manufacturer: Marantz model: category: review date: reviewed by: DV9500 Universal Player DVD Players August 2005 Brian Kahn
Marantz DV9500 Universal Player Introduction The DV9500 is Marantzs latest universal disc player, situated at the top of their line. The player boasts an impressive set of features in both performance and convenience. At $2,099, the DV9500 is not cheap, but there is much to set it apart from the $300 universal disc players found at your local retailer. Upon lifting the box, I immediately noticed that the DV9500 was a lot more substantial than most other single-disc transports at 18-and-three-quarters pounds. Once I opened the box and removed the player, which measured a fairly standard 17-and-one-sixteenth inches wide by four-and-a-half inches tall by 15-and-one-eighth inches, it was apparent that a lot of effort went into making sure that the chassis was solid and free of resonant chatter. Some of the DV9500s numerous convenience features include the ability to read the following formats, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD-stereo and SACD multi-channel, DVD-R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, SVCD, VCD, MP3 and JPEG discs. I think this should cover just about any five-inch disc format. While the player is technically called the DV9500 Progressive Scan Universal DVD Player, it is capable of outputting not only 480p, but also 1080i and 720p. This is a highly significant feature. The DV9500 has multiple video outputs, including HDCP compatible HDMI, Component Video, S-Video and Composite. On the audio side of things, the player can internally decode DTS (including DTS 96/24) and Dolby Digital, has adjustable lip synch delay, is the first single-disc player to feature Dolby Headphone, bass management and delay with DVD-Audio and SACD (SACD signals must be converted from DSD to utilized this feature). Other features include RS-232 and RC-5 connections. The DV9500s performance features include a chassis thats built upon a damped double layer bottom plate, which is designed to provide a stable platform for the transport mechanism and circuits. The transport is a new mechanism engineered to provide precise tracking. Marantz has provided a huge new feature dual transformers to minimize channel-to-channel interference or cross talk. The analog audio circuits feature high current High Definition Audio Modules (HDAM) and a zero impedance copper grounding plate. The DACs are 192kHz/24-bit and true DSD processing is used for SACDs. Video performance is assisted by a 216MHz/14-bit video DAC and a separate 10-bit video scaler with 3:2 and 2:2 pull-down. A special Noise Shaped video circuit is also incorporated to help minimize video noise. In short, this is a universal disc player with a scalable HDMI output that can handle just about every format and is designed to do so without compromise. Set-up and Connection Connecting the DV9500 was fairly simple. I used Monster Cables M1000 DAV HDMI cable to connect the DV9500 to my Marantz VP12S4 projector. The other outputs of the DV9500 5.1 analog, via Monster Cable M550i and digital audio, via Monster Cable Ultra Series THX 1000 were

