Comments on: Denon DVD-2930CI Review

By: Budi

Budi — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:33:22 +0000

I’ve been reading some reviews on 2930ci and is now drooling beyond control.
I imagine having it hooked to my samsung LA37-A550 and start playing my favorite disks. I was awaken by the fact that I don’t have an amplifier to make that burr browns show who they really are, so I’m dead, sort of. (I won’t be able to afford an amplifier, a pair of speakers, and of course the denon, all at the same time). Can somebody tell me what the denon might sound when paired directly to active speakers like say Audio Engine A5 ?

By: Raj Surin

Raj Surin — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 04:39:46 +0000

It was intersting to read the very good comments and reviews on the 2930 . This was my first good quality dvd player – the others being general purpose dvd players. The reason why i’m putting down this comment is cos i actually bought this dvd player for the sake of AUDIO ONLY – Video being secondary use – (I had not even auditioned it for Video at the time of purchase) in fact it is not even connected to any display. ( i linked up after reading the reviews to check out everything that was mentioned – spent almost a month doing it- used “Phantom of the opera” and “Moulin Rouge” – its got a lot of dynamic variations in both video and sound, The dance sequences are a riot of colour – definetly rendered as good as a still image with very vibrant colour saturation. Checked it out with an old sherlock holmes Tv serial on DVD – I’m seeing details in the frills of the then clothing previously quite flat.

My verdict : Its a great dvd player – used hdmi connected to a hitach 42″ plasma and audio via 1. a denon av reciever and alternated with ny home-brew amp and speakers – other combination of speakers used were wharfdale.)
As far as my decision for AUDIO ONLY – I think its great – I’ve used the following speakers – Bose Acoustimass-5 – wharfedale Floortanders – and some of my own speakers. The Bose was a let down in the just below the mid-range section. The wharfdale floor standers are excellent – even at very low listening levels – I would’nt like to brag aboput my home -brew- speakers -but i like them the most (its custom built for my ears anyway).

One surprising thing was that it gave a very impressive performance even from low grade mp3 discs -( which is available in plenty in India.) what was really the best part of this player is that my jazz collection is crisp on brass and the vocals go right into the head. The marked difference in soundtracks from movies (synthesized sound) and Music discs does not seem to be much of a damper – the movie soundtracks with all its sizzels and bells and subsounds fall in place – perhaps even more fuller and warmer than the shrill bursts i’ve noticed in most dvd players specially the Sony – It almost makes me sometimes come to the conclusion that it is MORE of an AUDIO player than a …
Thanks all.

By: John watkins Jr.

John watkins Jr. — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:39:34 +0000

I purchased the 2930CI and have been very pleased with the disc audio performance. I collect and transfer pre-recorded tapes in 192KHZ/24BIT format and burn directly using discWelder BRONZE with exceptional results. I downsampled DGG’s Tristan Und Isolde to 48K/24BIT and the results were exceptional on DVD audio. Why this sample rate? I wanted to get the entire opera on one single layer DVD. I was very pleased with the results. My files are filtered over 40KBS to keep those tape bias oscillators out of the spectrum, always a wise idea.

By: faberryman

faberryman — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:40:25 +0000

Is it possible to upscale non-copy protected SD-DVDs over component on the 2930CI? If so, what are the necessary settings. I can only get 480i/480p over component even on non-copy protected discs. Thanks.

By: John W. Watkins Jr.

John W. Watkins Jr. — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:42:05 +0000

I just received my Denon 2930CI from Crutchfield this afternoon. I have been making 192KHZ@24BIT audio DVDs of my extensive tape collection. I placed a 192KHZ DVD of my Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 by Peter Katin and the London Symphony (Richmond Stereo Tape AKA London/Ampex) in the drawer and was blown away. My monitor’s horizontal is kaput so I connected her and my system sound is fantastic with 192KHZ audio. Someday, I look at a DVD video. No more crappy audio within that VIDEO TS any more.

By: John W. Watkins Jr.

