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I was recently offered a brand new Sony DVP-NS900V for USD500.

While this is an old model (about 2 years old), I have heard that its still a great DVD player compared to newer mid range players.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this player when it comes to audio since it has a dedicated audio mode that you can enable by disabling video.

1. How is the CD and SACD playback?

2. How is it as just a transport?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ferbose]

The reply may be belated...anyway
DVP-NS900V has pretty decent audio quality.
See the review on TNT audio ot What video and TV.
Compared to Benchmark DAC1, the difference is quite slight, but Sony is noticeably behind in terms of smoothness, imaging, bass control, details and high frequency extension.
But Benchmark DAC1 is widely considered a $975 super-achiever in pro audio. It is endorsed by such famous users as Doug Sax, Bob Katz and David Chesky. It is said to be comparable to Weiss and Prism DACs, some of the finest DACs in the industry.
NS900v is about 90% in sound quality relative to DAC1. For $500 I would call it a good deal. Very solid construction inside and out. My works perfectly after two years.
DAC1 is immune to interface jitter, so I can't eveluate NS900V as a transport. But according to What Video review its jitter is 174 ps, which is better than any other DVD (including expensive ones) I have seen on that magazine. So it should be a good transport as well.

 

[shard]

Thanks for the reply. I would have bought it based on what you have posted. But at that time, I was only able to judge it from a video player perspective as the shop could only hook it up to a TV. I ended up buying the SCD-XA9000ES instead.

 

[bundee1]

For $500 you can get the new Sony ES changer. 5 year warranty SACD/DVD and it looks cooler too. I thought the ns900v was being discontinued?

 

[shard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bundee1 For $500 you can get the new Sony ES changer. 5 year warranty SACD/DVD and it looks cooler too. I thought the ns900v was being discontinued?

As far as I know, it has been discontinued for quite awhile now and there has actually been one or two replacement models, but there are still some new units floating around.

 

[Ferbose]

The player has been discontinued since early 2003, I believe.
I bought it as an open-box item in September 2002 for $520, a pretty good deal.

There was a golden age of Sony DVD/SACD players, when Sony was making little if not negative profit and packing good audio performances into them to promote SACD. DVD-A was weak at the time also, especially in jazz/classical. Now there are many affordable universal players, better DVD-A softwares, and Sony does not seem to set artificially low prices for its SACD/DVD players.

So, how does XA-9000ES sound?

 

[shard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferbose The player has been discontinued since early 2003, I believe. I bought it as an open-box item in September 2002 for $520, a pretty good deal. There was a golden age of Sony DVD/SACD players, when Sony was making little if not negative profit and packing good audio performances into them to promote SACD. DVD-A was weak at the time also, especially in jazz/classical. Now there are many affordable universal players, better DVD-A softwares, and Sony does not seem to set artificially low prices for its SACD/DVD players. So, how does XA-9000ES sound?

It was only a good deal because the prices we are quoting were heavily discounted. When the player were first released it was alot more than USD500.

Its a pity that Sony does not have any high end DVD video players at the moment, they have the baseline DVD video players and the high end DVD video recorders. On the SACD front, they do have a mid range and a high end player, unfortunately they are CD and SACD players only and will not play DVD audio or video.

To be honest, I am not sure how the XA-9000ES stacks up against other SACD players as my exposure to SACD sources has been extremely limited, but I like how it sounds. I have not noticed any short comings. When I have the time, I will try it as a transport and run it through a Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista DAC 21.