connected to a Krell HTS 7.1. There are several menus offering numerous adjustments and options that allow the user to tweak both audio and video performance. I did all of my critical viewing through the HDMI output set to 720p and my projector set to native mode, so that the DV9500 was the only component doing the video processing. Test Patterns I began my viewing with a couple of test discs, the first of which was Joe Kanes Digital Video Essentials. Looking at the RP-133 test pattern, I noticed movement in the multi-burst portion of pattern when using my reference Kenwood DV-5900M. The Kenwood was outputting a 480i signal through component cables. On the Kenwood, I also noticed borders around the horizontal bars within bars portion of pattern. When looking at the multi-burst vertical pattern, I noticed that horizontal edges of signal from the Kenwood were cut off. When testing the Marantz DV9500 with the Pb & Pr sweep, 0.5 to 5.75 MHz, the Marantz maintained resolution throughout the entire pattern and the Kenwood turned solid gray about two-thirds of the way through the pattern. Overall, the Marantz appeared to be much more stable on the high-resolution patterns, providing a much clearer picture. I then placed the Silicon Optix Test Disc into the Marantz. On the opening test screen, the color bars were stable, with no movement in the higher frequency portion of the pattern. On the Diagonal Jaggies deinterlacing test, the Marantz did well, showing only signs of jagged edges at less than 10 degrees; with the three-bar test, only the bottom bar showed any signs of being jagged. On the motion adaptive de-interlacing waving flag test, the Marantz did very well, with the flag flowing smoothly. The bridge showed good detail in the bricks and grass, with noticeably more resolution than the Kenwood. On the noise reduction tests, the Marantz again did a great job. Overall, the picture was extremely close to still frame. On the simulated digital transmission, there was very slight smearing behind the roller coaster. On the 3:2 detection test, the Marantz locked onto the signal but moir pattern in the stands was visible for perhaps half a second before it did so. The last portion of the test disc is comprised of various cadence tests on which the Marantz DV9500 performed very well, with only the occasional minimal jagged edge. Music and Movies I then switched to real source material and played a DVD from Season One of Alias, something my wife appreciated much more than the test discs. While the characters were in an industrial park with larger tanks, I noticed mild jagged edges on a steel band that went around the tank. These were more noticeable when paused and much less so during playback. While the recording quality of the Alias discs was not extremely consistent, when watching any of the better recorded segments, the Marantz seemed to be well balanced across the color spectrum, with no noticeable aberrations. While watching The Incredibles (Walt Disney Home Entertainment), I saw no signs of the chroma bug. The color fields were uniform, with very clean transitions and no noise. Overall, while viewing several rental discs and a few from my collection, the blacks were slightly better with the Marantz than with my Kenwood and the Marantzs picture was consistently sharp and stable with smooth, accurate colors. I began the audio portion of my review by listening to some regular old red book CDs. I first played Janet Jacksons Go Deep from the Velvet Rope album (Virgin Records). This track is rich with solid, detailed bass that the Marantz replayed better than any other player I have had in my system. The midrange was relaxed and natural, with highs that fell only slightly shy of what I have heard on the best and most expensive CD players in terms of airiness and extension. Moving on to Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (Warner Brothers) album, the classic demo track Your Latest Trick, the clean midrange did well with Knopflers voice. The high end of the cymbals was clean and clear, with the entire package combining for a solid, well-placed soundstage.

When switching to SACDs, I pulled out some other SACDs I had on hand. Most played without a glitch. Bill Evans Trios Portraits in Jazz (Fantasy Jazz) Come Rain or Come Shine had noticeably more depth and detail, with better imaging on its stereo SACD track than on standard CD track. I noticed a more solid body and more texture in the bass on the SACD track. The Dave Brubeck Quartets Jazz at Oberlin (Fantasy Jazz) opens with These Foolish Things, in which Paul Desmonds alto saxophone sounded absolutely amazing and was well placed in the soundstage. Stardust also features great saxophone playing and sounds, with Brubeck kicking up the piano towards the end. Even though the original recording is not great, there is a sense of involvement and cohesion that is revealed. On How High the Moon, the Marantz maintains good rhythm and pace and great synergy within the entire quartet. Again, Desmonds sax playing stands out, but the rest of the quartet is working together like a well-oiled machine and I could hear a good amount of detail from each instrument, as well as a cohesive picture of the entire quartet. Moving to DVD-Audio discs, I played Simple Minds Once Upon a Time (EMI Records), which I had just received. The track All the Things She Said brought back high school memories as I listened to this track, which had obviously been heavily processed (as many were in the 80s). The track was very clean sounding, as was the entire disc. I noticed more details in the many synthesizer lines than I remember from the original, along with a large, smooth soundstage. Sanctify Yourself, another hit from the 80s, was equally clean and detailed, with a large soundstage. I then played Dorian Michaels Acoustic Blues (AIX Records) album. This album was recorded, mixed and mastered in 96kHz/24 bits. The track All Dressed Up had great detail throughout, but especially with the guitar and bass tracks. It was very easy to imagine myself in the room with the musicians as I listened to the notes from the strings slowly decay and the music resonate from the instrument bodies. The drums were also solid with good weight and detail to help make a very cohesive mix, full of texture and life. Lastly, the Insane Clown Posses The Wraith Shangri-La (Psychopathic-DTS) Aint You Bidness confirmed that the Marantz does deep and powerful just as well on DVD-Audio as it did on CD. Additionally, this track is fast-paced and complex, something the Marantz had no problems with, keeping all the details intact and in the right place.

