| Sound Off July 2002
Recent Home-Theater Highlights
Question: What home-theater
product have you been most impressed with in 2002?
Anthony Di Marco: Panasonic DVD-RP56. In an
industry that tends to charge an arm and a leg for new technology, it's nice to see that
the cutting-edge Sage/Faroujda deinterlacing (DCDi) chip found its way into some very
affordable DVD players. Though it is now discontinued, Panasonic's DVD-RP56
progressive-scan DVD player was a steal at its $299 retail price (which, by the way, was
heavily discounted to prices that hovered just above $200).
I was so impressed by the picture quality of this budget
player that it now resides in my own system. No progressive player I've used for multiples
of the $200 price can beat the level of picture quality of the DVD-RP56. Every movie
I’ve played has shown vast improvements in quality from better color balance to zero
playback glitches. Also impressive is the player's ability to pass pluge (-0- IRE Black as
opposed to 7.5 pedestal black), so all of us videophiles can make sure our contrast is as
good as it can be.
Yeah, while the DVD-RP56 was a 2001 model, fear not,
because for 2002 Panasonic will offer the RP62 as a replacement at the low, low price of
$229 -- and the new RP82 will offer DVD-Audio playback for $50 more! Impressed? I'm
ecstatic!
Doug Blackburn: Panasonic DVD-RP56. This is a
progressive-scan DVD player selling for under $300 and it contains the secret weapon of
all progressive-scan players, the Faroudja/Sage (now owned by Genesis) DCDi chip. The
DVD-RP56 has progressive-scan image quality to die for, proving better than $1200 to $1800
DVD players I’ve used during 2002. Performance this good, at a price this low, is
simply remarkable. Feed this player conditioned power, balanced if possible, use good
cables, damp the chassis with almost anything, and put it on some sort of commercial or
home-brew isolation platform, and you'll just laugh yourself silly at how good the image
quality is. (See www.faroudja.com
for other players with the DCDi chip.)
High-definition video displays. HDTV is now the
video standard and well worth seeking out just for the experience. Whether you get a
direct-view, rear-projection, or front-projection system, when you see true HD images for
the first time you'll experience the ultimate in video image quality. Better color and far
more image detail than you have seen from any source will mesmerize you. Imagine your best
DVDs, only much sharper and more dramatic with subtler color than the DVD format can
deliver. The only drawback? The amount of new HD programming doesn't seem to be increasing
at the same rate that HD display devices are being purchased. There will be some gains in
2002 with new HD versions of existing cable/satellite channels, and the FCC timetable for
broadcasters to shift to digital and/or HD continues to count down.
Wes Phillips: PLUS HE-3100 Piano.
In terms of establishing a price point that is within spitting distance of what it will
take to make DLP projectors as mainstream as direct-view monitors, I'd have to nominate
the PLUS HE-3100 Piano, which now costs $2699. Experts have long maintained that
$2000 is the magic number that will make any video format mainstream, so PLUS is getting
darn close.
In terms of the best-looking, sharpest picture, my brief
exposure to the InFocus ScreenPlay 110 suggests it is far better, but it
costs $5000. That's a fair price and people will pay it for a quality image, but the
HE-3100 has to get the nod simply for blazing new territory.
Roger Kanno: Bel Canto
Design eVo6. The $4900 Bel Canto Design eVo6 multichannel amplifier has redefined
my expectations for both multichannel amplifiers and solid-state amplification in general.
There is ease and a sense of power to the sound that seems to blend the finesse of tubes
with the control of solid state. With the ability to bridge adjacent channels for fully
balanced operation and triple the power output, the eVo amplifiers can offer performance
that would not be out of place in an extremely high-performance multichannel or
two-channel system.
Jeff Fritz: Anthem AVM 20.
It offers all the performance and features of a state-of-the-art preamp/processor at
the real-world price of $3200. While not inexpensive, it is within the realm of many
home-theater enthusiasts looking into some of the more expensive receiver options.
We’ve noted the increased price of the flagship receivers on the market; they have
steadily caught up with separates. Well, it's nice to see the processor market coming down
to within reach of the receiver market.
I’d also like to give a preliminary nod to the $899 Outlaw
Audio Model 950 surround-sound preamplifier/processor, not based on performance
because I’ve yet to hear it (though we have one coming for review), but based on the
price point alone. If it’s good it would be a great option to have, and may cause
some of the other manufacturers to reevaluate their pricing structure.
Are there more out there? Sure! And you’ll read about
many of them here on Home Theater & Sound. What have you been impressed with?
It’s your turn to sound off! Write to us and let us know at editor@hometheatersound.com. |
