Sony BDP-CX7000ES Blu-ray Disc Changer (Sound & Vision magazine Jan 2010 review link)

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Sony BDP-CX7000ES Blu-ray Disc MegaChanger

(January 2010 Sound and Vision magazine review link)

The $1,900 Sony BDP-CX7000ES BLU-RAY player is ideal for consumers that want to store 400 BLU-RAY, DVD, or CD discs in a MegaChanger. For those that do not care about storing 400 discs into one machine an OPPO BDP-83 BLU-RAY player or other standalone BLU-RAY player with a better video processor would be a better choice. The OPPO BDP-83 also plays SACD and DVD-Audio discs which are niche audiophile formats.

The Sony BDP-CX7000ES lacks 1GB of internal memory for use with BD-LIVE. An external USB memory needs to be purchased in order to use BD-LIVE. The video processing on the Sony MegaChanger does not have as good as video processor when compared to the OPPO BDP-83. Sony does not offer a DVD 24fps feature and only upconverts 480i DVD's to 1080P/60 with 3:2 pulldown. The OPPO BDP-83 and modern Blu-ray players like Panasonic will upconvert 480i DVD's to 1080P/24. On the positive side the Sony player does have a legacy 480i S-Video jack for those consumers that are interested in connecting the display to an older CRT TV from the 90's that has S-Video. Load times are also slower on the Sony MegaChanger when compared to the OPPO BDP-83. To be fair load times for all MegaChangers will take longer to load discs compared to single disc standalone players. Being able to hold 400 BLU-RAY movies inside one player is a unique feature that some consumers will really enjoy. The Sony does match the OPPO in video and audio performance when playing 1080P/24 Blu-ray discs according to a Home Theater review I have read. The Sony video processor is just not as good when playing 1080I Blu-ray's and 480I DVD's when compared to the OPPO.

(Jan 2010 Home Theater magazine reference link with test results) http://hometheatermag.com/discplayers/sony_bdp-cx7000es_blu-ray_disc_megachanger/index.html )

Click here to read the complete review from the Sound and Vision website

The following are select quotes from the Sound and Vision magazine review

"A Blu-ray Disc changer is what’s been needed to store growing collections, and Sony has finally stepped up to the plate, offering not one but two 400-disc-capable models."

"As part of Sony’s Elevated Standard (ES) lineup, the 7000ES features substantial build quality and a terrific 5-year warranty."

"...this bad boy won’t handle SACDs, which will undoubtedly be a disappointment to some."

"Blu-ray players have been criticized for taking too long to load discs, and while this Sony is far from the slowest, it isn’t exactly speedy. Power-up took 47 seconds in regular mode and 30 seconds in the Quick Start mode. After I pressed Play, it took 25 seconds for CDs, 35 seconds for DVDs, and 45 seconds for most Blu-ray Discs to start playing. The changer mechanism is much quieter than in Sony’s previous models; I was never distracted by any motor or fan sounds during use."

"BOTTOM LINE
Granted, $1,900 for a Blu-ray Disc player — even a top-shelf performer like this Sony one — might seem high. But when you consider that the most popular DVD manager, from Escient, runs close to $1,000 on its own, and that the price for the Escient doesn’t include the requisite changer, the Sony’s price becomes a lot more palatable. Granted, Escient’s interface is nicer and allows far more editing options, but for basic library management, Sony’s interface is well beyond adequate. If you’re looking for a way to manage your growing pile of Blu-ray and other discs, the Sony BDP-CX7000ES offers that capability with no performance compromises. "

Click here to read the complete review from the Sound and Vision website