Excellent picture. Good construction quality. Pleasing CD playback performance.

None

This is one of the best DVD players I have used so far. It handles movies and music with ease, and the DVD-Audio part is simply gorgeous. Images are nice and sharp with vivid colors and there are a lot of options to fine tune the picture. The virtual surround VSS mode is a very good feature for 2 channel setups if you don't have a complete 5.1 system. The dialog enchancing mode is also a very handy feature. CD wise I agree with some users on the forum that it doesn't have the depth and details of audiophile cd players but I can't complain for the price I paid. I used the DVD-A7 along with a Denon DA-500 PCM processor and the sound improved immediately. The DA-500 incorporates 2 Burr-Brown PCM-1702 DACs. With a Siltech digital cable the 2CH playback was a satisfying experince when I played my favorite CDs. The player performs better with its video circuit turned off(by pressing the audio only button), and I find that a very good feature on a DVD player.

The machine is very well engineered. The facade is clean and simple, with just some essential functions for playback. The blue light is awesome and they give an elegant look to the DVD-A7. The remote is also well designed and solid. The digital transport and tray is well built, and there's a piece of rubber on the inside of the case to absorb vibration. The circuit boards are well laid out and the essential part (for D/A conversion I think) is covered in a metal box.

Similar Products Used:

Sony, Toshiba, Pioneer

Excellent picture Excellent sound Excellent price Excellent remote Excellent features

Had nothing to complain about up until this humming issue, I will get this fixed, this player is a keeper. Plus the blue lights are still purdie :)

This has been a great player for me, have owned it for > 2 years, made a review on this site a long time ago. I'd been using it for stereo music and movies up until now, where I purchased an NAD T742 receiver. For some reason or other, the DVD player emits a very annoying humming sound in DD/DTS mode, almost sounds like an oscilloscope or something, wavy modulating sound, very annoying. This is via the digital coaxial output, and I have tested it versus a Sony DVP-NS315 player, doesn't have the problem. As far as comparasion, the picture is much sharper on the Panasonic, sound is almost much better. I guess I will investigate the humming issue and report.

Similar Products Used:

Sony DVP-NS315

Picture and CD Playback

None

I have been searching long and hard for a DVD player that also did Cd playback well. This unit does the trivk. A very underrated Cd player and DVD-A audio player.Picture on this unit is great.

Similar Products Used:

Hitachi P250u Sony a few Units that where horrible cd Players

Excellent sound quality
Very good video quality
Excellent build quality
Easy setup
Good Remote

None, considering the price paid

I had been considering the purchase of a DVD-Audio player, but really could not justify spending $800 or more when there are so few disks available. But when I saw this unit on sale at Fry's for $250, it became an impulse purchase, which I have not regretted.

For the price, this player is a bargain. Build quality appears to be very good. Sound quality with DVD-Audio, CDs, DTS and Dolby Digital, is excellent. Video quality is very good, but I prefer my Sony DVP-C650D.

I like the remote, and thought the manual did a good job of explaining the setup and use of the player. The on-screen setup menus are well-designed too.

Similar Products Used:

Sony DVP-C650D

Excellent build, Video and Audio performance

none found

After only reading the previous review on audioreview.com and only a handful of others I decided to purchase the DVD-A7. My primary reason for purchasing a player was to watch movies and I viewed the DVD audio feature on this player a bonus. The player only cost $400.00, a true bargain. The look and feel of the player are top of the line, compared to other DVD players in the $400 price range. The remote has an excellent feel with large buttons and a joystick feature.

First to the audio performance. I currently own a NAD CD player that is about 10 years old and was not planning on using this player as a CD drive. I first audition a standard audio CD. To say the least, the audio performance is excellent. It is a little more bright than my NAD and but offers more detail. The DVD audio sampler disc does very little to make you a DVD audio fan. I did sample Sting's Brand New Day DVD-A and compared it to the standard CD recording. Wow, the DVD Audio recording was amazing. I found that the dvd audio had amazing separation, and excellent bass and treble. It does however lack the mid-range punch I am familiar with my previous CD player. I had to keep reminding myself that I only paid $400 for this player. I would give the audio section 4.5 out of 5.

The video performance is very overlooked in this player. The previous reviews I read mostly focus on the DVD Audio performance, but the Video features may be the best part of this player. The first movie I watched was The Matrix. There were no artifacts in fast scanning and it has seamless layer changing. The picture is excellent. The special features menus do take a little getting use to. The manual give very little explanation of settings, but after a few hours of watching and adjusting I find it easy to use now. I have watched about 10 rented movies without any problems what so ever. I would give the video section 5 out of 5.

This is an excellent player and would strongly suggest it to others.

Similar Products Used:

Marantz SR-5000
B&W Speakers
Pioneer Elite Laserdisc player
NAD 5240 CD player

DVD-A Playback, Good sound for CD playback. Good Picture Quality. Component Video, Others - As followed

DVD-A downconvert when using digital out.

