that I made the right financial and HI-FI decision. I honestly think that my ModWright, LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi competes favorably (but that it ultimately is slightly outclassed) by much more expensive boutique universal DVD players including the Linn Unidisk 1.1 and Bel Canto Design Player-1. At this level or realm, it comes down to nit picking very fine and subtle differences.

Bel Canto Design Player-1: $9500 USD (American owned / manufactered)
Linn Unidisk 1.1: $11,500 USD
TEAC Esoteric DV-50: $5,550 USD
ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi: $2800 USD (Japanese manufactured, American modded)

I would say that list above is representative of my personal listening experiences of the top universal DVD players to be had in 2004. Dollar for dollar, I think mine can play with the big boys costing thousands of dollars more and my careful auditioning seems to confirm my formulating opinions. I feel mine trumps the TEAC Esoteric DV-50 by a few meters. It wins some and loses some in the bass, midrange, soundstage, treble with the $10000+ USD big boys, but I'd have to give those much more expensive units the prize.

More impressions to come this week. I'm off to work very soon. I'll be trying to re-audition more expensive universal DVD players at my friends' homes and my local dealers in Montclair, Verona, and elsewhere in NJ.

Send me a private message if you want to get more free information. Anyone is free to do so. My private messaging system is working. If you want, send me an e-mail message but don't be trying some tricky stuff as I have implemented some anti-SPAM, anti-Virii, and custom automated filtering software (psychotic computer security = makes me very happy man).

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welly Wu ...I just realized that "very high end" (who said that) HI-FI is not about HI-FI sound: it is about the communication of music in its most unadulterated and expressive mannerisms. At this level, music is put forth on the stage and the equipment just sits in the dark shadows ready and able to give all of the spotlight and attention to the music...

Well said Welly. Your system has crossed the line from "sounding great" to "making music". That is my essential goal when it comes to Hi-Fi--to be able to forget about the equipment altogether and become immersed in the music.

Congrats and enjoy! Don't forget to sleep and eat between listening sessions!

 

[BigD]

Quote:

You can easily find a brand spanking new Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi from an AUTHORIZED PIONEER E-COMMERCE RESELLER for $1000 USD shipped. I would still hold out until December 2004 to make a purchasing decision as I expect prices to drop another $25 USD - $75 USD depending on the merchant. WellyWu.

Thnx for your input. I'll hold out my urge till dec 04 or jan 05. Meantime, I'll have see how prices drop.

 

[rnhood]

Very good work Welly Wu in reviewing your players and communicating the essence of their characteristics. Did you ultimately consider the modified Pioneer a better redbook player than the Denons and/or others in it's price range (after modified). Can you briefly comment on this?

Can you also briefly tell us what Dan Wright's modification embodied? Maybe eliminate the opamps, install a tube, etc?? Or should I check with the man himself on this?

 

[Welly Wu]

To all who are interested in buying a universal DVD player for the holidays 2004:

Please visit your local Barnes & Noble bookstore and spend some time reading the latest HI-FI magazines as they are coming out with their very brief and general overviews of the top products of 2004. Editor's Choice awards, price brackets, and brief brief descriptions are being published and are somewhat useful to get you in the right direction with regard to universal DVD player purchases for the holidays. By the way, I define a universal DVD player as being capable of decoding these formats:

Red Book CD
DVD-Video
Super Audio CD (Multi-Channel / Stereo)
DVD-Audio (Multi-Channel / Stereo)
High Definition CD (limited availability -- a damned shame too)


Some highlights:

Budget Categories:
$100 USD - $500 USD: Integra Research DPC 8.5 Carousel**, Pioneer DV-563A, Yamaha S-1500**, Samsung HD-841/941, Denon DVD 2200**, Onkyo CP-802 Carousel

$500 USD - $1000 USD: Yamaha S-2300 MKII**, Denon DVD 2900**, Pioneer DV-757AVi, Denon DVD 2910,

Midrange Categories:
$1000 USD - $2000 USD: Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi**, Marantz DV-8400**, Denon DVD 5900**, Denon DVD 3910

High End Categories:
$2000 USD - $4000 USD: Marantz DV-9500, Integra Research RDV1.1, Denon DVD 5910, McCormack UDP-1**, Onkyo DV-SP1000, Linn Unidisk 2.1**

MUSIC REFERENCE CATEGORIES:
$5000 USD - $20,000 USD: TEAC Esoteric DV-50S**, Bel Canto Design PLayer-1**, Linn UniDisk 1.1**, TEAC Esoteric UX-1

IN A CLASS ALL OF ITS OWN:
Goldmund Eidos Universal Reference

note: ** means that both professional and consumer reviews have been published and it has snagged an Editor's Choice or Product of the Year of its' class for 2004 by a reputable HI-FI periodical.

 

[Welly Wu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnhood Very good work Welly Wu in reviewing your players and communicating the essence of their characteristics. Did you ultimately consider the modified Pioneer a better redbook player than the Denons and/or others in it's price range (after modified). Can you briefly comment on this? Can you also briefly tell us what Dan Wright's modification embodied? Maybe eliminate the opamps, install a tube, etc?? Or should I check with the man himself on this?

rnhood:

Answers to your questions:
1. The Red Book CD performance of the stock unit competes favorably with the stock Denon DVD 5900 in terms of bass extension and muscle, midrange clarity and immediacy, and treble extension and precision. Where the Denon DVD 5900 differs from the Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi is that the former is very neutral, balanced, clean, and detailed while the latter is dark, warm, poetic and engaging.

