[Solude]

Please vote if you've had a chance to hear either/or both.

 

[Uncledan]

This is hard to compare it in this way, since they have a big price gap.

 

[radrd]

Yeah, hard to compare. I have only heard the Philips, and only for a very short amount of time, so sound quality-wize I have no idea. Either would probably be quite good.

 

[JMT]

I haven't heard both, just the 555. The Philips is a DVD player, the Sony is not. The Sony is built like a tank, people say that the Philips is not. Both play SACD, the Sony plays multi-channel SACD as well (don't know if the Philips does). The Philips is a single disc player, the Sony is a 5 disc changer. The Sony has text, I don't know about the Philips. The Sony sounds great to me, the Philips sounds great to those who own them.

It may not an apples to apples comparison.

 

[RickG]

I definitely believe the Philips does redbook better (without question). The SACD side is sort of a toss up (I think the 963 is a little more focused on the top end)...and yes Jon, the 963 does all of that stuff with the exception of changing five discs...+ it spanks my Sony DVD-NS700P with picture quality to die for!

 

[Solude]

"This is hard to compare it in this way, since they have a big price gap."

Price and performance don't always follow each other. There are lots of good cheap players and lots of really expensive crappy ones

 

[grohan]

Quote:

"This is hard to compare it in this way, since they have a big price gap."

actualy, the price gap is not so large. the 555 was last available new at oade brothers for $ 600while many retailers charge $500 for the 963. A used 555 at audiogon goes for around 500. I just got an offer to choose from a brand new 963 or a open box 555 for the same price... what to do?

ps. I do not need the DVD part.

 

[Uncledan]

Quote:

Originally posted by grohan actualy, the price gap is not so large. the 555 was last available new at oade brothers for $ 600while many retailers charge $500 for the 963. A used 555 at audiogon goes for around 500. I just got an offer to choose from a brand new 963 or a open box 555 for the same price... what to do? ps. I do not need the DVD part.

I will go for Sony 555. Since the resell price of Sony 555 is much higher then Philips.

 

[radrd]

And, from what I read, having Mathew Ankar (www.sacdmods.com) mod the 555 will get you a player that surpasses a stock XA777ES. That's a good reason to go for the 555 IMO. Though, I bet there will be mod packages for the Philips at some point in the near future as well.

 

[Nightfall]

I've been trying, VERY hard, to find a 555ES to have sacd mods upgrade for me with no sucess. There have been a very few appear on Audiogon, but they sell immediately. I've posted offers to purcahse at the full asking price, only to find, repeatedly, that the unit is sold.
If anyone notices a 555ES available, anywhere, for sale, please pm me asap. Thanks.


JC

 

[springofdark]

I don't really know much about the modding potentials of either player, and haven't even heard either of them (but did hear an earlier high-end sony SACD player once)

anyway, I found this link, if anyone would be interested.

http://www.asi-audio.com/PhilipsDVD963SA.html