The Downside I had some issues with the remote. I am a firm believer that any remote that is intended for use during a movie, such as that of a home theater processor or video source, needs to be easy to use in the dark. The remote that comes with the DV9500 is not backlit and is unintuitive. Thankfully, the buttons are of different shapes, and with regular use, you can learn to use it in the dark. The remote fell short of the superb design achievement found in the player. I was excited about the prospect of playing the epic Tommy from The Who, but unfortunately it wouldnt play in the Marantz. I am unsure if this was a disc issue or a player problem, as this is the only SACD player I currently have for testing purposes. In this day and time, it's not uncommon to have a couple of discs that act funny in a player. Unfortunately, this nuance was found during the last day of the review, so I didnt get a lot of time to test additional copies of the same material.
Another item I would have liked to see in this top of the line DVD player is some sort of high-resolution digital audio output. The HDMI output does not transmit the digital high-resolution tracks from SACDs or DVD-Audio discs. Some other high-end players, such as the Denon 5910, have made provisions for outputting the high-resolution digital audio tracks, which would provide for more future flexibility, something I would like in a long-term investment piece such as this. Conclusion The Marantz DV9500 is a universal player in the truest sense of the word. It will play darn near anything that goes on a five-inch disc. Its packaging is solid, reminiscent of players cost two and three times more. Marantz spared no expense in such details as the use of dual transformers to assure perfect channel separation. Compared to other players in its class, the DV9500 provided a better video picture and more refined sound for all formats tested. Movie and music players have come a long way over the last couple of years. The fact is that the Marantz DV9500 is a better-sounding and looking player than players that had cost five times more just a few years back. If your player is dated or incapable of playing the more modern formats, perhaps you are ready for a huge step up in performance to the DV9500. Its a solid performer and excellent value.

DVD Player

DV9500

Also black available

DV9500 Multi format DVD player
The DV9500 represents Marantz' cutting edge design and engineering, enabling you to experience the true emotion in movies and music. Compatibility with virtually all of today's digital video and audio disc formats makes the DV9500 a true universal disc player. It allows you to enjoy the best of two worlds: music and movies, in stereo and multi-channel surround sound. It plays DVD-A, DVD-V, DVDR/RW, SACD and CD-R/RW discs, including MP3 files. The top grade 216MHz/14-bit video DAC together with NSV provides inspiring video performances. Audio excellence is assured with a 24-bit/ 192kHz converter and the renown Marantz engineering skills with endless dedication to deliver the emotional value of the source as its creator intended. Enjoy the perfect choice in your home entertainment environment.

Features

High quality playback of DVD-V, DVD-A, SACD, SVCD, CD, MP3, DVD-R/RW PAL/NTSC progressive scan High definition video scaling HDMI video output Noise Shaped Video Symmetrical analogue audio board with customized components and dedicated power supply HDAMs for all 6 channels Dolby headphone In-house developed high quality mechanism

Benefits

Ultimate disc compatibility; regardless which disc you put in, this dream machine will play it Offers improved picture resolution and eliminates virtually all motion artifacts Creating a perfect match with any high resolution video display device For a high quality, full bandwidth, uncompressed digital video signal transmission to a Marantz HD display or projector Provides the most accurate signal representation and enhances the picture quality Sublime audio quality in stereo and multichannel Achieving a more dynamic, accurate and detailed sound reproduction regardless the amount of channels Full multichannel enjoyment via your regular stereo headphone Near to errorless information retrieval of almost any 12cm disc

Technological glossary:

