On second thought, about DVD5

Posted by: Massimo Bertola on 07 March 2009

In this post, a few weeks ago:

http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/78019385/m/6482971817

I have expressed opinions on the DVD5 which mostly reflected an impaired frame of mind due to having bought a s/h unit that came along with some fault assumedly picked up during the journey. But since I had really good support both from the seller and from Naim, I am now able to review my first impression.
So, IMHO, is DVD5 enaugh a good CD player to be used as the only source by anyone who doesn't want to duplicate boxes? Yes, it is. It will chew 30 times each disc before digesting it (as we're told to do, with our food, by sensible parents), so don't expect rocket TOC reading; won't shift automatically from one format to another when picture formats change (you'll have to do it on the video display); but has warm colours, deep blacks and smooth movements and a certain depth of field even with my obsolete LCD video projector; and its sound reminds me a bit of how Naim gear did sound in the early 90s.
I personally recommend AV2 users to feed it into Analogue input for CD replay and to consider a HiLine. It is a wonderful machine that reveals itself slowly, and though I still find it a bit expensive (it takes 20 of my Oppo 980H to buy one DVD5, at least in Italy), it has just that something that makes me want to continue buying Naim.
Posted on: 08 March 2009 by AV@naim
quote:
Originally posted by maxbertola:
won't shift automatically from one format to another when picture formats change (you'll have to do it on the video display);


If you are refering to NTSC/PAL, it will select format if the output format is set to auto
Posted on: 09 March 2009 by Massimo Bertola
No, I actually refer to the fact that my (previous, by now) Oppo player automatically adapted the picture format inside the screen. That is, I kept my video projector in normal (16:9) mode, and the player automatically did set the image to any format. In a DVD it is normal that, for instance, the Menu is in 16:9, trailers in 16:9 inside 4:3, the film in its format, interviews in 4:3, and so on..
The Oppo had an >auto< option by which the image was sent to the video device in its format. The DVD5 - to my knowledge - does not, and I have to set the projector manually. This is the only reason of complaint I have. I don't want to sound picky, but I know the difference between >colour system< and >format<.
Posted on: 12 March 2009 by markusp
Max - how would you compare overall picture quality between the Naim and Oppo players?

Thanks.
Posted on: 12 March 2009 by Massimo Bertola
Soon after I wrote this post I realized that I still have the same Sanyo PLV Z1 LCD projector I bought in 2003, which is 964x544, not huge resolution. That makes it difficult to evaluate both players' ultimate performance. Anyway, I can say that Naim's blacks are better, its colours more thick and the movements unnoticeable - meaning that you don't notice anything consciously connected to movements, extremely fluid and natural. It even has a certain depth, even with the flat LCD image. Oppo is obviously a very good player for a fraction of the cost, but even if its video is remarkable anyway, its sound is no compare with Naim's.
If you just care about good video and saving money, I'd say buy the Oppo; but in the long run, something in the Naim reveals its heritage. As soon as I'll have a newer and better video device, I'll post a few impressions more.
Regards.
Posted on: 13 March 2009 by Prouddaddy
Thanks max.