Sammy709Sony930
05-03-2002, 09:56
Current Equipment
=================
o Samsung 709 DVD player
o Sony 930 DTS/DD receiver (Av-Amp)
o JVC 32" widescreen TV
o Phillips OnDigital STB
o REL Q100E Subwoofer
o Tannoy Fronts/Centre/Rears
The Competition
===============
I've been itching to upgrade my Samsung 709 player for a while now.
My dad bought a Toshiba SD210, which is great on his Toshiba 32PK18 Picture Frame TV when connected via component. It plays CD-Rs, MP3, VCD, SVCD, but its not the pretiest of players and it has a very noisy transport.
Then, my brother bought a Pioneer 444. Slim and very sexy, plays all of the above but has only 1 Scart, and a rather pathetic remote.
I'd decided that the Pioneer 545 was the puppy for me : 444 + 2 Scarts for RGB Pass Thru from my OnD Box, improved remote, better DACs for CD Playback. However, these machines seem to be in short supply right now, so when the Sony 700 started appearing at very reasonable prices I thought I'd look into
it.
Sony DVP-NS700V
===============
The Sony DVP-NS700V to give it it's proper title, has the following desirable features :
o DVD/CD/SACD (multichannel) playback
o CR-R/CR-RW playback
o DVD-R/DVD-RW playback
o VCD/SVCD playback
o Built in DD & DTS decoders
o 2 Scarts proving RGB Pass Through
Features lacking :
o Component outputs
o Progressive Scan
o MP3 playback
o DVD-A playback
The rear of the machine is rather busy, and has the following connections :
o 2 Scarts
o 1 Min-Din S-Video out
o 1 Composite out
o 2 Phono out (L/R)
o 6 Phono out (L/R/C/LR/RR/LFE)
o Coaxial Digital out
o Optical Digital out
Due to my collection comprising mostly R1 DVDs, I had to get a multiregion version of this player. I was amazed that the prices of the Sony 700 on the net were comparable to the Pioneer 545. In fact, Richer Sounds (both stores and internet) were selling the multiregion Sony 700 for 249.99 UKP. However, typical of RS none had any stock! I discovered that a small dealer in Glasgow were selling MultiRegion Sony 700s for 269.99 UKP. The dealer is Robert Whyte Ltd, and the link is :
http://www.robertwhyteltd.co.uk/shop2/dvd/sony_dvp-ns700.htm
I went there on Saturday, got a quick demo of SACD and purchased a lovely Silver Sony 700. The unit took some 15 minutes to change to multiregion via a "firmware upgrade".
In the box :
o Sony DVP-NS700V player
o Remote Control
o 2 AA batteries
o Manual (99 pages UK language only)
o Red/White/Yellow phono cables
o + 2 Free SACDs (multichannel/stereo Sony compilations)
My AV-Receiver is the Sony 930, which has 6 channel inputs. I had spare phono leads kicking about so connected DVD 5.1 outs to AMP 5.1 ins, DVD Coaxial Digital out to AMP Coaxial Digital In, DVD 2 channel outs to AMP 2 channel ins (used CD inputs), DVD SCART 1 to TV Scart 1 (RGB), DVD SCART 2 to OnDig Scart 1 (RGB), DVD S-Video mini-Din to TV Scart 2 (S-Video).
*** Important - SACD needs to be decoded on the DVD player, no Digital out!! ***
However, in my hurry to try it out, I'd forgotten to setup the DVD player options! Basically, it needs told that the TV is 16x9, to output RGB from SCART 1 (Defaults to Composite, S-Video also selectable), to output via both 5.1 and Digital Out, and to output the DD and DTS bitstreams rather than PCM.
First test disc - a CD-R that my Samsung 709 would not play. Sony 700 ate it for breakfast and it really sounded much clearer than the CD playback of the 709.
Second test disc - the demo SACD contained in the box. This has both multichannel and stereo tracks on it (no hybrid CD layer though). The sound is truely fantastic! Multichannel effects so far seem rather ambient unlike some of the DTS Audio Demo discs that I've got. I've never heard DVD-A, so cannot make any comparisons.
The first 5 tracks on the demo disc1 are multichannel, the last 5 being stereo. Playback between multichannel and stereo is not seamless. The player needs to be STOPPED, the the MULTI/STEREO button needs to be toggled and then playback of the alternate format can be started.
Third test disc - Toy Story 2 DVD. I choose this because the start is one of the best demos going. Sounded fantastic (better than 709), colours much better too (the scene in the dark when he falls down the opened crater was blocky on the 709, not so with the 700). Brilliant! The second reason I'd chosen this disc is because its been abused (kids!) and on the Sammy, stuttered like mad during the Airport scenes at the end of the disc. Watched all of these Chapters and never observed a single stutter. (Also proves the autoswitching region mod worked!). It also allows fast forward of the FBI warnings.
Now a big test - SVCD. Passed with flying colours. I'd read on the net that the Sony 700 "didn't doo SVCD" - Not so!
Dragged "The Matrix" out of retirement. No probs.
Haven't tried RCE yet, but was told it was compliant.
I really like the Bit Rate display that shows both Audio and Video Bit Rates. DTS Demo Disc 4 is all 1.5Khz Audio stuff and sounds just soooo good : Eagles (Hotel California), Roy Orbiston (Pretty Woman), Saving Private Ryan.
I didn't see any bass management problems, but do think that my Sony 930 produces better DD/DTS results than the Sony 700's built in DD/DTS decoders.
And, the remote has buttons to control the volume of your AV-AMP!! No need to ever use my Sony 930 remote again!!
So, to conclude, much better picture and sound quality than the 709. Plays any brand of CD-R. Plays SACD and SVCD. I'm well pleased.
