JJs Reviews: Pioneer Elite DV-48av SACD/CD/DVD Player (Entry-level)

[JJ]

JJ's Review of the Pioneer Elite DV-48av DVD/CD/SACD player:



I must first say though, that I use it primarily to play my CDs and SACDs. Runs around $125-$175, from brand new to open box or used.

Anyway, this all began on a whim. That's what one gets for browsing, I suppose - somehow I wandered onto the "Is SACD ok on my system?" thread on the Music section some time ago, and began to wonder if I could get into it. My music tastes were hella eclectic as it is anyway, so I first began looking at www.sa-cd.net to see if there were enough albums out there to interest me (a good place to start for any interested in getting into SACD). I never considered vinyl since - I have no place for a turntable, and, heck, I'm only 23, lol. One step at a time!

Upon a recommendation from dobyblue, he suggested the Pioneer Elite DVD players which also did SACD - the DV-48 and DV-49, although he did say the DV-48 had better DACs, so I lurked on eBay for both of them until I found mine - they pop up every now and then and go for anywhere from $125-$175. Hell, I couldn't resist the sexyness factor of having another Pioneer Elite product on my rack either!

My first two SACDs were Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and the Top Gun soundtrack. Since I had no other SACD comparison testbed, I compared it to a high-bitrate download of the songs from DSOTM, and my own CD copy of Top Gun. DSOTM was a multi-channel mix, and TG just a stereo mix. What really blew me out of my seat was just that from DSOTM. The multichannel. Each speaker coming alive in quick succession, or when they would each kick in as part of the music - the clocks, the cash register, the instruments, the vocals...in particular, I found song #6 Us and Them to be as beautiful a song I've ever heard on my system, as close to being at a concert as I could've imagined. Just being completely enveloped in the sound was a breathtaking experience. The entire album was a revelation to me, since I didn't know much of Pink Floyd or any of their music until this purchase. From the moment I ended that song, I became a devotee of SACD. When the Take My Breath Away, Mighty Wings, and Lost That Loving Feeling song came on from the TG SACD, I mean - let me tell you. I'm usually only listening to music when I have people over or whatnot, and it's usually my urban youth side that selects it - reggaeton, hispanic music, rap - but now I feel like I can sit on that couch and just relax. Not anymore. Comparing the DSOTM to the 320 kbit downloads wasn't even fair. Like swatting a fly with a Buick. I played it, Stereo, from my PS3 as a CD (since it is a hybrid) - but losing the directionality that multi-channel offers and the depth...comparing the TG SACD to the CD wasn't as big as a difference, but it was a slightly noticeable difference in detail, more clarity to the vocals. Not huge, say, a 3/4 on a 1-10 scale.

I tested CD playing as well, inbetween the PS3 and the DV-48. I used the Master and Commander and the Star Wars: Episode III soundtracks as my test beds, since they are some of my favorite instrumentals. They did sound near identical, and any placebo effect there might've made me think that the DV-48av made them sound better, but - I'm sure it was probably the same. In any case, I use the 48 for CD playback regardless.

Quick ending notes - DVD upconversion was also a wee bit better than the PS3 - but it does play all DivX movies, which the PS3 does not, which was a big advantage. The front USB port also helps, as does the analog outs/ins. But I use my PS3 for DVDs regardless - but I like the flexibility. Plus, it's cool in some weird way that all three of my Pioneer machines are on when I watch a DVD on it,

So in conclusion - if you were thinking you wanted to get SACD, this is the entry-level player for you. Unless you want the complete power of the Oppo 83, which, by the way, you should seriously consider - but it is $500, 4-5x the price of this Pioneer. It has the flexibility, aesthetics, and technical aspects at a great entry-level price for anybody who wants to expand their musical repertoire. And pick up Pink Floyd's DSOTM as your first album!