Introduction With the Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) now firmly established as the most popular consumer electronics product in history, the economics of mass production have kicked in, with the result that an increasing number of players are available for absurd prices. I’ve already reviewed one of these players, the Sampo DVE-611, which is specifically notable for its ability to become a multi-standard, multi-region player, all for under $120. Some of the players that are around now are even cheaper, and you can pick one up for well under $100 – in fact, for close to half of that. The secret is manufacturing in the People’s Republic of China, where costs can be kept down. But are they any good? Some Chinese players have been of dubious quality, with unreliable hardware and buggy software. I took a look at the Toshiba SD-K610, with an unrealistic list price of $179.99. It is available new at national retailers ...

Introduction In the moderately recent days when Marantz was owned by Philips, the company released two high-end players that were intended to be direct equivalents of one anotherr: one was a Super-Audio CD player (SACD), and the other, the DV-12S1, was a DVD player capable not only of DVD-Video playback, but also replay of the latest high-resolution DVD-Audio (DVD-Audio) discs. With the Marantz equipment of this period, the higher the quality of the unit, the lower the model number, and the DV-12S1 is as low as the numbers get. The first thing you notice about the DV-12S1 is how heavy it is. The unit is big and solid, and has a large footprint – it’s nearly 16 inches deep and weighs 29 pounds. The unit itself has curved corners, in keeping with much of the Marantz gear, and elegantly complements their other equipment. The build quality overall is excellent. The rear panel includes an S-video output, ...

Introduction The arrival of affordable DVD recorders – and certainly their acceptance – has been delayed by that good old audio industry phenomenon, a format war. There are no less than four different recordable DVD formats, with apparently very little difference between them. It’s even quite difficult to tell them apart, as several have very similar names. A big consideration for many people (it certainly would be for me, if I were considering buying one of these units) would be compatibility with other players. I want to be able to record my home movies on a DVD in the machine, finalize it (turning it into a DVD-Video disc), send them to friends and know that they will play back on their regular DVD player. The format most likely to succeed in this respect in the minds of many pundits is DVD-R, which is also used by the Pioneer SuperDrive CD/DVD burners provided in Apple ...

Introduction The choices for high-performance gear in the moderate price range have drastically improved in recent years. By improving on parts and build quality and giving us practical features that make sense yet cost less, manufacturers are making it easier to improve our systems without breaking the bank. With a little knowledge, you can garner a component that will meet your budget and exceed performance requirements, yet not leave you lacking in the feature category, all for a reasonable price. One component worthy of consideration is the NAD T 571 five disc DVD/CD/MP3 changer. The T 571 is 17-3/16 inches wide, 4-7/16 inches high, and 16-3/16 inches deep, with a MSRP of $799.00. The T 571 will play DVDs and CDs, as well as CD-RWs and CD-Rs. It will even decode MP-3 music files on either of the recordable CD formats. It also can deal with a mix of DVDs and CDs, as well ...

Introduction The Camelot Technology RoundTable Mk.2 is a 24-bit/192 kHz progressive scan DVD player, with a host of audio and video features, that sells for $4,995. Camelot offers a factory upgrade path for the original RoundTable priced at $995 plus $25 return shipping fee, equaling the price as the factory Mk.2 version. The Mk.2 Roundtable is packaged identically to the original (reviewed by Jerry Del Colliano on AudioRevolution.com in the October 2000 issue), measuring 17 inches wide, 12 inches deep and three-and-one-half inches in height. In fact, the only way you can physically tell the difference between the two is the slight yet distinctive clicking sound from the Mk.2’s DACs while sampling a CD or DVD. For those who are used to mass-market DVD players, this unit is sure to tickle your fancy. The RoundTable Mk.2 has a ruggedly built steel chassis, finished in black and accentuated by a one-quarter-inch thick aluminum faceplate, a stark and ...