What's a great multi format player under a $1,000?

At $1K for a multi-foramt, I think your options are limited. Not sure "great" is in the cards. The advantage of the Denon is that if you like, you can have it modded later, unless you are philosophically opposed to it. If you are, then maybe you want to think about older gen multi-players like the Sony 9000ES, although it apparently has some known glitches. Or maybe a Muse unit, although I am not sure if there is on w/DVD-A that will come in under $1K. The problem with a DAC and Transport is that you can't get SACD (not even sure if you can get DVD-A) that way unless you go with the megabuck EMM stuff, IIRC. BTW, if you have DVD, you will get multi-channel.

I don't think you'll find "great" SACD/DVD-A (or even one of those) for under $1K, esp. multiplayer. The Denon's are not very good IMHO until heavily modified. Then, they have potential to sound "great", but the mod's to get them great will be over $1K by themselves.

Just my experience and opinion.

Fish, intersting to hear you say liquid with a Benchmark. I had the notion from reading reviews they were pretty dynamic and to the point of being analytical. But having one I'd guess you would know better. Thanks.

swamp, I am fast coming to that conclusion. I did think, though, that a transport per se, wouldn't be hampered by the digital out formating... naive is my middle name sometimes.. and then paired with a multilinguistic DAC, BAM! I'm there. But yeah, copius amounts of duckets ensue to that end. AND, nope. Not philosophically challenged in that regard... just ain't tickled with the notion of buying something that requires a goodly amount of work to achieve some sembleance of satisfaction with it. I wasn't too keen on the old Chevy Vega. Actually I hated them. Looked terrrible, ran even worse. rusted out with only a couple downpours. then a friend of mine put a 327 cid v8, did some body work, paint, etc. after driving it then... well, now that was fun. Stick your arms out the windows and you either would fly, or draw back a nub. surprising speed, and good looks were fascinating things at 17.. and I still don't like Vega's... as a rule. Now gremilins, there's a car!

an honest look at things says to me, "You've already got good CD/SACD... so actually, only DVD/DVDA remain and then as afterthoughts... but good afterthoughts... as my DVD is limited in scope, and w/DVDA more genres open up for investigation... and 24/192 ain't no slouch for listening quality either.

rob... guess I'm on the same track with you. AS those were my thoughts going into this endeavor. As my initial thoughts were to do ONE player for everything. Now I'm of the mind, with this and other info, to simply get the SONY 400 DVD carosel for filing & finding movies easily, (and sweet jumpin' jellyfish, I got a fair number of DVD's), and with something like one of the Integra models for the DVDA... then I saw the Arcam 2900 and figured Well, maybe.... but no. the other two choices let me get both of them new, and add some decent wires too.. and look for a DAC down the road.

then I stopped myself short and thought to ask folks like yourselves. Because, now there are a couple more formats on the way, or already here, and figured I'd gain better insight asking first... actually the price I set to this task with all this in mind ain't too realistic, huh? Having only this past weekend found my first HDDVD's... I didn't even know it was HD till I tried to play it in the PC. Sorry, it won't even play them. Lovely.

Thanks folks, for keeping me straight.

Blindjim, in my system everything sound "liquid", I could certainly imagine the Benchmark sounding analytical in some systems but not for me. I am thinking of swapping out my DAC & trying something different just to try it but the Onkyo will stay for the long haul.

"I am thinking of swapping out my DAC & trying something different just to try it but the Onkyo will stay for the long haul."
-Fishwater

The Dodson 217 Mark II D with upgraded 218-like software is fabulous with the DPC 8.5, which (as you know) is the Onkyo unit a step BELOW yours. Just a thought if you decide to audition DAC's, nothing more. YMMV, etc.