stitch6x6

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $50.00 from ebay

Summary:
Best deal I've even found in a CD player. Great sound, and it's given me no trouble in the year plus that I've had it. I bought this because I wanted to hear the Burr-Brown DACs. I feel you have to live with something like a new DAC, listening daily for a few weeks, to really get a sense of how good it is. Bottom line - this is a very good sounding CD player. I use the remote to reduce volume when someone comes in the room. Since none of my other components has a remote, this is valuable to me. I would have preferred a single play unit since they are simpler (and thus likely to be more reliable) and you can get the CDs in & out faster. I've never used the changer feature. Annoyingly, most mid priced CD players are changers. Single players are either really cheap (no Burr-Brown DACs) or really expensive (no bargains on eBay). Like most Denons the last 10 year it's made in China, so reliability is a crap shoot. So far so good with this unit.

Strengths:
- Good sound quality - Remote volume control - CD load & unload is pretty fast

Weaknesses:
- It's a changer. I wanted a single play unit, could could not find an affordable one with the Burr-Brown DACs.

Similar Products Used:
Denon DCM-280 (flakey), Denon DCD-450 (not quite as good sound), Denon DCD-695 (older single player, great sound for it's time).

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Ultimate Electronics

Summary:
I've been listening to, and living with this unit since I purchased it in summer of '96. I am in agreement with the majority of other reviews here. Although the sound is superb, the overall construction leaves a bit to be desired. I ended up damaging the rear output jacks just this year while unplugging the audio cables.

Strengths:
Great sound stage. Reliability. Never a problem since in purchased the unit in '96.

Weaknesses:
Cheap flimsy plastic turntable. Fragile output jacks in rear. Be carefull when connecting/removing cable, especailly the monster-cable type.

Similar Products Used:
Denon DRA-365 Reciever Boston Acoustics sub-sat 7 speakers

Price Paid:  $175.00 from eBay

Summary:
I was really impressed with the quality of the Burr-Brown processor, but did could not afford to spend $600 to get it a NAD or Adcom. I was shocked to the processor in the 360's list of audiophile grade components. I have used it extensivley for 3 months and enjoy it as much as any cd changer that I have owned... which includes some big names and big price tags. The sound doesn't measure up to that of my Arcam single disc player, but it doesn't cost $1200 either. The treble is crisp and clear. The bass is smooth and rich. The mid-tones are well-balanced. This one damn good player. It does an outstanding job of playing CDRs, even off brand discs. It does one thing better than my Arcam, it corrects and breezes over tiny scratches in my CDs. Things tht usually send me running to change tracks on my Arcam, play error-free on my Denon. At $175, I can give this a solid 5. At $320 (the MRSP) I would give it a 4.5.

Strengths:
Burr-Brown processor, smooth sound, plays cheap cdrs, handles small scratches well, great value.

Weaknesses:
None spotted yet.

Similar Products Used:
NAD 505 Changer, Onkyo 85X? Changer

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Good Guys

Summary:
I bought this player essentially on the strength of brand name and price, but it's been a solid workhouse delivering clean sound without any service for more than three years. When I first got the unit, it was connected to a 20-year-old SAE receiver, and when the player changed CDs, there was an annoying pop in the audio channels. That receiver died, and I replaced it with a low-end Denon stereo receiver, and was pleasantly surprised to find the pop had disappeared. I was surprised to read here the near-universal complaints about shoddy construction, but I agree the tray does seem a little flimsy. On the other hand, I have bumped into the tray while it was extended, enough to move the player, without causing damage to the unit.

I was checking out these reviews because I just saw an ad for the DCM-370 with HDCD decoders, and was looking to see how they compare.

Strengths:
Solid performance for over three years, very good sound

Weaknesses:
Minor: poor design of LED diplay, a pop in the audio during CD change (which has been resolved)

Price Paid:  $289.00

Summary:
I chose the 360 specifically because it had Denon's highly touted ALPHA processor with 20-bit Burr-Brown DACs. The ALPHA processor apparently can modify the 16-bit resolution of most CDs to 20-bit resolution sound. This impressed me. It did sound better than my Phillips, which it replaced.

However, after two years the 360 started to skip frequently. I would have it repaired under an extended warranty I had thankfully purchased. After I had it repaired twice, it started skipping again, and going blank--no sound at all--for two or three seconds. It was even scratching my CDs--in similar patterns.

When I took it in the third time, I was given a brand new Denon DCM-370. Now, at first I was upset because the 370 doesn't have the ALPHA processor with 20-bit DACs. But it does have HDCD decoding. I think it sounds as good, if not better than the 360. So much for my ears (or the ALPHA processor--now only available on Denon's most expensive units). Certainly the 370 is built better--the tray is solid and quiet.

Strengths:
Sound, advanced processing technology.

Weaknesses:
Construction. Reliability. Change time. Noisy. Cheap, flimsy tray. Tray open/close button cheap.

Similar Products Used:
Phillips CD-935, Denon DCM-370