Sony DVP-CX777ES

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Received my Sony DVP-CX777ES DVD Changer yesterday - 9/25/03. I have a problem with the set-up - no matter what settings I use, I can only get test tones thru the front left and right speakers. I have it connected to a Marantz AV9000 Preamplifier using 5.1 connections and a digital connection. Using the speaker setup on the Marantz unit I can get test tones thru all the speakers. When I play a DVD I get proper sound thru all speakers - thru the digital connection. When I play a SACD I get sound thru all the speakers - thru the 5.1 connections - but is it 5.1 or matrixed? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JonUrban]

Did you ever get this worked out?

How is this unit, how are the menus and disc search functions?

 

[Nick Satullo]

Did you ever get this worked out?

How is this unit, how are the menus and disc search functions?

Hi Jon:

I also purchased one. Oade Brothers gave me a very favorable price, which I'll communicate to you in a private email if you're interested.

The most important thing I can say about the player is that, on first listen, it permitted me to sell my Sony 555ES, without losing a thing. I now have over 100 SACD discs, so it's a useful thing for me. The audio quality from either the two channel analog outputs or the 5.1 outputs was essentially identical to the 555ES.

Since use of the test tones is directly related to time alignment, I did not bother with it. I use the Outlaw ICBM for bass management, and my understanding is that I either have to get the Outlaw out of the way, or disable the time alignment/bass management in the player. Although this is the first SACD player I've owned that offers time alignment, I've never really perceived it to be a problem.

If you're familiar with the older Sony DVD changers (like the 860 or the 870--I never owned a 875), then that's what you're getting by way of disc search functioning. Keep in mind, however, that this unit can be controlled in a much more facile way for the mere cost of Escient's new DVD-M100 ($1999). You can obviously do much better than that, but it is an option.

At first blush, it appeared to me (and I so posted) that its build quality was the highest among changers. I still believe that to an extent, but the actual carousel is probably not the equal of the Kenwood--but the Kenwood won't do SACD. And the Sony won't do DVD-Audio, so my only solution was to have both. I own well over 220 DVD-Audio and SACD discs combined, so the changer is a necessity for me.

I'm glad that I have the player, and it does the right things where it counts most, i.e, performance. But the user interface is clunky, just the same as its Sony predecessors. You can scroll from a list, but it's just not the same thing as what's happening with a Kenwood Sovereign Entre unit, in its control of and interface with the Kenwood changers.

Nick

 

[JonUrban]

Nick,

As you know, I have the Kenwood (not the whole system, just the DVD Changer.

I found that the search and input side of the Kenwood is very "clunky". When I bought it, I was all psyched up because I thought I could connect my laptop to it and program in the titles, but it turned out that it was more created for CDs then for DVD-Vs.

The whole proceedure of having the machine "look" at each disc to find out what it is, then to enter the info (even with the supplied wireless keyboard), then the ability of searching being limited to the order that the discs were entered as opposed to requesting an alphabetic search seem agravating to me.

I have an older sony 300 disc CD changer, and that seems much easier to program and deal with.

I have a DEnon 2900, so I have SACD and DVDA covered, although I used the 5900 as my first DVD-A player.

I am more interested in having a DVD library available using a mega changer.

What do you think?

 

[Nick Satullo]

Nick,

As you know, I have the Kenwood (not the whole system, just the DVD Changer.

I found that the search and input side of the Kenwood is very "clunky". When I bought it, I was all psyched up because I thought I could connect my laptop to it and program in the titles, but it turned out that it was more created for CDs then for DVD-Vs.

The whole proceedure of having the machine "look" at each disc to find out what it is, then to enter the info (even with the supplied wireless keyboard), then the ability of searching being limited to the order that the discs were entered as opposed to requesting an alphabetic search seem agravating to me.

I have an older sony 300 disc CD changer, and that seems much easier to program and deal with.

I have a DEnon 2900, so I have SACD and DVDA covered, although I used the 5900 as my first DVD-A player.

I am more interested in having a DVD library available using a mega changer.

What do you think?

Jon:

Unfortunately, there is no universal changer yet, nor have I heard of one in the mix. That's why I added the Sony, because I wanted those capabilities with my SACD library.

Obviously, the Kenwood DV-5900 does the precise opposite--it's a changer that will do DVD-Audio as its only high resolution format.

Allthough at first blush the Sony seemed better built to me, that is not really the case once you get working with the Sony. It's primary advantage, of course, is its performance. Don't ask me what looked better, but the SACD changer lived up to ES standards. The user interface for the Sony is the same clunky Disc Explorer Slow-As-Molasses scroll-menu.

In the next few months, Escient will release its DVD-M100, which is the most advanced graphical user control of any changer in the world, period. It will support the Sony, the Kenwood, and the Pioneer, each connected to a port off the Entre (not at once, obviously).

Bottom line, if you can afford an Entre, you can get out with your skin at about $1200. The Entre is really an incredible product.

Nick

 

[bmoura]

Hi Jon:

I also purchased one. Oade Brothers gave me a very favorable price, which I'll communicate to you in a private email if you're interested.

