[Spiffyis5150]

Yes, use the multichannnel L/R for the best sound. I'll have to check on the turning off the video circuitry. I didn't even hook it up to a TV this weekend when I pulled it out of the box. I must echo the comments of everyone else who has bought one of these. The sound is really fantastic. I was especially lucky in that the 2 SACDs that I bought came in the same day, so I got to pop them in for what was a very pleasurable experience. I definitely think that people who are considering one of these won't be disappointed.

 

[FCJ]

Quote:

Originally posted by richpjr I haven't received my player yet (should be here on Wed!!!!), but from what I have read you do need to use the multichannel L/R to get better sound. Also, switching off the video circuitry supposedly helps alot too. Good luck! Rich

Yes to both.

 

[bobjew]

Thanks, you answered my question— thought there was something wrong when no sound came out of the digital out. Ended hooking the multichannel L/R to analog cd in my receiver. Sounds excellent on Redbook CD as well as DVD. The sound in DVD is miles beyond my Toshiba SD4700 (9 months old. Better than my Cal Audio Transport with Theta DAC. As far as the picture, the Philips is only marginally better than the Toshiba. The ultimate resolution on the Philips seems higher, but full of digital artifacts—ex. type in film credits looks like its vibrating; breathing, as does some parts of the picture as well as jaggies. Anyone else getting this and have you been able to adjust it out? The Philips is connected to an Epson projector through the composite video input, and have been using Digital Crystal Clear in the system menu to make adjustments.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[dhwilkin]

From everything I've read on AVSForum, there's some setting called TruLife that seems to cause that sort of thing when it's set too high. I think factory default is like +3 or +4, and most people set it at 0 or 1. Give that a try, maybe.

 

[Nightfall]

Originally posted by richpjr
I haven't received my player yet (should be here on Wed!!!!), but from what I have read you do need to use the multichannel L/R to get better sound. Also, switching off the video circuitry supposedly helps alot too.

Quote:

Originally posted by FCJ Yes to both.

I cant find anything in the manual that specifically mentions how to shut off the video mode to improve the audio sound. In the diagrams at the front, it shows an arrow pointing to the small "sound mode" button on the front, but when I press this, nothing tells me that it is engaged. How do I accomplish this? The unit is not connected to a television, by the way, so I hope thats not necessary, because the closest one it a floor away, and not moveable to where my headphone listening system is.

 

[FCJ]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nightfall I cant find anything in the manual that specifically mentions how to shut off the video mode to improve the audio sound. In the diagrams at the front, it shows an arrow pointing to the small "sound mode" button on the front, but when I press this, nothing tells me that it is engaged. How do I accomplish this? The unit is not connected to a television, by the way, so I hope thats not necessary, because the closest one it a floor away, and not moveable to where my headphone listening system is.

I didn't find it in the manual, either. Just press the "Audio Direct" button. The blue light should go on and you bypass the video (I confirmed this with Philips Customer Service).

I have the same problem as you do--I don't have my unit hooked up to a TV, so I can't use the menu to change features. This is a major shortcoming, as is the lack of "Smart Resume" for CD/SACD. One feature that I miss from my Sony 500V.

 

[bobjew]

dh:

Thanks for pointing me to AVS forum—lots of video side info about 963

Bob

 

[richpjr]

My player will be in my home office - right near a computer.

I'll use the video in on my video card to change settings via my monitor!

Can't wait...

Rich

 

[DanielC]

This sounds too good to pass up. I've just taken the plunge and ordered one of these from Oade Bros. as my main source. I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping that it's half as good as people here have been saying...cuz if it is...

 

[RickG]

Quote:

Originally posted by DanielC This sounds too good to pass up. I've just taken the plunge and ordered one of these from Oade Bros. as my main source. I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping that it's half as good as people here have been saying...cuz if it is...

I don't think you'll be disappointed. I have three other units that play SACD and/or CD that are left in the dust by this player. Two of them costs about twice as much.

I'm in the "something's got to go wrong" mode, because I can't believe my digital sounds this good for this amount of mullah.

In the words of 'Highway Star', "That upsampling's something else, eh ? Feels like I've got all new disks".

I couldn't agree more. Everything old is new again...

 

[Tuberoller]

I have been playing with the upsampling settings and some of the other audio and video adjustments.The picture continues to amaze me.My Dad picked up a 963 yesterday and says that it is the best DVD he has seen as well.


I don't like what upsampling does to some discs.On some of the older digital recordings the quality is not good at all.Upsampling makes these discs sound even worse,almost unbearable.With the upsampling switched off they become tolerable.I have also tried the 96khz upsampling setting and can hear a definite improvement with the 192khz setting.Again some discs prefer the lower sampling rate and some prefer no upsampling at all.This is nothing new.I have been experiencing this since I first began using upsampling players and this trait is one of upsampling players in general and not the 963 in particular.

I have also noticed that the 963 does not seem to be affected much by the use of line conditioners.When I use any of my other DVD players I can see obvious improvements in picture quality when plugged into a conditioner.The sound quality does not seem to change much either.I am still tweaking and experimenting so I am not ready to make that a definitive conclusion.

 

[Squalish]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tuberoller I have been playing with the upsampling settings and some of the other audio and video adjustments.The picture continues to amaze me.My Dad picked up a 963 yesterday and says that it is the best DVD he has seen as well. I don't like what upsampling does to some discs.On some of the older digital recordings the quality is not good at all.Upsampling makes these discs sound even worse,almost unbearable.With the upsampling switched off they become tolerable.I have also tried the 96khz upsampling setting and can hear a definite improvement with the 192khz setting.Again some discs prefer the lower sampling rate and some prefer no upsampling at all.This is nothing new.I have been experiencing this since I first began using upsampling players and this trait is one of upsampling players in general and not the 963 in particular. I have also noticed that the 963 does not seem to be affected much by the use of line conditioners.When I use any of my other DVD players I can see obvious improvements in picture quality when plugged into a conditioner.The sound quality does not seem to change much either.I am still tweaking and experimenting so I am not ready to make that a definitive conclusion.

Have you narrowed down the reason that having the video and audio outputs on at the same time makes the sound a lot worse? If it's a problem with interference, then I don't know, but if, say, the PSU is straining, one could put in another.

 

[scrypt]

Thought I should mention on one of these threads that etronics had the 963sa in stock for $390 when last I looked (which happened to be yesterday).

[edited centuries later for overlooked typos]

 

[TheDude]

<rubs his defibrillator pads together> wake up thread, wake up!

About the 963A (and tuberoller: my ears will thank you, my wallet damns you for such a good review!)...
Does anyone else think it strange that a player upsampling redbook audio to 96/192 would sound better than a player 8x upsampling to 352.8 or 384?

This article: http://www.madrigal.com/UPCONVERSION.htm

says that integer multiples of 44.1 will sound _so_ much better than non integers. So... Are thse who want to have the best redbook to stay with a 8x upsampling dedicated player?

btw, is the NAD 541i still the player to beat at this price range for redbook only?

Thanks everyone!
Chris.

 

[Gallaine]

Has anyone had a chance to compare the 963a to the Sony 333ES player for both redbook and SACD performance?