Just a short review I am pretty much having all the problems such as the "no disk" being displayed and the freezing up problem. The most irretating is the remote sensor not working anymore. A really bad unit especially for the amount of time that i actually used it!

I guess its low profile appearance could be good and it sounds pretty good.
Easy to pick up and throw across the room when it reads NO DISK.

Too many to list. But number 1 question would be why the hell do you have to be so noisy and slow?

I actually don't know why I still own this. I use the 4300 as a cd and mp3 player-when it will let me. Here are the problems after 2-3 years:

-It looks and feels cheap. (light as a feather and all plastic...even the faceplate which is made of faux-metal plastic)
-It is so damn loud! You can hear it when you put a disk in (click, click whirl whirl whirl), when it is playing, even when it is paused or just when the unit is on without anything playing (WTF??)
-It freezes up all the time. MP3's will blank out and stop playing. And if I see the display read NO DISK again I will personally destroy this machine with a hammer.
-It is incredibly slow. It takes a full 16 seconds from the time you press play to when it actually plays.

So that's the sum total of my problems with this. I hate it. Why do I still have it you ask? I guess I'm too poor and lazy to go out and buy another one.
But my question to Marantz is did they ever play this model themselves? It is the most underwhelming technical performance from the very beginning and it just get's worse. Every aspect the noise, pausing, and slugishness.

Sound wise it is pretty good although I feel that it seems to be trying to overcompensate with the low end so it's a little muddy. Perhaps because every other aspect of this player is tinny and plastic they have given it a fat bottom.

Don't buy it.

- Lots of features (coaxial and optical out, analog out, composite, S, and component video)
- supposedly 'well built'
- sound quality

- picture quality
- issues with quality control / design / ?
- Marantz unit should not die this quickly (and I am not the only one with the above mentioned problems)

Well - here goes!

The marantz DV4300 was an insurance replacement for my Toshiba SD2107 - a great 1st generation DVD player.

My first impressions were that the Marantz was well built (metal chassis, brushed front face plate, etc.), and feature packed. At close to $400CDN list price, it was considered a 'pricey' model for the mainstream electronics superstores.

I took it home, but was dismayed that the picture quality wasn't nearly as good as the first generation Toshiba that had been stolen. However, audio output was pretty good and the unit was pretty easy to use.

Overall it seemed like a decent unit, but overpriced for what you got.

The troubles started just after the warranty period. Some discs would play, and some would not. Sometimes the whole unit would freeze up right in the middle of the movie, or it would just stop altogether. Other times, the picture would get all messed up and the only way to fix it was to turn off the unit, unplug it from the wall, and then plug it back in and start all over.

Finally, the remote sensor on the unit gave out. (the remote still works - I have a learning remote that has no problems 'learning' the marantz remote). So - now I have a DVD player from what used to be a reputable brand - that acts up when it wants, and I have NO remote capabilities - which means that there is no way to access any of the setup menus for the player.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba SD-2107
Toshiba SD-1700

Superb imaging, excellent contrast and color saturation, even on old crappy monitors. Very comprehensive set of features. Excellent sound, on par with equivalent or higher-priced CD-players (playing DVDs that is). CD-playback is acceptable. Attractive slim-line design, well designed and easy to use remote control, detailed instruction manual. Compatible with progressive scan, also has Coax and Optical digital outputs.

Serious quality-control issues. The faceplate looks metalic, but is only plastic. At this price, I would have expected at least a metallic covering.

