Best under $2000.00 : Denon,Marantz,Onkyo,Pioneer?

The Marantz all the way. the 8400 was very good but the audio on the 9500 is noticably better (tonally more balanced and dynamic).

The rules have changed and the Onkyo sp 1000 is the new best video player made bar none at any price.

If you want better video, you would have to go to an sdi modded player .
As far as audio, the Onkyo is the current best for everyone that has heard one whithout exception at 2.5k or less, and also has the best build quality of any 2.5k or less universal.

If you want a non fatiuging musical player that also has the very best video, look no further.

There are lots of threads at AVS and one at Audio Circle on the SP1000.
German, French reveiws as well as a current home cinema choice U.K. review all rave about it as an audio and video player and all claim it to be the best at anywhere near its price.
I can personally vouch for it being superior whith video or audio over the Denon 5900/3910, and so can many others.
The pro reviews also say its better than the Marantz 5900 and the Pioneer 59avi,as well as the Denons.

Hi def dvd may be here in a year, but there will be a format war and a long wait for any amount of actual hd software to buy.

Figure at least 2-3 more years before hi def dvd is worth venturing into.

Here is a quote from Ears at Audio Circle

The only comparison I have seen was in a German reveiw and the Onkyo won over the Marantz 9500 for video and audio..."although they did mention that the Marantz was slightly more musical so the audio side might be best compared in your systym."

Hey Ears , here at Audiogon we are all "EARS"

Hey Daryl, why don't you just read the reveiw as the Onkyo won in every category over the 9500 and that is the bottom line.

I have been here a bit longer than you slick.....so I don't get your here at Audiogon thing at all.

Hey Ears , sorry did not mean to come off so harsh. Its just that your comments made me interested in the machine, so when I see at Audio Circle , your quote , that perhaps the Marantz is more musical, and the original poster clearly is interested in sonics as his priority, I felt your thread was essentially saying forget auditioning everything else , get the Onkyo. And the Onkyo certainly looks like a nice machine. If the original poster had asked Whats the best overall universal for 2K , the Onkyo would certainly be on the short list.