advertisement


Best Blu-ray player for 2 rac audio out and Picture

marvan

On the banks of the Tay
Hi
I am delighted with my Naim DVD5
It plays DVDs well and it sounds great through my 2 channel audio system
It is perhaps time to move to blu-ray
Any advice
? Sony/ Pioneer/Panasonic/ Marantz/ Oppo/ Cambridge
Thank you in anticipation
Cheers
Marvan
 
I'm using a Playstation 3 for the role (since PS3 came out) and I'm very happy with it.
Actually, I use it mainly as a Media Center. The Output goes through Optical to my MDAC (also only two channels).
It handles movies very well (excellent picture/playback quality) either DVD or Bluray (DVD of course, with lower resolution) and besides music (stored locally or taken from the computer via network), it is also what I use to share photos with family and friends.

Michael
 
Unless you want a media server, 4K support and the ability to play non existant DVD-A, I really would suggest at least auditioning a sub £200 from the likes of Sony or Panasonic before thinking of spending more.

Inexpensive BluRay players are very very good IME. Something like a Sony will also playback SACD if you fancy treating yourself to a few of them along with offering built in wifi and access to iPlayer etc.

So my advice would be to spend £200 on the hardware and £400 on some nice software to play on it, rather than blowing £600 on the hardware. Unless of course you need the bells and whistles.
 
I'd agree that generally most BluRay players produce an excellent and very similar picture quality, but the Oppo's ability with its audio processing is superb and the likes of a PS3 (which I use for its video output only) really aren't in the same league when it comes to analogue sound output. Also, Oppo have always offered excellent support for their products.
 
Oppo are great. I forget the key differences between the older and new range and also the 95 and 105 but check what you actually need before forking out on the top of the range model.

If you want something cheaper I'd second the recommendation of the Panasonic DMP-BDT500. I picked one up on clearance for around £130 as I needed 5.1 audio outputs to my fairly old AV amp to enable me to access HD surround audio and have found it to be excellent.
 
Sony are good. I wouldn't spend a lot, even the cheap ones do pretty much all you want. The PS3 is also a good call.
 
Hi
Thanks for everyone's contribution
Has anyone done side by side comparisons of these players?
I would really only plan to use it to play Blu-ray movies
I have a Panasonic TV and so like the idea of the Panasonic
What HIFI suggests the Sony as being the one to beat
Oppo seem to have a lot of followers
I have a Naim front end Chord Power amp and B&W speakers
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated
Cheers
Marvan
 
Picture quality wise there all pretty much the same I suspect, the Panasonic I linked is better sound quality than the cheaper Panasonic's, they seem to have put a lot of thought into the audio, you can turn off digital audio out when using analogue for example (high quality audio selected)
Think it has 2 dacs in it too.
I did try a cd in it briefly and it sounded very good.
 
"With high-precision analogue audio processing by four independent 192kHz 32bit audio DACs, the DMPBDT500 gives a level of clarity and detail that lesser models can't hope to match. The "High Clarity Sound" of the DMPBDT500 also offers a cleaner audio signal path for a further improvement in detail. Added to this is Panasonic's Digital Tube Sound for a valve-like, mellifluous sound quality. The DMPBDT500 offers something not just different to its competitors but considerably more pleasant to listen to."

The tube like sound option got turned off instantly lol
 
I think many of the cheaper blu-ray players no longer have RCA output, and just have hdmi and digital audio outs, so check before you buy.
 
Hi
Thanks for everyone's contribution
Has anyone done side by side comparisons of these players?
I would really only plan to use it to play Blu-ray movies
I have a Panasonic TV and so like the idea of the Panasonic
What HIFI suggests the Sony as being the one to beat
Oppo seem to have a lot of followers
I have a Naim front end Chord Power amp and B&W speakers
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated
Cheers
Marvan
They'll all give you the same pic quality when watching Blu-Rays as a quick look at AVForums reviews will tell you. Ignore What HiFi reviews of BDPs as they're simply misleading. Just choose based on features, looks, price, preference for brand etc.
 
Eyeing an Oppo myself.
Not so much for audio.
Its the only one with HDMI input so you can upscale other video source.
 
Hi
Thanks for all the helpful comments
Pink fish is great!
Has anyone compared the Oppo against anything else side by side?
Cheers
Marvan
 


advertisement


Back
Top