I needed a reasonably good DVD player to complete my system. I am not much into home theater, being more of a traditional 2-channel audiophile, but nevertheless, there are times when you just want to watch a good movie. So I chose this unit partly because I had a good discount at my local dealer, because the reviews I read were reasonably good, and also because of the actractive slim-line styling that fits well into my existing system. The first unit I got was malfunctioning. After setting everything into place, tediously hooking all the cables, some of which must run under the equipment rack, programming the user interface (which is quite intuitive and comprehensive btw), I realized that, no matter what disk I put in, it would only read "No Disk". An audio disk would be even worse, and the player would just spit it out with an "error" message. I had no choice but to return it to the dealer. I had it replaced within a few days. I hooked it again, everything seemed to work fine, but then, I now had a malfunctioning remote control. Argh, does anyone at Marantz actually checks the merchandise before packaging? Reading some other postings in this thread, I believe Marantz's quality-control is in dire need of improvement. Anyhow, back to my dealer, I had the remote exchanged for their own store demo (I just wouldn't wait another week for a replacement). Fortunately, everything finally worked fine this time. These problems put aside, the player itself is quite good. The now de rigueur "Searching for Nemo" movie brought amazing clarity to my ageing, crappy Toshiba TV set. I couldn't believe how clear it was. Being hooked to my Arcam A85 amplifier, even in dual-channel, the sound was glorious and highly detailed. Makes me dream what it would sound like in a true 5-channel home theater. The remote's layout is clear and easy to understand, and the player, well, just looks good. Now I wonder why I waited so long to acquire a DVD. Out is the VCR! My conclusion: if you can get over the quality control issues, this unit is a real bargain, if you can have one at discount price, go for it, but make sure to double check everything and that you have a return policy (I was lucky I returned to my local dealer on the same day).

Looks Size Audio Picture (as far as I can tell on my TV) Price (for me at least) Can be made regionfree easily (via remote hack)

I don't think I have any.

Just got it. Absolutely thrilled! Even on my CRAP 20" TV, I can clearly tell that this player is SO much better than my dad's dvd player (cheap brand). Audio is great. It doesn't make any noise when I fast forward/backward, like other players I have used. The icons that show when you press buttons look classy - a minor detail, but it adds to the experience. The front is plastic, yes, but it shines, and from a distance it looks like metal. The dvd tray is indeed a tad flimsy, but it doesn't bother me! The remote is pretty nice, and buttons are all logically placed - most frequently used buttons are within reach of my thumb. The zoom function is really nice too! And it loads discs quickly, and loads everything.

Similar Products Used:

DVD players at friends, my dad's. Nothing high-end though.

Slim form factor Good sound (when it works) Progressive scan

Clumsy interface Freezes while playing (see review)

My experience with the Marantz DV-4300 is quite unlike any I have had with other audio/video products from NAD, Adcom, Snell, Vandersteen, etc. Why? The unit I have "freezes" while playing a CD for anywhere from 1-5 seconds. Reasons? Unknown. For equally unknown reasons it comes back alive and continues after that gap, leaving gaps in your sonic experience that leave a bad taste. This has happened with about a dozen CDs, sometimes several times on the same CD and worse, several times on the same track. The user interface is clumsy -- trying to open/close using the front panel button can result in arthritis over time! Out with it and in with something else now. I expect these products to work, esp given their price points, and am frustrated with my Marantz experience

-Superb audio performance -Video performance is good for price -Low profile design -Sturdy build overall (despite plastic face) -MP3 Playback

-Plastic front panel -Drive mechanism noisier than on some players -No RS232 connection for advanced controllers -MP3 playback could be a bit more reliable -No real picture control (i.e. gamma or NR) -A bit expensive -Others at this price point support DVD-A

