Colombo - Sri Lanka California - USA

This review is based on the Denon DVD 2800II as a Transport, two channel audio. My first serious transport was an EAD T1000, before that I had the Sony DVP 7000s (flip down face), I got a fantastic deal on the EAD T1000 and jumped on it and has not regreted that decision to this day, its a wonderful unit. However the Bass lacked on the EAD, it was a serious loss so I thought I would test the water and found my self with a Stello CDT-200 and got more bass than I wanted with a serious bargain on the midrange. Stello CDT-200 was "MUTED" on the midrange, it was gone, completely.
15 years into this hobby you learn a few lessons, like having piles and piles of gear unable to sell, well I have been there, and liquidated for a song and a dance. Which now, I changed the stratergy to sell the component I plan to upgrade first and then buy what I like, this way you get to sleep in the bedroom not the couch.
And with this new stratergy in plan I sell the EAD T1000 and get the Stello CDT-200 EEEHHHHRRR...... Wrong! Bad I dea. Then I came across a Tascam CD-401 MKII this unit is a hidden gem, Tascam had equally good bass and ample midrange to satisfy me. Stello was listed the same night.
I would pick the Tascam over the EAD T1000 in my system, I still feel the EAD would have had better mid range but tascam had better bass and satisfactory midrange, not bad at all by any means.
I had no intentions of upgrading my Tascam CD-401 MKII, it was excellent BUT (there is always a but) appearance on the Tascam was blinding, IT WAS UGLY AS SIN. Even so did not plan of upgrading.
There was a local listing for a Denon DVD 2800II for $20, YES Twenty Dollars, sat for many days no one to buy it. It looked really good, what the hell thought of giving it a shot, now I own two of these units and the Tascam CD-401 MKII is LLLLOOONNNGGG Gone!!!
Sound stage was killer! It was fast, tremendous bass, precise, very engaging, much more musical, robust look etc... It was a well spent $20 bucks, although it is around $100 to $150 in the used market. The only draw back was, to me, when played I can hear the CD spin. Some CD are louder than the other, when it got to the end of the CD the noise got louder. It is not terrible but it bothers me enough. I have the DVD 2800 and the DVD 2800 MKII they both have the CD spinning noise. My system has a vanishing, velvet black background and with this quietness I hear the spinning, this might not be an issue for others, obviously no other review mentioned it other than me.
Denon DVD 2800 and the 2800II both have a robust transport machanism, full copper surrounded drawer mechanism and i'm sure its extremely sturdy, it is really well built. This is not the case with the 2900 and all the newer models or prior models, just the 2800's series got this transport machanism.
Denon DVD 2800 and the 2800II never ran hot, just warm running it all day, never gave me any trouble. Reads just about all my CD's, it refuses to read a burnt Milli Vanili CD, I cant blame it.
I use the DVD 2800 as a DVD player, and it reads foriegn DVD's my DVD 1930CI refuses to play and the video is good, but I am a strict two channel guy and as a red book CD transport for $20 I couldnt give it any less than five stars.
I still have a sweet spot in my heart for the EAD T1000 (I hope my wife never reads this) but I would choose a Denon DVD 2800 any day over an EAD T1000.

Pros: It has all the simptoms of a good transport sonically and cosmetically. Interchangable power cords gives more room for improvement, for the money this redefines "bang for the buck".

Cons: Noisy transport