Excellent CD sound, convenient changing

Will not play CD-R's, remote can't be used with out looking

I bought this DVD player at the same time as my Onkyo TX-DS575x receiver. It happened to be the model I was playing CD's to demo receivers and speakers on. I never questioned the quality of the units ability to play CD's. I also listened to CD's on a NAD player and receiver, but could not justify the higher price.

I have been impressed with the quality of play for both CD stereo and DVD movie playing. I highly recommend this unit for anyone who would like a good quality resonably priced changer for playing both DVD's and CD's.

The only 2 negatives I've found are:

1. It won't play CD-R's. I don't know why this should be a problem, unless Onkyo is really concerned with protecting the music industries copyrights and profits. My wife's $100 boombox will play CD-R's, so it's not like it was an especially expensive technology to leave off.

2. Occasionally, the unit will begin playing a CD, but no sound comes out. I have to switch the receiver over to another source and then back to get it to start. I don't know if that is a problem with the DVD player or the receiver. I haven't contacted Onkyo about the problem yet, but I will soon.

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NAD

Solid build, flawless picture/sound/functionality

none

I think this is the perfect DVD player. Its worth the money considering it play CDs very well. I also have owned a NAD CD player which I picked up for the same price and I think the sound quality is very comparable. On top of that the ONKYO plays DVDs. This unit is very convenient considering the fact that you can mix CDs and DVDs and the player automatically distinguishes the two. I cannot find any flaws with the unit and at $340 its a steal. I definitely recommend anyone to buy this product to replace both their CD changer and single disc DVD player!

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.....

5 discs, component video, toslink and coax digital out, NO Dolby Digital or DTS decoder!! direct digital path

will not play CD-R discs, remote is horrible, disc tray feels wimpy

No frills changer with VERY GOOD video performance using component output. Picture is very sharp and
detailed, colors are natural and not over saturated; player does show minimal pixelation on fast moving action
scenes. Sound is as expected from this price range... a bit shallow on the bass and does not have the
resolution of mid-fi gear like Rotel CD players; it sounds congested on the top end to my ears. Best sound
will be achieved with a modest outboard D/A (e.g. MSB) or preamp/receiver (other mid-fi gear such as
Pioneer, Sony, etc) with digital input.

Fortunately this changer doesn't have the fluff like DD and DTS decoders which would require that Onkyo
invest less time/resources for other IMPORTANT features like VIDEO OUTPUT. Video output in my
opinion is the reason we buy DVD players... good sound is a bonus at this price range (e.g. less than $400).
The digital direct path is a great feature which I use. Play exchange works as advertised but only opens
drawer partially to reveal 2 trays; it should open all the way like the older Yamaha CD changers (if I
remember correctly).

This changer will not play CD-R discs which is a major disappointment. It will not play "Mission to Mars"
either. The remote designer should be punished by taking all his/her remotes and forcing him/her to use the
included remote forever... horrible layout, all the buttons are the same size and organized poorly. Disc tray
looks wimpy and "plasticy" but it does what it was supposed to do.

Overall a very good purchase considering the price/video performance ratio. Again, don't expect much from
the internal D/A converter; I suggest the use of the digital output for better sound. The video output is bettered
by the reference Sony DVP-S7700 at 2.5x the cost.

Design, finish/build quality gets 4 stars,
sound quality gets 3 stars (I'm spoiled by outboard D/A).
Video output gets 5 stars

Regards,

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no other DVD changer, JVC and Sony single disc DVD players

All the necessary features (DD/DTS compatibility, Comp. Vid, etc.), Excellent picture/sound quality. 5-disc changer.

No random play on all discs, Remote Control.

This is one of the many new DVD players by Onkyo replacing the older DV-C600, with the newer DV-C501 - 5 disc player, and the DV-C601 - 6 disc player. I bought this DVD player to replace my older 2nd generation Toshiba single disc dvd player and to match it with my new Onkyo TX-DS575X DD/DTS receiver. Onkyo, once again, delivers in terms of picture and sound quality. Onkyo continues to offer some of the finest products on the market, and this DVD player rates among the best. First of all, this player is built like a tank. Very solid construction. Video quality is, for lack of a better word, fantastic. Colors are sharp and details are crystal clear. Audio quality is equally stunning, given its "Direct Digital Path" feature which reduces the susceptibility of interference. The player features Dolby Digital/DTS 5.1 capability so it can pass the latest audio soundtracks in the finest presentation possible to a DD/DTS A/V Receiver/Decoder. This is my first multi-disc player, so I am becoming accustomed to no longer having to get up everytime to change a disc. Setup and configuration is hassle-free, very easy to hookup and configure without aggravation. The player plays DVDs, Video CDs, and regular Audio CDs which may eliminate, for some, the need for a separate CD player. DVD/CD playback, menu navigation, layer changes and title/chapter skips are smooth. The visual display on the player is non-obtrusive or distracting, given its dimmer function. The only drawbacks, for some, may be that the player does not do random playback of all tracks on all discs. It only allows random playback of all the tracks of one disc at a time. So, if you have 5 cds in the player and want to playback different songs from all 5 discs, you would have to manually go through one disc at a time. Other drawbacks include not being able to name discs, and of course, Onkyo's horrible REMOTE CONTROL. Buttons are small and all are the same shape, as well as it not being backlit. This, if you ask me is the only major gripe. All in all, this is a great player and these minor quibbles should not be enough to disuade you from buying this fine machine. I bought mine for only $350 at BPAV which has to be the best price for this player. I plan to keep this as my main DVD player for years to come, and I can't recommend it enough. Unless you want a 6-disc player (the only difference between the 501 and 601), then go for the DV-C601.

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Toshiba SD-2107