Digital and analogue perfection To enjoy all of the video and audio materials, the DV9500 provides ultimate versatility with high quality video and audio performance. It plays SACD, DVD-Audio, and DVD-Video with Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound in either 2 channel or multi channel formats. It also plays DVD-R/RW and CD-R/RW and is even compatible with MP3 formats. For the ultimate in video performance the DV9500 features the latest 216MHz/14bit video DAC and Analog Devices NSV Precision Video. For both PAL and NTSC source material progressive scan is available ensuring higher resolution pictures. This is the player that embodies high quality convenience. Premiere featuring on a DVD player: DTS 96/24 and Dolby Headphone Dolby Headphone technology allows users to listen to music, watch movies, or play video games with the dramatic surround effects of a 5.1-channel soundtrack through any set of headphones. Best of all, "listener fatigue," a phenomenon commonly associated with headphone playback, is replaced by a spacious, natural sound field that listeners can enjoy for hours. DTS 96/24 allows for 5.1 channel sound track encoding at a rate of 96kHz/24 bits on DVD-Video titles. Higher sampling rates provide greater bit depth and allow a wider frequency response. In conjunction with the use of anti-alias and reconstruction filters DTS 94/24 results in a more transparent sound quality equivalent to the original soundtrack and is fully backwards compatible at the same time. Until the DV9500, Dolby Headphone and DTS-96/24 has only been featured on select PC and A/V receiver applications. A true multi format player Enjoy the fabulous world of stereo and multi channel audio! The DV9500 provides ultimate versatility with high quality video and audio performance from virtually any 12cm disc. Finally you can enjoy an incredible live-experience in your home as it was in reality. Not only the total ambiance is reproduced, but also the natural 'sound' of the instruments is being preserved. The DV9500 plays among others SACD, DVDAudio, DVD-Video and of course CD DA discs. SACD is based upon the DSD conversion principle that links excellent specifications like a frequency range of 100 kHz and a dynamic range of 120 dB, to superb sound quality. It adds essential resolution and detail to the Multi channel audio setup, necessary for accurate correlation between front and rear channels. This combination of top-end audio performance and Multi-channel sound will give you a sensation that will totally change the way you experience music. DVD-Audio is one of the latest format of high standard audio. It provides ultimate 2ch performance of 24bit/192kHz or 24bit/ 96kHz in six channel format. The DV9500 will allow its owner to benefit from the full performance of DVD-Audio. Marantz HDAMs on all 6 channels Audio devices are usually equipped with Op-Amps (operational amplifiers) for which Integrated Circuit (IC) are commonly used. Unfortunately these IC's do not match the very high requirements of Marantz. Marantz developed it's own discrete circuit boards to replace the IC's. These HDAM's consists of discrete surface mount components with short mirror image L/R signal paths. Those devices are doing exactly the same thing as the Op-Amps, but outperform the regular IC Op-amps dramatically in terms of the Slew Rate, resulting in a much more dynamic, accurate and detailed sound. Superb video performance The DV9500 uses the latest and most advanced 216MHz/14-bit video digital/analog converters and Analog Devices Noise Shaped Video (NSV) for very high-quality picture reproduction. As a continuation of Analog Devices development of enhanced picture quality, in a wide variety of applications and for many different video standards, the technology of Noise Shaped Video has been developed. This technology allows video images to be displayed at resolutions and lower effective signal to noise ratios well beyond what would be expected from the data converter by making use of the latest technological advances. The improvement takes place in parallel with the increased support to higher definition video standards including HDTV and progressive scan. The DV9500 provides unsurpassed progressive scanning for both NTSC as well as PAL material. Compared to a conventional interlaced picture, progressive scanning creates a picture signal with double the scan lines, resulting in a noticeably sharper image. The progressive image offers higher picture resolution and eliminates virtually all motion artifacts. Even on large screens, the progressive scan lines are barely noticeable and picture flickering is greatly reduced, so you can enjoy extended viewing without eye fatigue. The progressive conversion of the DV9500 is optimized for the high resolution and low noise of the DVD-Video format for both PAL and NTSC software. This enables the unit to preserve DVD-Video picture quality for display on all screen sizes from direct-view CRT to projectors. Progressive Scan is provided on both the HDMI as well as on the component output.

Video scaling A video scalar combines the information in the odd and even fields of an incoming video signal into a combined, non-interlaced picture. Taking advantage of the latest electronics technology, the video scalar uses sophisticated, processing algorithms to manipulate the image, changing its resolution, refresh rate, and even aspect ratio, to exactly match the desired output specifications. When using a video scalar, a projector or display device is not forced to crop, distort, or further process the image in order to display it. The video scalar used in the DV9500 allow you to generate an output that exactly matches the native resolution of for example the Marantz DLP projectors or flat panel displays. It produces display-optimized video at a several output resolutions. Performing precision resolution upconversion on 576i (or 480i) DVD's, the DV9500 provides output video quality approaching High Definition (HD). Outputs spanning from 480p, 720p and all the way to 1080i are supported. The scaling is done within the digital domain and therefore exclusive for the HDMI output. High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) HDMI assures that pristine high-definition images retain the highest video quality from the source all the way to the display. HDMI combines high-definition video and superb audio in a single digital interface with a bandwidth of up to 5 Gigabits/second. HDMI on the DV9500 complies with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) technology protecting high-value content from unauthorized reproduction and distribution. Marantz gives the consumer full digitalized interconnection from source to display and projectors with HDMI on the DVD payers, AV Receivers and on our latest generation projectors and flat displays. The future is now. For the ultimate in performance The Marantz DV9500 represents the very cutting edge in precision digital engineering and replay performance. To realize its no holds barred, new reference setting performance objective completely, Marantz engineers developed our own engine to transport the disc for jitterless information retrieval, decoding and subsequent audio and video processing. The DV9500 is the first of a new era of Marantz multi format players which has this in-house developed near to error less information retrieval mechanism. Build in multichannel decoders In order to benefit from the audiophile analogue audio performance from the DV9500 we have incorporated DD, DTS and MPEG multichannel DVD-V audio decoders. Dolby Digital is an advanced form of digital audio coding that makes it possible to store and transmit high-quality digital sound, far more efficiently than was previously possible. Apart from the Dolby Digital information, DVD software can also contain Digital Theater System (DTS) audio information. The compressed digital information offers five fully independent high quality channels, together with a sixth subwoofer channel. CI friendly To optimize equipment in terms of ease of use, Marantz has designed the D-Bus system. Individual devices inform each other in order to automatically tune to the customers demands. Also received remote control commands are communicated via this bus. This enables equipment without IR-receiver to be controlled via a Marantz Remote control. The addition of the RS232c port allows the DV9500 to be integrated with a number of control systems such as AMX and Crestron. Via this interface two-way communication is possible to control and get status feedback for example.

