Pioneer Elite BDP-LX500

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by danny24

Japan would be so much fun to shop in I do miss stores like that and Tower Records. It's to bad the USA has become so phone and streaming driven like you said. There still is a market for this stuff in the USA and physical media still but not as big as Japan sadly it's niche in USA.

That LX800 I am sure is an amazing disc player.

I use to love Tower Records.

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

see below



For starters you need to examine the Japanese marketplace which is heavy on all forms of physical media playback, not this phone centric, streaming mess that is the USA marketplace, they don't trust that stuff.

If your going to attempt to show Panasonic is high-end you get laughs seriously!

The Japanese audiophile web sites show some really elitist products that Robert could not even afford to stock. (size/prices) They are very big time into what the USA gave up decades ago which is true high end A/V systems. Thats one of the reasons the $2300 LX800 isn't sold in the USA, because we aren't in their opinion a worthy A/V marketplace, too much of what is sold here is cheap solutions.
Examples






Look at e-earphone – Japan’s number one headphone retailer



God it makes BB look like a 5 and 10 dime store! I hate so much that you have to buy stuff like this from Amazon because we have stores chains that don't distribute so many brands from Asia.

Japan must be is behind the times. From all reports, you basically can't buy a superior UHD Blu ray player than the top of the line Panasonic. BTW, an UHD Blu Ray player is about video processing more so than audio. That's what I'm getting at.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Auditor55

I use to love Tower Records.

I used to have one close to me I miss it also was so much fun and great escapism with the selection. Imagine all the UHD/Blu-ray's and Vinyl selection they would have today to compete with Amazon would be so cool to have that at your fingertips instead of a screen,keyboard now.

Originally Posted by Auditor55

Japan must be is behind the times. From all reports, you basically can't buy a superior UHD Blu ray player than the top of the line Panasonic. BTW, an UHD Blu Ray player is about video processing more so than audio. That's what I'm getting at.

I think it has more to do with they only want the best and well made. They sell the UB9000 there and the LX800 from Pioneer. The cheaper players that sell in the USA they might laugh at and see as cheap.

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by danny24

I used to have one close to me I miss it also was so much fun and great escapism with the selection. Imagine all the UHD/Blu-ray's and Vinyl selection they would have today to compete with Amazon would be so cool to have that at your fingertips instead of a screen,keyboard now.



I think it has more to do with they only want the best and well made. They sell the UB9000 there and the LX800 from Pioneer. The cheaper players that sell in the USA they might laugh at and see as cheap.

That's the player I was alluded to when I mentioned high-end Panasonic.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Looks like someone reviewed the UB9000 vs. the LX800 with the LX800 having better video and audio (the LX getting 5 stars for each vs. 4 stars each for the UB9000). It's just one review but for twice the price the LX better be the best 4k player out there:

For universal player lovers the LX500 is the better choice of the three.

That April 2019 T3 magazine comparison is about as bad as the typical whatHiFi write up, meaning no useful technical value.


Poof gone also!

[RalphoR]

I kinda thought that, too. I should delete that link. It's not a good comparison. *Poof* gone

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by RalphoR

Looks like a newer firmware has been released. Here's the link:

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/P...X500#downloads

So you basically have to periodically check the Pioneer website to see if there's a firmware update.

[RalphoR]

Unfortunately, that's been the case so far.

[LordoftheRings]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziTm...ature=youtu.be

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziTm...ature=youtu.be

Bumpitbaby

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziTm...ature=youtu.be

This is probably over priced.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziTm...ature=youtu.be

Heh, as soon as it got to the menu screens I was like "ummm...isn't that the exact same font used on the OPPO?", but weirdly enough it's got the same DV-too-bright bug as seen on the Panny?!?

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Auditor55

This is probably over priced.

Perhaps but the player market is still constrained/limited for people wanting to spend more on a UHD BD Player for audio functionality. The higher priced model LX800 would go for $2300 if sold here. Both of their previous BD models were slightly less see this earlier S&V article. There is always people swayed into spending more money, because they like what Pioneer offers, build, design/look, and so on. It is what it is.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Heh, as soon as it got to the menu screens I was like "ummm...isn't that the exact same font used on the OPPO?", but weirdly enough it's got the same DV-too-bright bug as seen on the Panny?!?

Font is from Mediatek SoC base GUI. Oppo used a custom MT8591 while partnered with MTK/Dolby, wonder if the LX500 is using the more generic MT8581 SoC set, you have me curious now.

