Arcam DiVA DV135 (£450) vs Marantz DV 6001 (£300) or 7001 (£600)

[admin_exported]

Hi there - I have just been looking for a DVD player which also plays CDs well. In fact, the primary use would be audio, with DVDs played only occasionally.

For some reason the Arcam DV135 has halved in price - from £999 to £450, at least in some shops. I always get a bit suspicious by huge discounts - anyone know the reason?

Also, at £450 the DV135 would sit somewhere between the Marantz DV 6001 (£300) and DV 7001 (£600). Yet at its list price it would have been £999. Given that WHF rates products according to the relevant price, and all the three units mentioned have 5 stars, should I jump at the Arcam DV135?

Many thanks in advance for your views.

Len

p.s. I have just bought PMC DB1+ speakers and am looking for new DVD/CD and amp.

 

[John Duncan]

leonardng:
Hi there - I have just been looking for a DVD player which also plays CDs well. In fact, the primary use would be audio, with DVDs played only occasionally.

For some reason the Arcam DV135 has halved in price - from £999 to £450, at least in some shops. I always get a bit suspicious by huge discounts - anyone know the reason?

Also, at £450 the DV135 would sit somewhere between the Marantz DV 6001 (£300) and DV 7001 (£600). Yet at its list price it would have been £999. Given that WHF rates products according to the relevant price, and all the three units mentioned have 5 stars, should I jump at the Arcam DV135?

Many thanks in advance for your views.

Len

p.s. I have just bought PMC DB1+ speakers and am looking for new DVD/CD and amp.

Well the DB1+'s go very well with my Primare pair

I personally would rather split CD and DVD duties, but if you must have them in the same box, then the Arcam or this Yamaha would appear to both be bargains at the moment, due to them being end-of-line.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks John. Just a bump - anyone else?

Len

 

[Anonymous]

I looked at DV7001 and DV137 (135's more polished big brother on a similar quest for dual (mostly music) duties. The Arcam gear sounded great, really musical, imaging and seperation were fabulous. Marantz also sounded great, more colour or tone of voice to it (i'm told it's the Marantz sound and it certainly felt familiar to my old CD52 I was upgrading from) but no worse for it. Think of it as a slightly stronger regional accent versus an undetermined, neutral accent, still brilliant to listen to, but if you were after a more natural/neutral sound the Arcam would be better.
As was, I stumbled across a DV139 (the flagship universal box from Arcam) on ebay for nearly £1,000 off list price, still with warranty so I'm now an extremely happy bunny for only a few hundred more than the Marantz.