Hi Michael,
Well it's been a bit emotional really.... i was thinking Oppo 95 then realised i would only ever be using HDMI so thought Oppo 93 was just about to get one then the 55 came on the scene and basically more or less matched the Oppo and was cheaper due to no multi channel outs which again i will never use. With a 16 year history of pioneer players from Laser disc days i decided to stay loyal to the brand. Swapped out the 51FD , moved off centre speaker to a more centred postion as the 55 smaller than the 51.... recalabrated the LX71. Initital reaction was should have stuck with the 51FD didn't notice any picture difference and the sound was a bit different but couldn't decide if it was in a good way or not. Over the next couple of days did a bit more tweaking to picture and sound. I can now make out slightly more detail in the picture and a deeper colour palette has become noticable on some discs i have seen alot , for example Micheal Fassbenders Green beret in Inglourious Basterds was a different green to his uniform but i hadn't noticed by how much before it stood out but in a really good way. It shows up flaws in transfers more than the 51 did. Haven't really tried much in the way of DVD but what i have seen i'm happy with. On the sound front i've done a couple of calabrations and got it so i'm happy with it but some disc's sound better than before and some don't seem to sound as good..... haven't fully figured this out yet. Put in my SACD Dark side of the Moon and i was like WOW it was great. Then for the first time in 16 years i put in a disc and it didn't play !!!!!. I put in Planet Terror UK blu ray wouldn't get past load screen , then i put in Death Proof USA blu ray samething..... TWO DISCs in the same night.... NEVER HAPPEND BEFORE. I've contacted Pioneer and they requested i send the disc's to them which i have done so i'm expecting them to sort a firmware update at some stage for this. It has only happend on these two disc so far but strange as they worked on the 51 and a PS3. Haven't used network ,usb or 3D features yet so no comment on them.
Another little quirk is it doesn't show chapters/title on the display only hours/min/secs it's a bit weird i think they maybe working on firmware updates.
So in summation a slightly better picture just, Sound variable sometimes better sometimes not i do think it could possibly an element of dare i say it burn in. Plays a great SCAD (just a shame can't afford to buy any more LOL).Needs Firmware updates.
As it plays SACD and the 51 didn't it just about gets a pass from me but i am a self confessed Pioneer freak however it is clear to me that this is not the Pioneer of old and wouldn't unfortunately recommend getting one at the moment and feel the Oppo is probably the way i should have gone but i'll never know now so i'll be happy with what i have
How you getting on with the 85 compared to your 73 ?