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Experiences with Blu-ray players

I'm starting to build a home theater and am investigating BD players. I could use some stories of experiences others have had.

I'd like to keep good 2-channel capability, but I do have a few multi-channel SACDs so I'd like to be able to play them as well. My 2-channel gear consists of Theta source, Cary preamp, Threshold amplification and Avalon speakers. Given that, I'm thinking that a BD player with analog audio outs and a multi-channel preamp might be best for my particular priorities. My wife would kill me if I brought home the Ayre, so I'm in the sub-$2k realm. The reading I've been doing brings the following manufacturers to mind as having products I could afford and might like:

Oppo: Seems to be the default player for the past couple of years. I like the 7.1 analog audio output and the universality of the transport. The high, generally positive traffic on the various forums seems a good sign, too. I am concerned about it's 2-channel audio performance, though.

Cambridge: Ditto with the 7.1 analog output. A bit more talk about the sound, but less about the video.

Marantz: The 7007 has only two-channel analog out, but 7006 has 7.1 analog audio out.

Arcam: Reliability problems? I haven't experienced any with my Arcam DVD, but I don't own any other Arcam gear, so my experience is limited.
128x128macdonj
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
For me:
two channel SACDs are played on an EMM Labs XDS1
two channel DVDAs are played on Oppo 95 feeding optical to XDS1

XDS1->ARC Reference 5SE->Electrocompaniet Nemos->Thiel CS3.7

multichannel DVDA/SACDs
Denon 4010 Universal player ->DenonLink/HDMI->Denon AVR-4810
AVR pre out to ARC Ref 5SE to front L/R
AVR pre out to
- Bel Canto REF500M to Thiel MCS1 centre
- Bel Canto REF1000M to Thiel PowerPoint 1.2 surround
- Wyred4Sound ICEBox MC 6xASP500 to surround back/wide/height Thiel PowerPoint/1.2

Only downsides are the Denon 4010 is having problems reading discs.
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,655 posts
 
01-04-13: Gammajo
Yes, but it reads and plays them, which works for me having as the poster does only a few of them anyway.
Duh. Any CD or DVD or BD player will do that but all you are hearing is the CD layer. No SACD.
nick_sr
263 posts
 
SACDs are multi layer disks, they often include multiple mixes, generally 5.1 and Stereo and in the case of hybrid SACDs they also include a red-book layer that can be played in a regular CD player. (As Kr4explained so eloquently)

On my Cambridge751 I can select which mix I would like to hear. In my case it is always Stereo LPCM as I do not have processor and listen using only the dedicated stereo outputs. If I select 5.1 the player down mixes to stereo and it sounds inferior.

Unlike DSRemer I do not sell Cambridge or anything for that matter, but I recommend 751bd. It is an extraordinary value.

I hopes this helps.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,386 posts
 
...just my take, but Bluray is disappointing. Very rarely is it better than its Redbook counterpart.
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,655 posts
 
You have chosen the wrong BDs.
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