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DVD-A player - while they still exist

My Denon 2910 is on its last legs. It no longer plays SACDs or CDs. I fear it won't play DVD-As much longer. I also fear DVD-A players will disappear from the market. I only know of two still around - the Ayre universal and the Oppo 95. Even Meridian seems to have given up on the format.
I only have a few DVD-As, but they're important to me. I don't want to lose the ability to listen to them.
So I'm wondering if I should buy a good player while I still can. Maybe one of the last Meridians, used? Or a new Oppo? I'd have to keep it under $4,000, preferably way under $4,000, unless it was also the best CD player I had ever heard.
Any suggestions?
achilles
elevick
2,439 posts
 
Due to the devalued prices these days, go find a modded Denon by Underwood or Partconnexion really cheap. You could get something with tubes for much less.
srwooten's avatar
srwooten
694 posts
 
What file type do you rip DVD-A to, using what program, and will any DAC play it back?

I use DVD Audio Extactor. You can rip to whatever format you like pretty much. I rip original resoltion/bit depth, typicaly to FLAC. It should work with any DAC that supports the resolutions you rip. I use JRiver Media for a server as it will serve the files in their native resoltion.
richardfinegold
196 posts
 
I thought that Marantz and Denon both still made Universal Players, playing DVD-A, SACD, Blu Ray, CD, and virtually every format.
I play may DVD-A on the same Denon that you have, and in my two channel system I use a NAD Universal player that feeds a DAC. Not sure if the NAD is still around.
richardfinegold
196 posts
 
Just checked Audio Advisor. My NAD T-535 Universal Player still available for about $350. At that price, and given your budget you could could by half a dozen and a good DAC to feed them into.
achilles OP
135 posts
 
OK, I've thought a lot about this and here's what I plan to do: get a Logitech Squeezebox Touch and a suitable DAC, maybe the Naim DAC, but we'll see. I already have an MSB Link DAC so I can get started as soon as I get the Squeezebox. (Although I doubt my old MSB can handle 24/96 from my DVD-As, it's a start.)
Thanks for all the helpful advice,
Michael
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