Heavy Performer

Right now, you can get Blu-ray players for less than $200.

Well, you can, but do those players offer you onboard decoding of all the audio formats, upconverting of the 8-bit video to 16-bit, Marvell Qdeo processing, eight Wolfson DACS, tank-like build quality and pretty much everything else you can think of to eke out every last bit of performance?

That was a rhetorical question.

Just when you thought your Blu-rays were safe…

Like it's rival, the LG BD300, the BD-P2500 is no simple Blu-ray player.

It has the ability to stream content directly from Netflix.

While this may seem odd, it adds a level of functionality that is surely the future of entertainment.

An Audio Lover’s Video Player.

Over the past year, Denon has quietly assembled an interesting array of Blu-ray players designed to suit a host of budgets and systems—from the digital-only DVD-2500BTCI transport ($999) to the recently announced “entry-level” DVD-1800BD ($749).

Residing at the top of the chain is the reference DVD-3800BDCI ($1,999), a beefy unit whose build quality and high-end components befit that higher price tag.

Blu-ray. Now with YouTube!

Already, Blu-ray players are separating into two camps: the uber-expensive, and the commodity. It’s easy to see what you get with the step-up players.

But what about the high end of the low end? What do you get at a step or so above the bargain players? Something like this $400 Panasonic, say. Well, turns out quite a lot.

The next step in Internet-enabled video-on-demand.

“Internet-enabled” could very well be the CE industry’s 2009 catchphrase. Some manufacturers are adding simple Web widgets to their products, like the ability to access news, weather, or online photo albums.

Others, meanwhile, have embraced what many of us deem to be the Holy Grail of Internet-enabled functionality: video-on-demand access.

ESS Technology claims its critically acclaimed Sabre32 Reference DAC is the world's highest performance 32-bit audio DAC - incorporating innovative, patented circuits to deliver music with expanded sound stage, with up to 135dB dynamic range and 0.0001% (-120dB) total harmonic distortion. The patented circuits include the 32-bit HyperStreamTM modulator, capable of 100% modulation and stability, the RevolverTM Dynamic Element Matching, which ensures the high performance over an extremely wide audio dynamic range and a Time Domain Jitter Eliminator.

BD-D7500 is slated to become available the first half of 2011.

The PR-SC5508:

A THX-Ultra 2 Plus certified, 3Dⁱ-ready, network-capable, 9.2-channel audio-video controller. The PR-SC5508's video performance comes in the form of HQV Reon-VX processing, 1080p upscaling, and individual ISF calibration capability for all video sources. This THX-Ultra 2 Plus certified system offers height channels, setup calibration, and state of the art processing from Dolby, THX, DTS, and Audyssey, including the latter's new MultEQ XT 32. The PR-SC5508's connectivity options includes 8 HDMI inputs, dual USB's, two balanced line-level XLR audio inputs, and nine XLR preamp outputs. The networking features offer DLNA 1.5 and Windows 7 compatible connection to PC audio and Internet radio. The system is configured for Pandora, Rhapsody, Mediafly, Slacker, Napster, VTuner, and Sirius Internet Radio.

 The PA-MC5500:

This nine-channel THX-Ultra2 certified analog power amplifier is 8-ohm rated at 150 Watts per channel, and up to 400 Watts dynamic power into 3 ohms. It utilizes Onkyo's WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) design philosophy, which proscribes low negative feedback, low distortion, extended frequency response, and a power supply with high instantaneous-current capability. To achieve all this, the PA-MC5500 uses large, custom output transistors in push-pull configuration and a massive power supply consisting of a large toroidal power transformer and two 22,000 µF storage capacitors. A three-stage inverted Darlington circuit preserves sonic subtlety. The 51-lb PA-MC5500 has a rigid, anti-resonant chassis, gold-plated inputs and outputs, plus multi-zone and bi-amp capability to allow full utilization of all channels no mater what the system configuration.

MSRP: PR-SC5508 Controller $2,199, PA-MC5500 Amplifier $1,699, BD-SP808 Blu-ray Player $599

For more information visit www.onkyousa.com