Discussion about Pioneer cheap DVD player

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Couple of days ago I wrote to tech. support of Pioneer about a cheap ($70) DVD-CD everything player (wma, mp3). Here is what I exactly wrote:

" I was checking users manual of DV-270/271/275 DVD/CD player. I wonder whether
the digital audio characteristics also apply to audio (analog) output? If
different, What are the S/N ratio and THD values
for analog audio output? Thanks,"

Specs for digital coax out were 0.002 THD and 115 dB S/N ratio.

Here is the response I got:

"It only applies to the digital output. For analogue it depends on the source
you are connecting it to."

Does the answer mean anything to you??? OK, I am totally unfamiliar to digital concepts and maybe need to be educated. I would think that issues like THD and S/N would arrise about analog out - not to digital out. But apparently I am wrong because the specs were given for digital coax out. That is why I wrote to pioneer. I am totally lost. Please educate me!!!

If the analog out is not satisfactory, is there an affordable digital-analog converter I can connect to coax and then send to the amp analog signal? There was also a recent discussion about cheap DVD players in chip amps forum:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.phps=&threadid=23364

Thanks,

Murat
 
Administrator
Joined 2004
Paid Member
Hi murat,
Of course the response you received was ill informed. I would not expect high audio performance on this unit. Why bother using an external D/A converter? Garbage in, garbage out.
Everything works together (transport, RF demodulator, DSP, DAC, output circuit and power supply) to bring good sound. The same holds true for a straight CD player. This is why there are more expensive units on the market. Just listen to it, listen to other units. Buy the one you like the sound of. Besides, the sound also depends on the rest of your system and room.
-Chris
 
Well, the all I know is that I cannot go for a multi-hundered $$ for CD player. As my system; non yet. I started to build Leach amp. At the and i will have cheap 12 dB-3way crossover, and cheap components on it. Still I know by little experience that it will sound much better than the most expensive walmart midi. Having said that, less than %0,1 THD and ~100 dB would be ok for CD player out. Am I asking too much?
 
Administrator
Joined 2004
Paid Member
Hi murat,
I hate to say it, but maybe. Just enjoy this for now and upgrade later.

Just think, if it works for a year (and it has warranty) AMAZING!

Betcha the laser P/U costs more than $70.00 (retail). The cost of servicing the unit easily may exceed $70.00. At these prices, DVD players are commodities and are not worth much thought or worry. If it makes you feel better, pick up an external DAC on Ebay for cheap and use it.
-Chris
 
I wrote again the following:

"Analog output circuitry will introduce its noise and harmonic distortion. The receiver or amplifier which we connect to the player is not relevant while questioning the analog output parameters. Moreover the "source" is the player unit itself; not the power amplifier. So, I would appreciate if the question and answer revised again. Thanks,"

And here is the reply:

"We could not find printed information on this, how ever, tech support is saying that it is around 118 dB for the S/N Ratio and 0.0008 % THD.":)

Interesting company!! But hey, if these numbers are anywhere close to the actual values this thing is supposed to sound OK.:D
 
murat said:

Specs for digital coax out were 0.002 THD and 115 dB S/N ratio.


It's funny that pioneer writes these values into the sheet !
But, these values are ~correct, it represents the resolution of 16bit
PCM-sound. For a full swing with 16bits you have +/- 32768 steps,
means the smallest step possible is 1/32768 = 0.003% (rounded)
and ~90db snr.
Okay, so much about amps with 0.0001% thd... (And people saying
they can easily hear 0.003% distortion, testing this with CD)

Mike
 
Mike,

As it should be clear I don't know much about digital stuff. But, what they use is 192 KHz/24-bit. They say that this brings the numbers for the digital output given at the very top; 1st post. Those are from users manual.

But the numbers just above supposedly belongs to analog out only - independent from the dac specs. I also don't belive these numbers much as they are not written anywhere and they are too high for price maybe. Probably the represantative wants me to shut up and buy the item!!

Murat
 
Well, the modern pioneer-stuff always has 192khz/24bit...
At least the DVD-players. Me, personally, somehow love pioneer,
they sell solid stuff for acceptable prices. Maybe not highend, but far
superior to the sonycrap in my experience... My first DVD-player was
Sony, my second pioneer (dv525), completely outperforming the
Sony every detail regarding quality...
My last two players were pioneer, my latest is the dv575, a nice piece
of hardware for not much money. (Playing everything you can burn, exept WMV)
AND, numbers do not tell too much about quality...
I think you can not make a mistake with the pioneer if not looking
for abolute perfect quality. (No, i am not sponsored by pioneer)
Otherwise you should consider something like Denon, but for the price
5 times above...

Mike
 
Mike,

What info do you see on the unit display (not on TV) of 575 if you play mp3 and wma? Picture suggest me just directory and file number. Am I right? Here in US there is no 575 but there is 578 for as low as $120 - little bit above walmart' dv 270. I suppose thay are the same.

Murat
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.