Review: DVD-Player Harman Kardon DVD-30

Reviewed by Carsten Rampacher, July 17th, 2003

Equipment

The DVD-30 is Harman Kardon's first DVD-A-player on the German market. With a price of EUR 599,-- its a DVD audio-/video-player, offering a complete DVD-A-bass management and a time alignment. Besides this the HK-player is able to output by YUV, NTSC and PAL progressive. As it is usually the case with Harman Kardon, the DVD-30 ist only available in black color. The finish is quite good, the plastic material, used for the front side, seems to be high-graded.

Purpose of Harman Kardon-appliances is to fill (above all musically seen demanding listeners) with enthusiasm – DVD-30 does not make any exception in this case. Three noble Wolfson 192 kHz/24-Bit audio-D/A-transformers are ensuring a detailed reproduction. A further important advantage are the extending tuning possibilities at the DVD audio-reproduction. The DVD audio-function of DVD-30 is available with a complete bass management, a variable subwoofer cross-over frequency with a precise graduation (60/70/80/90/100/110/120 Hz) and a test tone generator for all loud speakers. For the video Harman Kardon DVD-30 offers a 54 MHz/10-Bit video-DAC. Besides this it is equipped with a small video-equalizer as well as an integrated multi-functional testing screen. The one, who is not disposing of a picture reproduction appliance processing with NTSC or PAL60 will be glad to hear that the Harman Kardon appliance is able to convert NTSC- picture signals into real PAL 50 and not only into PAL 60. A zoom-function (with 2-cavities or 4-cavities) completes the list of features.

HK equipped the player with the usual connectors. Available is of course the YUV-connection, which is obligatory for the NTSC/PAL progressive-output which can however also be used in the interlaced-mode (selection possibility in the „On screen menue“ in the part "video"). Besides this an Euro AV Scart connector is also available, which is also able to output FBAS besides RGB-picture signals, however no s-video. For the s-video signals the hosiden jack can be used.

Additionally there is a 6 channel output for DVD-A-signals, both cinch outputs for the main channels are also used at the usual stereo analogue output (e.g. at the analogue connection as CD-player-substitute). An optical as well as coaxial digital output are supplementing the quotation.
 
The disk drive achieved a very good error correction during testing operation. Without any problem all DVDs and CDs could be read at the first attempt. The disk drive produces some noise during playback, however it was not regarded as kind of disturbing. The layer break still has to be improved and with regard to the reading times - DVD-30 should act still more quickly at all different kind of media.

Concerning its multi-media talents a lot of positive aspects can be reported about the DVD-30, like e.g the player can read DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs without any problem, however these should have been produced in the video-mode and not in the VR-mode. DVD-RWs recorded in VR-mode have not been accepted by our test sample. However our possibilities to read playable as well as re-playable DVD-media are not exhausted, yet, because according to Harman Kardon DVD+Rs and DVD+RWs should also be reproduced. Without any difficulty DVD-30 also accepted our testing SVCDs. Flawless results have also been achieved by DVD-30 in the MP3-use. Initially the plain but very clearly arranged MP3-menue meets with approval.

Besides this DVD-30 is commendably in a position to indicate the ID3-tags of the corresponding piece of music. Audio output is possible on the analogue and digital way, additionally Harman also thought of the integration of a random-play and programming function. DVD-30 is supporting bitrates between 32 and 192 KBit/s. The fail-safety of DVD-30 is excellent. Only short failures or audible, digital artefacts are appearing. As we are used from a DVD-player of Harman Kardon the sound is of excellent quality, above all at qualitatively good tracks DVD-30 is convincing due to its homogeneous, clear and bass-powerful reproduction. Besides this the player is also capable of playing WMA (Windows Media Audio) and JPEG-picture data.

Rating

Operation

All corresponding features are known from the DVD-players of Harman-Kardon tested here before. The remote control is completely illuminated by pushing one button. The very plain, however easy comprehensible graphical user interface facilitates operating. Without any difficulty the MP3-menue with its additional functions like random play and programme reproduction can be operated. The buttons on the remote could be a little bit bigger, however with regard to the pressure point they can be precisely operated. The disk tray ejects the disc pretty rapidly.