Update
Ok went backed and looked at older LX500 images from audionet.com.tw. You can clearly see the MT8577AM on the CCA

MediaTek MT8581 is a highly integrated multi-media system-on-chip for 4K-UHD playback and upscaling. When partnered with the MT8577A, it creates an Ultra HD 4K Blu-Ray Player with HDR10 support.

So the UBP-LX500 is using the older MT8581 SoC that they released first. Perhaps Pioneer didn't spend a lot of time checking DV playback accuracy as shown by the clipping of some specular highlight detail in the above video?

[LordSummerIsle]

Nice to see. If my OPPO UDP-203 ever dies on me, there are some replacement options out there.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Font is from Mediatek SoC base GUI. Oppo used a custom MT8591 while partnered with MTK/Dolby, wonder if the LX500 is using the more generic MT8581 SoC set, you have me curious now.

Update
Ok went backed and looked at older LX500 images from audionet.com.tw. You can clearly see the MT8577AM on the CCA

So the UBP-LX500 is using the older MT8581 SoC that they released first. Perhaps Pioneer didn't spend a lot of time checking DV playback accuracy as shown by the clipping of some specular highlight detail in the above video?

It's mightily weird though that both Panny's own SoC and now a MediaTek chipset have the exact same clipping problem with DV. As we were told by people who raised the issue with Panasonic, the inner workings of the DV is entirely to do with Dolby who implemented the code themselves so I'm not sure there was anything Pioneer could do about it. Well, that's if they even noticed it in the first place.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by scwilli1

Nice to see. If my OPPO UDP-203 ever dies on me, there are some replacement options out there.

Yes there are; Optimizer with Panasonic UB9000, and Universal disc playback (no streaming) with Pioneer LX500, like here in this very thread.

And of course the haut de gamme Pioneer LX800 ...
• https://www.homecinemachoice.com/con...-player-review

That last one is more competitive (quality, not price) with the now defunct Oppo 205 ... RIP.
But on eBay the Oppo 205 is price competitive more. Before that the 205 was a better value overall.

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Perhaps but the player market is still constrained/limited for people wanting to spend more on a UHD BD Player for audio functionality. The higher priced model LX800 would go for $2300 if sold here. Both of their previous BD models were slightly less see this earlier S&V article. There is always people swayed into spending more money, because they like what Pioneer offers, build, design/look, and so on. It is what it is.

Who's buying an expensive UHD player for audio? When it comes to video, there's only so good it can get before you quickly reach the point of diminishing returns. I believe that's what's happening in the market right now.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Auditor55

Who's buying an expensive UHD player for audio? When it comes to video, there's only so good it can get before you quickly reach the point of diminishing returns. I believe that's what's happening in the market right now.

You just don’t understand the purpose of a universal player, which is used to play all forms of physical media such as CD, DVD-Audio, SACD, other high-resolution audio media and files including via network storage, or computer managed environment. You keep thinking people only buy UHD BD players solely for video, yet totally ignore any discussion concerning audiophile usage. We have many people that are Blu-Ray forums members that have extensive collection of audio centric media that use optical media players to perform just that.

As a example we pointed out Japanese passion for listening to audio, and you said they are behind the times, instead of doing any real research into this topic.

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

You just don’t understand the purpose of a universal player, which is used to play all forms of physical media such as CD, DVD-Audio, SACD, other high-resolution audio media and files including via network storage, or computer managed environment. You keep thinking people only buy UHD BD players solely for video, yet totally ignore any discussion concerning audiophile usage. We have many people that are Blu-Ray forums members that have extensive collection of audio centric media that use optical media players to perform just that.

As a example we pointed out Japanese passion for listening to audio, and you said they are behind the times, instead of doing any real research into this topic.

I do understand. I stand by my observation, if the Japanese are engaged in the type of audiophilia as you are claiming, they are indeed behind the times. SA-CD and DVD-A, are for all intent and purposes are among the failed formats graveyard. It's time to move on, if they haven't they're still stuck behind the times.

Science, such as objective listening test has proven time and time again, that you don't need to spend what the Japanese are allegedly spending to achieve the audio quality they seek. For example, why would I spend 2K on a high- res player and spend exorbitant amounts on high-res music files when they sound no different from less expensive music files. Or spending $2,000 on speaker cables when I can get speaker cables for $40.00 that sound same.

The primary purpose for buying a UHD player should be for video, even if it plays various types of audio, especially if you're buying an expensive player.