John W. Watkins Jr. — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:41:43 +0000

By: BC

BC — Tue, 08 May 2007 05:51:45 +0000

I have just a 2930 here in Oz and am disappointed that it will not play many of my Australian region 4 disks; just comes up with an error, Wrong Region. But it plays my other Regio 4 disks fine.

Do I need to change a setting, or send it back?

Also I am playing through a Loewe Xelos CRT Tv (NB not LCD- I am waiting for Full HD 100Hz to come in to the market at a decent price). Any recommendations on settings?
Otherwise I love it.
Thanks all

By: Shedman

Shedman — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 05:17:25 +0000

I am looking at either the 2930 or 3930. Having something that makes the best of my SD DVD library is important to me hence my impending purchase.

However I have a Optoma H50 projector which has a 800 x 600 panel and DVI (rather than HDMI).

I am thinking that to get the best picture from this combination I would set the DVD player to output SVGA through the HDMI and use a HDMI to DVI adaptor to connect the cable to the projector.

Do you agree and thanks for the great reviews.

Stuart, Rayleigh, England

By: JL

JL — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:22:52 +0000

HI, just to say thanks for your detailed review. I just ordered one unit from Amazon. Hope that soon I can enjoy this awesome player (actually I have an oppo 917).

By: Ben Webber

Ben Webber — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 18:58:48 +0000

Hi There

I was keen on the Denon 2930 DVD player after a magazine review over here in the UK. Your excellent review just makes me want the player even more. I should be buying a Sony KDL40X2000 LCD TV with 1080p Compatibility and this DVD player at the end of the month. It should really enhance my DVD collection. Keep up the good work. Ben, Swindon, England

By: SD

SD — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 10:48:35 +0000

I have been looking at Denon 1930Ci and Oppo. I have been reading reviews on this unit as I am interested in the different chip but I am not sure it is worth the extra money.

How is this compared to the Denon 1930CI?

By: Bappy

Bappy — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 07:30:22 +0000

I am about to buy 2930 and I have a question rather than a comment. My projector is Benq W100. And it’s native resulation is 480P but capable of accepting 720p. Now should I able to upconvert it through 2930 to 720 and watch it over Benq W100. Pls advise.

bappy

By: Svante Skoog

Svante Skoog — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 19:48:51 +0000

Hi!
I just tested Toshiba HD-XA1 for a few weeks. But I´m not keeping it. Sure the High Def picture is amazing but the format wars are a pain in the ass. I don´t want to begin collect a bunch of HD-DVD movies and realise 3 years from now that HD-DVD is dead. The same goes for Blu-Ray.

I thinking about sticking with DVD a few more years. But my upscaling Sony DVP-NS76H doesn´t really deliver the amazing picture quality that I want to experience from DVD with lots of noise and artifacting in the image. The details in dark scenes are also dissapointing So I´m thinking about upgrading to Denon-2930.

The DVD upscaling on the XA1 is impressive. But a bit soft. And since I live in sweden I can´t play region 2 discs in the XA1. Is the picture quality noticably sharper on the Denon 2930 than on XA1? And does it wipe out most or all of the noise and artifacting?

Probably better than my Sony NS76 I hope (Dont know if you ever tested an Sony NS76 or what it´s called in the US). Great review by the way Yours being the first as well

By: B.Greenway

B.Greenway — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 09:47:57 +0000

David, its funny you mention resale value; a friend and I were just talking about Denon’s resale value the other day, take a look on ebay and you’ll get an idea of the prices used Denon gear fetches. I wouldn’t worry about reselling Denon at all.

By: DBarlow

DBarlow — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 13:07:18 +0000

I’m really, really tempted to get a 2930 but am hesitant because of the imminent arrival of HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.

I’m worried that in a year or so’s time, re-sale value on DVD players like this one will plummit as everyone will be jumping to ship to HD players.

On the other hand we may have to wait longer than expected before a stable HD market transpires and there are decent HD players available.

Very undecided. Any advice ?

Regards
David