Rating
 
Visual performance

Our testing sample achieved peak performances with regard to the visual performance. In the progressive operating neither in PAL nor in NTSC the feared chroma upsampling error, shortly speaking chroma bug, could be noticed seriously. That’s why DVD-30 gained reasonable results with regard to the chroma upsampling. In the progressive as well as interlaced operating we have also been convinced due to the excellent picture sharpness as well as the outstanding contrast. Already in the interlaced-mode the detail precision is very good. Determined by the system small details at progressive-use are again showing to advantage. HK can also be proud of the excellent motion presentation in the progressive operating. De-interlacing of video material is precisely working in the progressive-mode. In each operating mode the clean, deep and brilliant colour reproduction is providing the picture with a lot of dynamics. Generally speaking DVD-30 proves that nobody has to spend a fortune in order to buy a progressive scan-DVD-player with an excellent picture quality.

Rating
 

Acoustical performance

In the DVD audio-operating Harman Kardon’s DVD-30 is working very powerful and offers considerable dynamics. Above all we were pleased of the voluminous however not exaggerated surround-sound scenery. The detail reproduction is excellent at its price level. The internal bass management in the appliance is perfectly working and  on condition that all loudspeakers are adjusted to „small“, the bass signals are completely transferred to the subwoofer.
 
With its high-graded D/A converters DVD-30 is also very well-equipped for the demanding reproduction of usual audio-CDs. Especially the clear and spatially seen accurate presentation  above all at classical pieces of music on very high-graded audio-CDs attracted attention. The high frequency presentation inspired by its expressiveness and brilliance.

Also the digital sound of the Harman-player would also be very acceptable in a considerably more expensive appliance. The precise resolution in the high frequency range sounds absolutely transparent and with a high acoustical brilliance the digital sound of DVD-30 competes with all its competitors. 

Rating
 
Final result

Harman/Kardon DVD-30 can be regarded as first class player in the price level up to EUR 600,--. The picture in the progressive as well as interlaced-operating is of outstanding quality, the audio qualities are offering a dynamical operating, a clearness and an expressiveness, which hitherto could not be found in this price section. 

Excellent
Upper middle class
Juli 17th, 2003

Value

Pro: 

• With regard to the price first-class progressive-features 
• Sharp and natural interlaced-picture 
• Powerful and dynamical DVD audio-reproduction 
• Outstanding bass management time alignment for DVD-A 
• Sophisticated audio CD-sound 
• Very precise digital sound 
• Excellent multi-media features 
• Disk drive with very good error correction in the CD- and DVD-operation 
• Simple handling 
• Very recommendable price-performance ratio 

Contra:

• Layer change and reading quickness to be improved 
• No internal Dolby Digital/DTS-decoder 

Specifications:

• DVD Audio-/Video-Player 
• Playing formats DVD-Video, DVD-Audio,  Audio-CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, VCD, SVCD (officially guaranteed), DVD-R, DVD-RW (video mode, no VR-mode), DVD+R, DVD+RW, JPEG-CDs 
• Video-D/A-converter 10 Bit/54 MHz, audio-D/A-converter 192kHz/24Bit 
• DVD audio-function with a complete bass management, variable cross over frequency for the subwoofer 60/70/80/90/100/110120 Hz). Test tone generator for all loudspeakers, delay-time-adjustment in ms for centre and surround channels, adjustable output level 
• Optical and coaxial digital output 
• 1 x YUV (interlaced or PAL/NTSC progressive) 
• 1 x Euro-Scart (RGB, composite) 
• S-video connection hosiden
• FBAS-connection 
• Integrated zoom-function with 4 cavities
• Multifunctional testing picture integrated into the player, with multiple functions
• Adjustable headphone output 
• Completely illuminated remote control  
• Dimensions (BxHxT in cm) 44 x 8,7 x 30,7 
• Colour: black 
• Weight: approx. 4 kg 
• Non-binding price recommendation EUR 599,-- (value-added tax included)

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