I've had this DVD player since March of 2003 (it was an early birthday present to myself), and since that time I've had relatively few complaints. I originally had my mind set on a multi-disc player (i.e. the Marantz DV8300), but actually changed my mind when I was able to compare that model's video/audio quality to that of the DV4300. Considering I wasn't too determined to invest hundreds of dollars in a decent SACD or DVD-A collection right away, I decided to save some money (the $1200 price difference seemed better spent towards a knew HD television). The 4300 replaced a rather no-frills Sony player. The first thing I noticed when I installed the 4300 into my setup was how much better it sounded than the old Sony (both models were connected to my receiver by the same method- digi coax). I can't quite understand how one digital bitstream could sound better than another, but this was most certainly the case. The DV4300's video performance is also quite good (if not superb). I will warn that thus far I have only had the opportunity to view the model in interlaced output mode. Thus far, I have only two errors to report with this player. Once (and only once, thank God), I turned the player on only to be greeted by an awful digital squelch. I'm not certain whether this problem was a result of the player or my receiver (which, if my memory serves me well, was serviced a short time after this instance for a problem with it's DSP). The only other problem I can report is a read error I experienced when viewing the disc "Waking Life." The disc refused to load properly until I ejected it and powered down the DV4300 for a moment (on three subsequent viewings of the film, I have been unable to replicate the problem). My only other qualms are that the player is a little bit noisy (though this shouldn't be too big a problem in most listening environments) and that it's MP3 performance wasn't a bit better (songs often drop out momentarily as if the player needs a chance to rebuffer the stream). Besided that, I really couldn't be happier for the money spent. My home theater includes... -Marantz SR8200 Receiver -Marantz DV4300 DVD Player -Marantz MV5100 SVHS Deck -Technics SL-PD8 CD Changer -4 B&W 601 S3 for Front LR and Surround LR -2 B&W LCR60 S3 for Center and Rear Surround -B&W ASW600 Subwoofer -Sony 32" FD WEGA -Playstation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo Gamecube -Monster or Tributaries connections throughout

Similar Products Used:

A variety of Sony, Panasonic, and Toshiba consumer models.

Fine picture.

Bad quality construction. Both units were Made in Korea - May 2003.

The Marantz DV4300 is my first DVD player and it does not live up to the quality of my Marantz CD-67 SE or SR-48. The first one went back to the shop and exchanged for a new one after the remote function on the unit failed after it was powered up for an hour. The replacement player functions on the faceplate will not work until it's been warmed up, but the remote still works properly. The picture quality is good and the sound okay - that's using its' internal dac. Back to the shop Monday.

Similar Products Used:

None

Great sound Great video JPEG/mp3/DVD+R compatible Solid build chassis

no DVD Audio

This is my 3rd DVD Player in 4 years. Its defintely my favourite. I tried going the cheap route with the Samsungs and Toshiba's (my 1st choice). The Samsung played DVD+R which is the format I need for all my home movies both analog & digital. Its a very clumsy machine as far as menu's go. The aspect ratio always defaulted to pnn & scam mode. I tried Toshiba's fully loaded DVD Audio/Video unit and it had trouble with my DVD+R's. The image was very unstable and Toshiba themselves told me that the machine does not guarantee DVD=R playback even they ckaim it does in the literature. The Marantz unit is not only built like a brick #$%!house but also sound great as compared to you cheaper models out there. Lack of DVD Audio is not an issue right now (my PC has an Audigy Soundblaster Platinum Card). Video quality is awesome in prog scan mode too! The JPEG slideshow is a cool feature.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba, Samsung

clear audio good video mp3 player component and optical outputs jpeg viewer

can hear dvd when playing, but only when u mute the receiver anyways.

Purchased this dvd early of 2003 after going back to the store where I purchased a marantz sr-5300 receiver. I sort of was leaning towards a marantz product anyways, but this dvd player made it easier. Sound reproduction is quite clear and sharp. For a DVD at this price it has some great features, not only mp3, component video output, optical output ,and progressive scan but a jpeg viewer as well. I didn't think I'd use that feature till I bought a digital cam, and burned the pics onto a cd. Coupled with component video, the video display is actually really good. DVD movie viewing is a treat, it really shines in the way it produces both good audio and good video. Together you get really good value for the money. The DV4300 is part of an overall system: Toshiba Widescreen 50h81 projection Marantz sr 5300 reciever JBL N center channel Polk Audio rt800i fronts Polk Audio rt 15i rears Velodyne CHT-8 subwoofer

Similar Products Used:

toshiba 3109 twin tray dvd player