PIONEER BDP320 REPLACEMENT - STICK WITH PIO OR LOOK ELSEWHERE?

[Gimp67]

 

[Deleted member 2457]

The Pioneer Blu-Ray players are not very reliable at the moment, I would look elsewhere. The Marantz UD5007 is a good one.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Your post details are missing (this happens quite a lot), but as a former owner of the 320, these are my thoughts.

The build quality of the 320 is fanatstic, but in my opinion, that's the only positive point. The negative sides of the 320 are the incredibly slow loadijng time, and the fussyness of the player when playing any disc with the slightest mark, mine was forever freezing during playback, sometimes with new disc.

My personal opinion is that there is very little, if any difference in picture quality in blu ray players playing blu ray discs, though upscaling of dvds can be improved by better players. If you just want a player that plays blu rays well, then even budget players will be plenty good enough, have look at recent Sony and Panasonic players, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

The Marantz UD5007 is a good one.

If you want to spend loads of money on very little, if any gain in performance.

I saw no difference in PQ between by budget Pana and my old 320, none at all.

 

[Gimp67]

Guys,

apologies, my initial post didn't carry my actual question!

Have a Pio lx5090 and older denon 1910 with KEF IQ5se and kEF surrounds. As the 320 is now kaput, I was seeking advice on where to go next. Gel, you mention the UD5007 - my local Seevenoaks has one for £300. You're recommend ties in nicely.

If I can upgrade, I'll always try - jump now or await 2014 models? Using Xbox 1 as BDP at the mo...

 

[Gimp67]

what about sound quality though?..

 

[margetti]

Agree completely - bought a 2nd hand Panasonic BR for about £70 in December so we could watch 3D (have managed to watch one in 3 months!) and whilst I didn't bother doing any direct comparisons it looks just as good as the 320. I consider paying near on £400 for the 320 the only real mistake I've made over the years when it comes to buying kit.

 

[Gimp67]

OK guys, so it looks like marginal gains on the piccy front, so what about sound? Or is this marginal as well? Would like reasonable 2 channel delivery as well. thanks again

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Guys,

apologies, my initial post didn't carry my actual question!

Have a Pio lx5090 and older denon 1910 with KEF IQ5se and kEF surrounds. As the 320 is now kaput, I was seeking advice on where to go next. Gel, you mention the UD5007 - my local Seevenoaks has one for £300. You're recommend ties in nicely.

If I can upgrade, I'll always try - jump now or await 2014 models? Using Xbox 1 as BDP at the mo...

£300 for the Marantz is a good deal, I hear they are very reliable too.

 

[margetti]

OK guys, so it looks like marginal gains on the piccy front, so what about sound? Or is this marginal as well? Would like reasonable 2 channel delivery as well. thanks again

I can't give a definitive answer sorry, as I never did a side by side comparison. Good sound was certainly the thing that allowed me to "justify" the 320's price at the time - it was a definite step up from the PS3 which was what I was using for BR at the time. I have no complaints with the Panny BR's sound though that's for sure. Not particularly helpful I know, but IME BR players have come along at an astonishing rate since the 320 was WHF's "best blu-ray player".

 

[Gimp67]

Gents, appreciate the feedback and your thoughts on this.

Noting another post on Gel's spending habits, and that all buys/upgrades are down to the owner to justify to themselves - irrespective of what the 'science' may say - I'll track down that Marantz I mentioned at £300 if it's still there.

Still respect and consider all posted views though...

For sale-one poorly BDP320, complete with orignal box and remote. Still plays DVD and CD, just not blu ray!! Laser failure??? Post me if interested in 'spares or repair'.

thanks again

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Get one of this years Panas or Sonys, £300 for a BDP is pointless IMO.

The sound is digital, the picture is digital, so I can't see how a different player can affect the PQ and SQ of blu rays, it certainly didn't when I went from the 320 to a budget Pana.

It's your money, but I wouldn't waste it if it was mine.

 

[bigboss]

You've got a budget AV receiver. I do not see any point in spending £300 on a blu ray player. Sound quality will be the same via HDMI, so will 1080p blu ray picture quality.

An AV receiver is the heart of any system, and maximum money should go there if you want improvement.

 

[bigboss]

If you want a better build quality and better looking player, then you could look at Marantz. Actually, Denon 1713UD shares its components with Marantz UD5007 (same manufacturer) and is £50 cheaper.

 

[Gimp67]

Bigboss - cheers for that. Actually, the amp was being looked at, but the pio went boom - forcing this first upgrade. I'll probably get a higher spec Denon amp - watching some on ebay. Did I see somewhere that the interfaces differ between the marantz and the denon? If they are truly identical, I'll buy whichever is cheaper and put more towards the amp.

thanks again folks

 

[bigboss]

The 2 players are identical.

 

[Gimp67]

Bigboss - you now have me looking at upgrading my amp!

Looking at next step up from the 1910 - oooh 3313, x2000, x3000 (sticking with denon)

Aaaah. My missus will kill me, and it's all your fault !!

 

[Gimp67]

guys, ordered the denon 1713ud from superfi. thanks for the heads up on the commonality between this and the marantz 5007. good point made about my lower spec amp. I see the Denon AVRX3000 has dropped in price. Would this be a reasonable step up from my older 1910? Not referring to GUI or networking gadgets - just sound quality. cheers.