General Asylum: REVIEW: Denon DVD-2900 DVD Players by Hifi Steve General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

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Model:	DVD-2900
Category:	DVD Players
Suggested Retail Price:	$999
Description:	DVD Audio/Video CD/SACD Player
Manufacturer URL:	Denon
Model Picture:	View

Review by Hifi Steve ( A ) on July 28, 2003 at 11:40:43 IP Address: 24.100.81.233

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I’m sure that I am not alone when I say that I have been waiting for some time now to replace my separate DVD and CD players with a unit that can do both without losing something either way. In to the picture jumps the new Denon DVD-2900. It’s a “Universal Player” with the ability to play all current formats including DVD Video and Audio, Redbook CD’s and SACD’s. I borrowed a unit from my local hifi dealer this weekend and here are my initial impressions.

First off the unit is built very solidly weighing in at just under 20 lbs. It’s substantially larger and heavier than my current CD player, the Musical Fidelity A3. It has a nice, if not too fancy, black finish with gold lettering and everything feels quite solid. The unit is said to be designed to minimize vibrations throughout down to utilizing special paint.

Specs from Denon are as follows:

* Progressive Scan DVD-Audio/Video Super Audio CD Player

* Powered by the Silicon Image/DVDO PureProgressiveâ„¢ (SiI504) Decoding Engine - highest quality progressive decoding engine available

* PureProgressiveâ„¢ decoding features high speed ultra-resolution DSP at 6 Billion Operations

* Per Second (6 GOPS) with 64Mb external SDRAM

* New 'Chroma Bug Free' Mitsubishi MPEG/DVD-Audio Decoder

* Custom Built to DENON Specifications - Burr-Brown 24-bit, 192-kHz DSD 1790 Audio DACs that decode PCM and DSD signals discretely with no down-conversion of DSD

* Plays Audio/Video CDs; DVD-Audio/Video; Super Audio CD; DVD-R/RW(conditional); Audio CD-R; Audio CD-RW; MP3 CD-R; MP3 CD-RW

I cannot say how long the player has been burned in but as it is the store’s demo model I assume it has at least some playing time.

VIDEO PERFORMANCE

This portion will be brief. I have watched several movies so far this weekend and all I can say is WOW. The difference between my current Faroudja DCDI powered Panasonic DVD-RP56 player and the Denon is night and day. To be honest I was quite surprised at how much better the Denon is. On Shakespeare in Love the colors and designs on the costumes had amazing detail and vividness. I could clearly make out fine details in woven patterns that were simply missing before. The same goes for each of the other DVD’s that I’ve watched so far including Titanic, Shrek, Stars Wars Episode 2, and more. In every case I simply didn’t know what I was missing until I saw it on the Denon. More color, more detail, and very film like. To say I was shocked is an understatement. The price of this unit is worth it simply for the video performance alone.

AUDIO PERFORMANCE

Here is where I was most interested in seeing how the Denon performed. I would be very hesitant to get rid of my Musical Fidelity A3 if the player I was replacing it did not perform as well. I’m happy to say that for the most part this is not the case. To begin with it should be stated that all audio listening tests were done in pure direct mode with all video and display circuitry turned off. The DVD-2900 is a very fine Redbook CD player and equal to the MF in almost every way loosing out only VERY slightly in low level resolution and a sense of space. I would say that the Denon has slightly more powerful bass that is slightly less detailed. High frequencies sounded nearly identical with the possible edge going to the Denon. The soundstage on the Denon sounded ever so slightly compressed vertically compared to the MF. I’d have to say that in a blind listening test I might have difficulty telling the difference between the two. It was that close. This was very surprising to me. I would characterize the overall sound of the DVD-2900 as warm but detailed and slightly laid back with good depth and imaging.

On SACD I have to admit not having a lot of listening experience so I can’t really comment on how the Denon would perform compared to other SACD players. Compared to Redbook audio however on both the MF and the Denon itself, SACD playback was clearly superior. I was surprised however that there was not a greater difference than what I heard. Perhaps listening to all of the hype around SACD has raised my expectations to unrealistic levels. Anyway suffice to say SACD was still clearly better in every respect. I was most impressed with the depth of soundstage on SACD and it’s reproduction of high frequencies. Cymbals never sounded so realistic in my system. On the SACD version of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue the high frequency performance was lush and seductive. Bass notes were finely resolved and soundstage depth was quite stunning. I found the SACD version of The Police Greatest Hits to be somewhat overblown in the high frequencies however I have heard this on many Redbook versions of the same band. It has to be in the mix. Darkside of the Moon sounded superb in two channel SACD with the band playing the Beatles at the end more clearly audible than every before, showing off the enhanced resolution of SACD.

Unfortunately I have no DVD-Audio discs so I cannot comment on the units’ performance in that respect. I must admit that overall I am very impressed by both the video and the audio performance of the Denon DVD-2900. Denon has clearly put a lot of thought and effort into producing a Universal Player that does comprise either sound quality or video quality and in my opinion they have succeeded. This DVD-2900 is impressive in both cases. Well I’m off to the hifi store to see what my MF will get on trade.

Happy listening…

Review system

Musical Fidelity A300 integrated amp

Muscial Fidelity A3 CD player

Martin Logan Aeon front speakers

Denon AVR2800 receiver

Panasonic DVD-RP56 progressive scan DVD player

Sony KPHW51 wide screen high def TV

Paradigm Reference CC450 centre channel

Tanoy M1 surround speakers

Chang Lightspeed power conditioner

Audioquest Crystal speaker wire

Kimber Silver Streak interconnects

Mirage FRX-S15 subwoofer

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Product Weakness:	Not much for the price.
Product Strengths:	Great video and audio in one package.

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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Musical Fidelity A300
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Musical Fidelity A3
Speakers:	Martin Logan Aeon
Cables/Interconnects:	Audioquest Crystal, Kimber Silver Streak
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock, Jazz, Blues
Room Size (LxWxH):	12 x 18 x 8
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Chang Lightspeed
Type of Audition/Review:	Home Audition
Your System (if other than home audition):	See review

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