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Review NaN of
, from Cincinnati Summary:
First, let me list the components in my system, so there is a baseline to work with.
Rotel DPL pre-pro (haven't upgraded to DD yet)
Rotel RMB100 monoblocks (L&R channels)
Rotel 60 watt/ch amp running center and surrounds.
NHT 1.3 main speakers, 1.1C center channel speaker,
Cambridge Soundworks Surround II surround speakers,
Cambridge Soundworks Powered Sub (12") and Slave sub
Mitsubishi 31" TV
My initial impression wasn't great of the picture quality, mainly because I had a problem with my S-Video cable. Using the composite video output, the picture was still noticably better than VHS, but not as sharp or clear as I expected from the DVD medium. Once I replaced the faulty cable (Straightwire - same brand that I use for my audio connections), things improved dramatically.
The Pioneer produces a sharp, focused image. Colors are surprisingly vivid on good DVD transfers - fully saturated, yet still sharp. So far, I've not noticed any artifacts - only a clear, sharp picture that blows away VHS in every way.
Comparing the sound of the Pioneer to the sound of my NAD model 5000 CD player showed a few weaknesses, however. Vocals are not as defined or full, and the sound overall is less natural. It did excel in one area, that being the bass. While I prefer the sound of the NAD in the midrange up, the Pioneer did a good job on the bass. It seemed to have more output in the low regions than the NAD. I'm not sure it's better defined so much as equally well defined with a bit more oomph. For music listening, I'll stick with the NAD, though, even though it's getting a bit long in the tooth (as is the rest of my system).
Note that the above weakness in sound reproduction seems limited to CD playback. DVDs sound fine. It's not a high-end player by any means - when it comes to sound - but this can be improved by using a higher end pre-pro that has good internal DACs. I'm using the player's DACs, since I only have a pro-logic processor. The picture quality - the reason I purchased a DVD player - is very good, though. I'm sure you can get a better picture with a high end player, but you'll spend 4-5x the $249 I paid for this player - and even then I doubt you'll see a ton of difference unless you have a very large, high end rear or front projection system. If you're like me and have a 31" set, it's not worth the extra money to buy a high end model, unless you're looking to use your DVD player to play CDs, too. The high end models do sound better.
For value - high marks for this unit. Four stars overall. Great picture, but weak CD playback. I can't rate it on it's Dolby Digital or DTS output, though (but keep in mind that the D/A conversion - and most of the sound characteristics - will come from the processor it's hooked to).
Strengths:
Picture quality, price. Weaknesses:
CD playback.
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