On test

DVD player Approx price: 2,700
720p/1080i/1080p upscaling SACD/DVD-A playback

Denon DVD-A1XVA

Test Data
TEST Video jitter Audio jitter S/N ratio Chroma AM Chroma PM READING 3ns 340.8ps 66.6dB -75.0dB -68.3dB RATING Very good Good Average Excellent Excellent FREQUENCY RESPONSE AT 5.8MHZ S-video -0.0dB Very good Composite -0.9dB Excellent Component -0.3dB Excellent
For a full explanation of test data, please see page 114
DenonLink audio connectivity THX Ultra specication Two digital outputs

Details

FEATURES
HDMI/DVI output: Yes/Yes Prog scan output: PAL/NTSC DVD-A/SACD: Yes/Yes Multiregion from box: No Dimensions: 434(w) x 170(h) x 432(d)mm Weight: 19kg Other features: THX Ultra specied; 720p/1080i/1080p Realta with HQV decoding engine; Advanced proprietary AL24 processing

WHAT IT PLAYS

DVD-V; DVD-A; SACD; CD; CD-RW; CD-R; DVD-R; DVD-RW; DVD+RW; MP3; JPEG; WMA; SVCD and VCD (though possibly limited); Kodak Picture CD; Fujicolour CD

SOCKETS

RGB Scart; RCA component video; BNC component video; six-channel audio line outs; optical digital audio output; coaxial digital audio output; Denon Link jack; two Firewire outputs; stereo audio output; two S-video outputs; two composite video outputs; DVI and HDMI outputs; RS-232C control jack; room to room in/out

CONTACT

www.denon.co.uk
ack in issue 303 we almost wet ourselves with excitement over Denons awesome DVD-A1XV DVD player. This astoundingly well specied machine had both the processing power and performance guts to make its 2,500 asking price look like a steal. Somehow, since that review, Denon reckons its actually made the A1XV even better. So it appears we might soon be able to answer that age-old question of exactly how you improve on perfection Actually, the answer is pretty simple: you put 1080p upscaling on it! For while the original A1XV did a sublime job of upscaling standard DVDs to 720p or 1080i, that was where it stopped. The A1XVA, on the other hand, can turn your DVDs into the latest all-singing, all-dancing 1080p format currently causing such a stir among the AV cognoscenti. As their name implies, 1080p pictures contain 1,080 lines of picture shown progressively; an approach that for the rst time combines the motion stability of 720p with the extra resolution of 1080i. Sort of a high denition plus. We should say here that currently only a handful of high-end TVs and projectors can show 1080p. We used Sonys RubyVPL-VW100 projector, for this test. But more, premium 1080p-capable displays are imminent, and if youre even considering shelling out 2,700 on a DVD player (for yes, adding 1080p upscaling has added 200 to the Denons asking price) then you probably wont mind also forking out the extra dosh such screens are likely to cost. Back to the A1XVA, and a timely reminder of just how well built it is. Its quite probably the most solid, uncompromisingly built deck weve ever seen, hinting at all manner of
dreamily high-end innards and uncompromising video and audio interference-busting measures. Connectivity, lest youve forgotten, includes separate DVI and HDMI digital outputs. Plus there are the usual component and RGB Scart non-scaling options, together with two i.Link outputs and Denons own DenonLink 3 port for shipping digital audio from the DVD deck to a suitably talented/equipped amp. We wont trawl through all the A1XVAs features, since aside from the 1080p addition everything else is the same as the A1XV. But it is worth saying a little more about the A1XVAs upscaling engine. The thing is, there are upscaling engines and there are upscaling engines. And the one Denon uses here is the crme de la crme, combining a specially developed single-chip version of Silicon Optixs hugely respected Realta Hollywood Quality Video processing system with Anchor Bay/ DVDOs 10-bit Precision Video Scaling processing.

Also Consider >>

MARANTZ DV9600 Not as well built, and its upscaling performance isnt quite as good but its ne value at 1,500 Reviewed: Not yet reviewed PIONEER DV-989AVI A superb audio and video allrounder that does mighty well for a deck costing 800. Reviewed: Issue 303 certainly there and it becomes more apparent the bigger the screen size you try it on. Plus, of course, if youve only seen a normal, low-cost upscaling deck in action prior to checking out the A1XVA, the level of leap up to the Denons 1080p stratosphere will blow your mind. Couple the A1XVAs new industry pinnacle of picture performance with an audio performance thats every bit as high-end hi- as it was on the earlier version of the deck, and theres nothing left to say except that the best really has got even better. John Archer

performance

Without further ado, lets nd out what joys Denons new 1080p trick can deliver And the answer is that it delivers the best picture quality weve yet seen from a non-HD DVD deck. Wed thought that the older versions 1080i picture was pretty much as good as our current-generation DVDs were ever going to look. But the A1XVAs 1080p mode goes to 11, adding a whole new level of stability, noiselessness and even, it seems, clarity to its already amazingly good 1080i offering. OK, yes, the extent of the step-up is perhaps only marginal if youre already lucky enough to have experienced the A1XVs 1080i performance. But the step-up is

Ratings

WHATS GOOD
Build quality; upscaled pictures; exibility; connectivity; sound

WHATS BAD

Not small or cheap (but still great value)
Picture Sound Features Ease of use Value

VERDICT

If youve enough money and a 1080p-capable display, this DVD player is an AV dream come true.
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5/5/06 6:27:37 am