The most important thing I can say about the player is that, on first listen, it permitted me to sell my Sony 555ES, without losing a thing. I now have over 100 SACD discs, so it's a useful thing for me. The audio quality from either the two channel analog outputs or the 5.1 outputs was essentially identical to the 555ES.

Nick

I noted that there is also one on eBay at the moment with a "Buy It Now" price of $649. See http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3066160887&category=50601

On Oade, I've bought several audio products from them and they are great. I'd definitely recommend them to others in search of Sony & Phillips SACD players.

 

[Guy Robinson]

I noted that there is also one on eBay at the moment with a "Buy It Now" price of $649. See http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3066160887&category=50601

On Oade, I've bought several audio products from them and they are great. I'd definitely recommend them to others in search of Sony & Phillips SACD players.

It can actually be had cheaper now.
http://www.shopsunshine.com/Item.asp?Pid=838&Item_Id=561

 

[JonUrban]

It can actually be had cheaper now.
http://www.shopsunshine.com/Item.asp?Pid=838&Item_Id=561

Guy. Thanks for the link. I have been meaning to get one of these since they first were announced - now I just might jump on it. Mostly for the DVD changer, as my Kenwood is such a pain to use, but having the SACD is not a bad thing too! I never use the Kenwood for DVD-A anymore anyway! It would be interesting to hear how an SACD on this unit would sound compared to one played on my Denon 2900.

 

[Guy Robinson]

Guy. Thanks for the link. I have been meaning to get one of these since they first were announced - now I just might jump on it. Mostly for the DVD changer, as my Kenwood is such a pain to use, but having the SACD is not a bad thing too! I never use the Kenwood for DVD-A anymore anyway! It would be interesting to hear how an SACD on this unit would sound compared to one played on my Denon 2900.

As you know I have the 45a but I have been considering getting a Sony or Phillips SACD player. The ability to load/store 400 discs is very tempting.

 

[Quadzilla]

As you know I have the 45a but I have been considering getting a Sony or Phillips SACD player. The ability to load/store 400 discs is very tempting.

I have a 5-disk Sony SACD changer, and I like being able to load a few disks into it. For me, 25 to 50 disks would be plenty, but we all have different needs. Be careful though ... on Audio Asylum there are various reports of reliability issues with Sony changers that change on-the-fly between 2-channel, multichannel, and Redbook CDs; because it puts extra stress on the laser transport as it is forced to continuously adjust for the different TOC. I have never had that problem, but my SCD-CE775 is in my surround sound system and is only used to play MC disks. Likewise, my SCD-XE670 only plays stereo ones in my 2-ch system upstairs. Just a heads up.

HEY, has anyone ever wondered why there are no 400 disk DVD-Audio players yet? ... Hmmmmm ... Oh yeah ... because that would be about two centuries of new releases!!! Sorry, I couldn't resist ... but you have to admit that if you do the math, it isn't that exaggerated. Cheers, Mike.

 

[Nick Satullo]

I have a 5-disk Sony SACD changer, and I like being able to load a few disks into it. For me, 25 to 50 disks would be plenty, but we all have different needs. Be careful though ... on Audio Asylum there are various reports of reliability issues with Sony changers that change on-the-fly between 2-channel, multichannel, and Redbook CDs; because it puts extra stress on the laser transport as it is forced to continuously adjust for the different TOC. I have never had that problem, but my SCD-CE775 is in my surround sound system and is only used to play MC disks. Likewise, my SCD-XE670 only plays stereo ones in my 2-ch system upstairs. Just a heads up.

HEY, has anyone ever wondered why there are no 400 disk DVD-Audio players yet? ... Hmmmmm ... Oh yeah ... because that would be about two centuries of new releases!!! Sorry, I couldn't resist ... but you have to admit that if you do the math, it isn't that exaggerated. Cheers, Mike.

There is one. Kenwood DV-5900M is a 400 disc player for DVD/DVD-Audio, CD.

Nick

 

[Guy Robinson]

HEY, has anyone ever wondered why there are no 400 disk DVD-Audio players yet? ... Hmmmmm ... Oh yeah ... because that would be about two centuries of new releases!!! Sorry, I couldn't resist ... but you have to admit that if you do the math, it isn't that exaggerated. Cheers, Mike.

Good one! I know what you mean. However, in my personal collection it is still 61 DVD-A's to 49 SACD's.

 

[JonUrban]

I have that Kenwood. That is the one I am going to replace.

It sure would be nice if Kenwood came out with a new unit that did both. Wouldn't that be cool, you could throw your SACDs, DVD-As, and DTS CDs into one 400 disc unit and let it roll! Who would care about cracked discs anymore, as you would never have to handle them!

 

[Guy Robinson]

I have that Kenwood. That is the one I am going to replace.

It sure would be nice if Kenwood came out with a new unit that did both. Wouldn't that be cool, you could throw your SACDs, DVD-As, and DTS CDs into one 400 disc unit and let it roll! Who would care about cracked discs anymore, as you would never have to handle them!

But what would you do with the rest of them?

 

[JonUrban]

But what would you do with the rest of them?