2. The ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi is quite simply a hand crafted musical instrument in its own right. It simply sounds musical regardless of the formats -- DVD-Video, SA-CD, DVD-Audio, and Red Book CD along with HDCD (though it does not have the latest and last generation Pacific Micro HDCD DAC). HI-FI descriptors are wholly inadequate and inappropriate. I have auditioned the behemoth in the TEAC Esoteric DV-50S for a week and I am absolutely convinced that mine sounds like a muse singing magical music at night. That's why I came to work early this afternoon by only 15 minutes. Oops

3. Mr. Dan Wright can mod it any way you like. However, you got to convince him that it's still worth his time, money, and effort. It ain't easy to do justice to music, but he can "turn the line" and make machines sound like poetic muses. Talk to the man.

He did the Pioneer Standalone Multi-Channel Mod which replaces all stock rectifiers to ultra-fast soft-recovery diodes, high quality electrolytic capacitors, grounded IEC male socket, Black Gates analog coupling caps, AD8620 op-amps, improved discrete power supplies to analog and digital PCBs for all 6.1 channels. He also did the Level II Transport Mod which adds a Cardas rhodium RCA female digital out for usage with an external DAC (though you won't want to use that option once you hear his work), stabilized the key sections of the transport mechanism, upgraded key digital decoupling caps to Black Gate FK and Nx-HiQ caps, and upgraded the main AC filter cap from a Panasonic capacitor to Black Gate's best WK "Power Tank" cap. He installed the LC Audio SuperClock x03 with Clock Supply Mod (4 high speed soft recovery diodes & 2 Black Gate caps) which reduces jitter to 1ppm accuracy, operates at a 24.x Mhz frequency, purifies digital noise, and converts the distorted square wave into a pure sine wave signal that gets fed to the triple Burr Brown PCM-1738 DACs 24bit/192kHz. He upgraded the power supply by adding Black Gates WX which provides three discrete voltages for analog and digital PCBs. Check out these hidden web pages: http://www.modwright.com/products/in...p?product_id=6
http://www.modwright.com/products/in...p?product_id=7

Why don't I just take pictures for you guys?

It is 3:05 AM EST. I am still listening to my music and helping you guys out here! I FINALLY FOUND my Canon PowerShot S30 3.2 megapixel digital camera! I hope my Photobucket account is still active.

First, let me stop listening to music. I got to brush my teeth and take a shower after coming home late from work. Next, let me figure out how to use this digital camera. Then, I'll update this reply with pictures of the guts of my ModWright LLC Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi.


Ramblings:

My experience with the Denons are with the Denon DVD 2200, 2900, 5900, and 3910 (limited). I have off from work on Wednesday and Thursday to try out the Denon DVD 2910 and DVD 3910 at my friends' homes (mansions/luxury estates) and my local HI-FI boutique dealerships too.

The Denons are damned good machines for the money. I still am dumbfounded at how Denon was able to get the DVD 3910 for under $1300 USD MSRP before Thanksgiving 2004. I must audition it and research it as if I were to buy it. The stock Denons from the DVD 2200, 2900 differ markedly from the DVD 5900. The Denon DVD 3910 is in a price

erformance category that must be challenged by other competitors or they will lose holiday sales...period. I say that the Denon DVD 2200/2900 is very neutral but not natural sounding. It is very dry, accurate, neutral, and precise. You lose extension in both bass and trebles with a noticeable digital edge to the sound. Detail is very precise and accurate. Both are terrific values for the money either new or used. The Denon DVD 5900 and DVD 3910 are of the same family heritage. The difference in sound and vision is exponentially better. I found the Denon DVD 5900 to be very detailed, neutral, balanced, muscular, forward and c-l-e-a-n. Picture quality is...to-die-for-even-for-a-never-say-die-audiophile!

Let's play English Creative Writing graduate tries his hand at "fuzzy math:" Insert <<your most beautiful, successful, famous female Hollywood Star here>> + add Faroujda DCDi with T-REX 1080i through DVI-HDCP video upscaling = (Cialis+Viagra)^2.

That's the Denon DVD 5900 video. Oh, it's no longer being manufactured by Denon any longer...sorry!

So far, the Denon DVD 3910 is something spicy. My impressions so far are that it is a more affordable Denon DVD 5900 without the overengineered/overbuilt discrete power supply unit but for much much less money. Very similiar audio performance as the Denon DVD 5900 but without as much muscle and power. Nearly identical video performance but with both DVI-D through HDCP and HDMI Generation 1.0 Version 1.1. What that means is that it can output a pure digital Red Book CD and DVD-Audio 8.1 channel surround sound without slightly imperfect digital to analog conversion but with only one cable to carry both audio and video combined at 5GB/S bandwidth. It's probably going to be the future all digital connector that will make component video and European SCART interface obsolete over the next couple of years. It might render your analog audio RCA/BNC connectors obsolete as well but that will take a heck of a lot more time and advancements to the specifications and enormous upheaval by manufacturers and consumers combined.

 

[Welly Wu]

I apologize for not including descriptions and if these pictures seem to be a bit out of order, but it is 4:55 AM EST and I'm friggin' tired.

 

[tom hankins]

Does Dan also do the tube output mods on the Pioneer? I have spent alot of time comparing the Ultimate truth tube mods with the stand alone power supply done on a Sony 999ES and the sound was pure bliss. One of the best redbook and so far, easily the best sacd I've heard. All for under 2500.00. Glad your happy and congrats on the new player.