I am looking for a new DVD-A DVD player that also plays CD's. I have read posts sugesting a separate CD player will provide better CD sound, others say a good DVD-A player would inherently be a good CD player.
If I go with a DVD-A/CD player, I will use the 5.1 receiver inputs on my H/K AVR 525. I don't know if CD sound would also be routed that way for audio CD's or through the Toslink/Coax output. Assuming both CD and DVD audio signals are send through the 5.1 outputs of the player, do I have to worry about the sound reproduction quality of the player? If I don't have to, then I can concentrate on the video quality. Thank you
obviously you need to use the 5.1 inputs of your reciever to play dvd-audio or even sacd for that matter.
you can use the digital or analog from the dvd player for 2channel cd playing.
so with that being said if you use the analog outs on the dvd player to the analog ins on the reciever then yes you need quality dac's in the dvd player and thus you need a quality unit.
some of the units that have both quality video and audio that i have looked at would be.
marantz 6400,denon 2900 and 2200,pioneer elite 47a and 45a.(among others)
i personally chose the denon 2200 for both price and quality. (both video and audio excelent)
i thought that the 2200 had the most bang for the buck. at $500 i am very pleased with everything including 2 channel audio.
i have made comparisons in the stores with the marantz and at a friends with the pioneer.
in the store i found that the denon2200 to have the same sound compaired to the marantz as i did with the pioneer.
and that is a wider sound stage and more dynamic.
with the pioneer both myself and the owner of the player agreed.
everything i have been able to gather and read leads me to believe the denon 2200 sounds better than both and the video better than the marantz and on par with the pioneer.
and the denon 2900 is suppose to have slighty better audio dac's with the same video.
i have used this player for dvd-a,sacd, and 2 channel cd playing and find it to be incredible.
i have used both 2channel and multichannel sacd and dvd-audio being as i have 2 complete setups.