Anyone heard the Onkyo sp 1000 yet?


I am looking for a universal player to match my Von Schweikert vr4 jr's and Cary cinema 5 amp. I am using a complete Von Schweikert system with 2 subs. I heard the onkyo was excellent. Any opinions or other suggestions?
rotabel
The Onkyo DV-SP1000 is a great sounding universal player.
I owned one a couple of months ago.
Very dynamic, energetic, warm, smooth, balanced, and sweet sounding. Build quality is second to none under $2,500.00.
This is the unit to own if your speakers, amp, or preamp lean slightly to the bright or forward side of neutral.
IMHO it lacks the slight brightness, thinness, and lack of absolute dynamics that the top Denons and Pioneers possess.
Even though I really loved the Onkyo, I sold it for two reasons: One, financial problems, and Two, it was just a tad too laid-back, sweet, and warm sounding in my already warm sounding system.
I also recently listened to a Marantz DV-9500 that a friend bought. Based on memory, the Onkyo was more refined dynamic, smoother, and has better bass. Build quality, user friendliness, and speed of operation was in a different league with the Onkyo! Video on the Onkyo is near state-of-the-art compared with all the above mentioned players.
I would highly recommend the Onkyo to anyone seeking a top-notch universal player at a reasonable price!
I am now in the process of getting a RAM fully modified Toshiba SD-4960 universal player, [$790.00 FULLY MODIFIED,including the player].
I will post the results after I receive it and fully break it in.
What Hi Fi has said that the sp 1000 compares to the Estoric dv-50 and this months Home Cinema Choice has the best tested in order of preference.
1 Onkyo
2 Arcam
3 Marantz
4 Denon
Tony,
The ranking is in the February issue on page 174 but the actual reveiw was 12-04.

Whith What Hi Fi saying the 1000 compares to the Estoric and Meridian player and one of the three German rags that all raved about the 1000 saying it compares to the Linn unidisk, I don't understand why more audiophools aren't trying an SP1000.
Well, I can't answer that, but for me it's a matter of reviewing all the published material, but more importatntly hearing from real users and then listening for myself. That takes a little time for me, anyway.

I don't put much stock in published reviews; had way too many instances where my own personal experience in how something sounded was not in agreement with somebody getting paid to say something. I do still read them, though. I have no doubt the SP1000 is a potentially great universal, but I place more weight into what people like you, and other owners, have to say as a guide in my own process of narrowing down the field. The one thing that is holding my actions at bay is a report from one or more well regarded AgoNers on a direct comparison between the SP1000 and the Marantz DV9500, primarily from an audio POV. I already know they are both great for video. I'm already an owner of a DV8400. It's a nice sounding player, but it does have the characteristic Marantz sound. I hear the 9500 is less so in that regard, but by comparison to that I'm not sure how the SP1000 sounds. I know that A+B does not necessarily = C, but I am frustrated with the lack of user experience with direct listening to both of these newer units.

I suppose I could just buy both and return the one I don't prefer, but I don't know that I could get them fully broken in for a fair comparison.