System
Front speakers - Pioneer Elite TZ-F700
Center Speaker - Pioneer S-DC1-K
Surround speakers - Pioneer Elite TZ-S700
Back S. speakers - Pioneer S-DS1-H
EQ - Yamaha EQ 70
Receiver - Pioneer Elite VSX-35TH
Surround back Amp - Sherwood RVD-6090R
MD - Sony MDS-JE440
CD - Technics SL-MC7
Phono - Technics SL-BD20D
Display - Mitsubishi WT 46805

This is my 2nd review for this produce. I think it will be fair to give a 2nd review after half year since I upgrade my system. 1st of all, the CD-RW does work. So it will be a good news for those who do have a ton of copy collection. 2nd, the picture is really good. Even is 8X playback, it is still smooth. The sound quality is so sweet But it is a pity that there is no digital out for DVD-A. When I used Digital out for DVD-A playback, it downconverts all the signal to 48kHz 16 bit PCM. Then all the DSP will decode as ProLogic. They say that' for copy right protection; however, I wonder what kind of recordable media support over 48kHz expect DVD-RAM. I think no one will buy a DVD-RAM and copy a DVD-A since the price is not too much different. Then I have to use its decorder and connect to my receiver. Give me a little more trouble. But I think this model is discontinue. They release several new model this summer, which also support CD-R, CD-RW, and Progressive-Scan . It is said because I do have chance to listen those models just jit the market. I think the model is DVD-RP61, which is about 400. The sound and picture do not seems better than DVD-A7, to tell the truth, I think DVD-A7 is better especially in music play back. People may concern about the Progressive-Scan; however, I do have different viewpoint. I think it is not so important since a lot of DTV right now can upgrade video to 480p/980i, it seems not a big issue anymore. If you guy do have chance to find this model still, I suggest you guy run to this one since it will be chaper than new model. Remember, X'mas is coming, which model you think will get better chance to ge a big on sale? Save those money and buy some more software.
This is the test model for DVD-A; however, it is really a good DVD player.
By the way, if you guy are interested in Panasonic new DVD-A player. The link is as followed http://www.prodcat.panasonic.com/shop/listmodels.asp?categoryid=463
PS. I am not working for Panasonic, I am just a poor int'l student.

Similar Products Used:

Non

Sound & Picture Quality

None since repaired June 2001

This is a follow up on my previous review back in June 2001. After having my A7 repaired at an authorized Panasonic service center the DVD player has worked flawlessly ever since. The DVD Audio is excellent as well as the Video. This player has one of the best pictures of any DVD player that I have seen. Regular CD playback is also excellent. I am very pleased with the A7. I would recommend this player to anyone.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer, Toshiba

See my review below

See my review below

This is a follow-up to my review below.

I discovered that the A7 will pass a 96/24 digital signal from those DVD-V's encoded as such. I have one such Chesky disc, Sara K's "No Cover." The digital output must be set to not downconvert in the setup menu.

I have also read that the sampler disc 192/24 tracks were actually digitally recorded at a much lower rate, then apparently upconverted, which compromises the quality. Apparently Pansonic has acknowledged this as a mistake. I have still have not listened to any other DVD-A's since what is generally available does not really appeal to me.

Based on my discovery about the digital output, I'm amending my rating to 5 stars overall.

Icould not find any

picture was soft and the colors were not right.dvd audio sounds terrible and from what i read it is the format itself that sounds terrible,not just this player.but i had to hear it for my self.Iwent with the 9000es as it has a lot better picture and super audio cd is awsome.

I tried an in home trial period with this player and found the video less than most 500.00 dollar players iv'e seen,and a big step down from my sony 7000 in video.Also i tried the sony 9000es and not only was the color and picture better but the cd section on this player sounds better than the dvd-a section of the panasonic. If this is what dvd-a music sounds like count me out,however the sacd sound from the sony player was better than any cd player i have ever heard at any price.I can not see dvd-audio making it,and the picture quality is terrible so steer clear of this one.

Similar Products Used:

sony 7000 and sony9000es

Great sound,Well Built,DTS out thru 5.1 outputs

Very few

Even though this player doesn't qualify as a "high end" player per say,it did a great job in satisfying my curiosity about DVD-A. I was totally blown away by the incredible high defintion & detail of DVD-A. I had several
DVD-A discs that I was listening to on the Sony(DVD-V). Although many of those discs contained fine DTS versions that I could play in DVD-V,I was still curious to hear DVD-A. After hearing it,I realized that DVD-A is better than DTS as it should be. That is not a knock on DTS but a compliment to DVD-A and a compliment to this player for the un-anticipated "upgrade" to my system!

As for the picture,I was able to do an "A-B" test between the Sony & the Panasonic using "Austin Powers The Spy who Shagged Me" in each player at the same time. The Sony however was hooked up using monster"S-Video" while the Panasonic benefited from "component video" hook-ups so this test was slightly un-equal. That said,upon initial comparisons,the Sony was much better. However I was able to tweak the Panasonic picture to the point where my wife actually preferred the Panasonic without knowing which was which. My opinion is that although the Sony picture is slightly more crisp & detailed, the colors on the Panasonic were at least as good if not better than the Sony. Since the Sony was hooked up using "S-Video", I imagine that it would have been the winner had it been hooked up with "component video" cables. I want to emphasis that I do believe the Sony will produce a better pictue overall but not that much better than the Panasonic. The great thing about doing this test since I had to rent a DVD that I already owned was that I have set the Panasonic up to the point where the picture comes very close to the Sony.(4 dollars well spent)

This player is a fine player for the price. I am very happy with the sound of DVD-A. I played a few CD's & they seemed to sound better also.

Now could we please have some more DVD-A titles available to take advantage of this fantastic format?

Similar Products Used:

Sony DVP-C670D