Toshiba SD-6980 DVD Player
Universal player, but 5.1 comes out only in analog mode
I purchased this DVD/SACD/DVD-A player about two weeks ago in order to play the SACD and DVD-A albums I have been accumulating. My hope was that by upgrading the player, I would be able to get richer audio to my speakers. I don't have a 5.1 setup, but I have a pair of Magnepan MMGs, matched with SVS PB10-ISD subwoofer, powered by Onkyo TX-703 receiver. While setting up, I noticed a couple of \\"Notes\\" in the user manual that made me realize that this player may not deliver what I was looking for. When playing SACD or DVD-A CDs, the audio comes out only on the analog outputs. There is no digital output. At least in my setup, this is always inferior to the digital outputs. When I play the CDs in \\"normal\\" mode, (For example, on dual disk DVD-A, one side has audio in DVD-A format and the other side, in normal CD format.) I get a far better output than in the SACD or DVD-A mode. I did every setup possible, both on the DVD player and the receiver, but the audio output has a lot to be desired. In the end, it was a wasted investment. <br /> <br />On the positive side, it has HDMI output and it converts DVD signal to HD (720p/1080i). I could see a big difference in the picture quality because of this conversion. That is some relief. <br /> <br />So, in summary: <br /> <br />DON'T BUY it, if you are looking for better performance from your SACD and DVD-A collection. <br /> <br />BUY IT, if you have an HDTV and you want to upconvert DVD signals to HD.