Philips SACD 1000 or 962.

The SACD1000 is an excellent player but you have two issues to consider with it. The digital output is for AC3 and DTS, not PCM, and there are reports of noisy transport operation. I have not had that problem with mine.

The 962 is a less expensive but attractive package which lacks the SACD1000's much more sophisticated analog output stages. Philips says this is a significant advantage of the SACD1000 but, since I have not heard the 962 in a suitable environment, I cannot comment on that.

My other player is an AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000, and the SACD 1000 has a similarly prominent midrange but is much more refined with less grain. The Ah! is more forward in the upper mids.

I picked us a 962 recently and think its a terrific value for SACD. I compared it to the Sony DVP9000ES and I prefer the sound of the the Philips for SACD but the DVD User functions are better on the Sony, the 962 offers the Faroudja DCDI chip which offers a great picture. The 962 also offers multichn out SACD. For redbook I would say it offers the performance of a $500 player. I replaced my previous setup (Levinson pre and DAC and a Proceed PMDT DVD)with the 962 and a AA Capitole MKII. The PMDT was a MUCH MUCH better DVD Player also at 10x a higher price.

The 962 also offers an audiophile option, when listening to 2 chn or SACD, the 962 offers a button to disable all video functions and power. This allows an audio only signal that is non curropted by video processing and power..personally, I have a problem hearing the difference.

overall, a very good SACD performer and DVD player with certain quirks (limited user functions and slow Layer change on the DVD)..

But for the $500 street price...its a hell of a deal.

Matt

http://members.rogers.com/mzn50/

Matt could you compare red book performance sony 9000 and philips 962? DVD performance is a plus but not really critical in my setup .
Thanks Vlad

Both players are fine redbook performers, I did fine the Sony a tad thin in mid range, however since I had the Sony in my system, I have changed to much better interconnects..so, one would have to re-evaluate that "thinness" The build is much better on the Sony and the overall feel is better on the sony. Again, its almost twice the price (retail).

If I had the option again, I think I would still go for the 962 even though DVD performance is somewhat lacking as well as user functions... reason again is the SACD and Multichan SACD

I am not even sure the 9000ES is still being made ??

Matt