Now, how do you go about changing your username :D
=================
o Samsung 709 DVD player
o Sony 930 DTS/DD receiver (Av-Amp)
o JVC 32" widescreen TV
o Phillips OnDigital STB
o REL Q100E Subwoofer
o Tannoy Fronts/Centre/Rears
The Competition
===============
I've been itching to upgrade my Samsung 709 player for a while now.
My dad bought a Toshiba SD210, which is great on his Toshiba 32PK18 Picture Frame TV when connected via component. It plays CD-Rs, MP3, VCD, SVCD, but its not the pretiest of players and it has a very noisy transport.
Then, my brother bought a Pioneer 444. Slim and very sexy, plays all of the above but has only 1 Scart, and a rather pathetic remote.
I'd decided that the Pioneer 545 was the puppy for me : 444 + 2 Scarts for RGB Pass Thru from my OnD Box, improved remote, better DACs for CD Playback. However, these machines seem to be in short supply right now, so when the Sony 700 started appearing at very reasonable prices I thought I'd look into
it.
Sony DVP-NS700V
===============
The Sony DVP-NS700V to give it it's proper title, has the following desirable features :
o DVD/CD/SACD (multichannel) playback
o CR-R/CR-RW playback
o DVD-R/DVD-RW playback
o VCD/SVCD playback
o Built in DD & DTS decoders
o 2 Scarts proving RGB Pass Through
Features lacking :
o Component outputs
o Progressive Scan
o MP3 playback
o DVD-A playback
The rear of the machine is rather busy, and has the following connections :
o 2 Scarts
o 1 Min-Din S-Video out
o 1 Composite out
o 2 Phono out (L/R)
o 6 Phono out (L/R/C/LR/RR/LFE)
o Coaxial Digital out
o Optical Digital out
Due to my collection comprising mostly R1 DVDs, I had to get a multiregion version of this player. I was amazed that the prices of the Sony 700 on the net were comparable to the Pioneer 545. In fact, Richer Sounds (both stores and internet) were selling the multiregion Sony 700 for 249.99 UKP. However, typical of RS none had any stock! I discovered that a small dealer in Glasgow were selling MultiRegion Sony 700s for 269.99 UKP. The dealer is Robert Whyte Ltd, and the link is :
http://www.robertwhyteltd.co.uk/shop2/dvd/sony_dvp-ns700.htm
I went there on Saturday, got a quick demo of SACD and purchased a lovely Silver Sony 700. The unit took some 15 minutes to change to multiregion via a "firmware upgrade".
In the box :
o Sony DVP-NS700V player
o Remote Control
o 2 AA batteries
o Manual (99 pages UK language only)
o Red/White/Yellow phono cables
o + 2 Free SACDs (multichannel/stereo Sony compilations)
My AV-Receiver is the Sony 930, which has 6 channel inputs. I had spare phono leads kicking about so connected DVD 5.1 outs to AMP 5.1 ins, DVD Coaxial Digital out to AMP Coaxial Digital In, DVD 2 channel outs to AMP 2 channel ins (used CD inputs), DVD SCART 1 to TV Scart 1 (RGB), DVD SCART 2 to OnDig Scart 1 (RGB), DVD S-Video mini-Din to TV Scart 2 (S-Video).
*** Important - SACD needs to be decoded on the DVD player, no Digital out!! ***
However, in my hurry to try it out, I'd forgotten to setup the DVD player options! Basically, it needs told that the TV is 16x9, to output RGB from SCART 1 (Defaults to Composite, S-Video also selectable), to output via both 5.1 and Digital Out, and to output the DD and DTS bitstreams rather than PCM.
First test disc - a CD-R that my Samsung 709 would not play. Sony 700 ate it for breakfast and it really sounded much clearer than the CD playback of the 709.
Second test disc - the demo SACD contained in the box. This has both multichannel and stereo tracks on it (no hybrid CD layer though). The sound is truely fantastic! Multichannel effects so far seem rather ambient unlike some of the DTS Audio Demo discs that I've got. I've never heard DVD-A, so cannot make any comparisons.
The first 5 tracks on the demo disc1 are multichannel, the last 5 being stereo. Playback between multichannel and stereo is not seamless. The player needs to be STOPPED, the the MULTI/STEREO button needs to be toggled and then playback of the alternate format can be started.
Third test disc - Toy Story 2 DVD. I choose this because the start is one of the best demos going. Sounded fantastic (better than 709), colours much better too (the scene in the dark when he falls down the opened crater was blocky on the 709, not so with the 700). Brilliant! The second reason I'd chosen this disc is because its been abused (kids!) and on the Sammy, stuttered like mad during the Airport scenes at the end of the disc. Watched all of these Chapters and never observed a single stutter. (Also proves the autoswitching region mod worked!). It also allows fast forward of the FBI warnings.
Now a big test - SVCD. Passed with flying colours. I'd read on the net that the Sony 700 "didn't doo SVCD" - Not so!
Dragged "The Matrix" out of retirement. No probs.
Haven't tried RCE yet, but was told it was compliant.
I really like the Bit Rate display that shows both Audio and Video Bit Rates. DTS Demo Disc 4 is all 1.5Khz Audio stuff and sounds just soooo good : Eagles (Hotel California), Roy Orbiston (Pretty Woman), Saving Private Ryan.
I didn't see any bass management problems, but do think that my Sony 930 produces better DD/DTS results than the Sony 700's built in DD/DTS decoders.
And, the remote has buttons to control the volume of your AV-AMP!! No need to ever use my Sony 930 remote again!!
So, to conclude, much better picture and sound quality than the 709. Plays any brand of CD-R. Plays SACD and SVCD. I'm well pleased.
Now, how do you go about changing your username :D