Bypacked accessories

- User manual - Power cable - Remote control - Batteries - AV cable - D-Bus cable
RC9500DV (no picture available)

FEATURES

MULTICHANNEL/SURROUND Built-in decoders: DD / DTS / /// MPEG / DTS96/24 Virtual surround: DPL / DPLII / -/-//TruSurround / other Headphone surround Dolby Headphone AUDIO/VIDEO ENHANCEMENTS Pal 60 Conversion Progressive Scan: PAL / NTSC / Digital Video Scaling (HDMI output only): 480p /576p / 720p / /// 1080i CD Compatibility: CD / CD-R/ //-//RW / HDCD / SA-CD/ WMA / / MP3 VCD Compatibility: VCD / VCD 2.0 / // SVCD DVD Compatibility: DVD-V / DVD-A / DVD-R / DVD-RW ////(video) / DVD-RW (VR) / /DVD+R/RW Image Disc Compatibility: JPEG / / Picture CD HDAM: Standard / SA / Current /-/Feedback HDAM cover: Gold plated / Copper -/-/-/ plated / Metal /no shield Audio ex. Display On/Off Dedicated High Grade Audio Power Supply Power Transformer: Toroidal / El -/ High Grade Audio Components Customised Components Copper Plated Chassis System block shielding: Copper -//plated / Metal / none Chassis : Die-cast / Copper plated / -/-/ Metal Double Layer Bottom Plate Low Noise LCD display -

OTHERS

HDMI adjustments Selectable HDMI output level (normal / expand) DVi adjustments Selectable DVi output level (normal / expand) Selectable Filters for SA-CD Speaker config (SA-CD/DVD-A) Lip sync control External sync control Auto Aspect Ratio Still Picture Multi Language OSD Multi Channel Down Mix: MPEG2 / DD / DTS / DVD//// Audio / SA-CD Video Adjustment Bi-directional control via RS232C

SPECIFICATIONS

D/A convertion (video) 216 MHz/14-bit D/A converter (video) ADV7314 D/A convertion 192 kHz/24-bit (all (audio) channels) D/A converter (audio) CS4398 Frequency 4 Hz - 44 kHz (DVD fs response 96kHz) Frequency 4 Hz - 100 kHz (SACD); 4 response kHz - 88 kHz (DVD-A) Signal to Noise Ratio * Dynamic Range: CD / DVD * Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) *

GENERAL

Available colors: Platinum/Gold/ -/-// Silver/Black Metal Front Panel Remote Control RC9500DV Power Consumption 24 Watts Detachable Power Cable Maximum Dimensions (W 440 x 384 x x D x H) 115 mm Weight 8.5 kg

INPUTS/OUTPUTS

VIDEO Composite Out 2 S-Video Out 1 Component Out 1 Gold Plated Cinch BNC output: Component / RGBhv / -/-/selectable Scart (RGB) 1 DVi-D (with - (compatible via HDCP) HDMI) HDMI (with HDCP) 1 AUDIO Scart 1 Analogue Out (Cinch) 2 Multi channel out (5.1) Digital Coaxial Out / In 1/Digital Optical Out / In 1/Digital AES/EBU out IEEE 1394 Gold Plated Cinch OTHER D.Bus In/Out RS232C

Design and specifications are subject to change by Marantz without notice.

www.marantz.com