Review: DVD-Audio/SACD-Player Yamaha DVD-S2300

Reviewed by Carsten Rampacher May 22nd, 2003

Equipment

Yamaha now also possesses a DVD-Player in the product line-up, which is able to play both high quality audio-formats – DVD Audio and SACD – besides DVD-Video-discs. The DVD-2300 is available for a suggested retail price of EUR 1.300,--, deliverable in the colours black, golden or titanium. Besides this the DVD-S2300 is equipped with a Dolby Digital- and DTS-Decoder. With regard to the technical base, Panasonic components have been used. With regard to the extravagant audio-signal working up the engineers of Yamaha developed a big part themselves like e.g. the bass management for DVD Audio- and SACD-operation. A time alignment is unfortunately not available. 

Whereas the audio section offers a lot of high-tech, the video part of the appliance is a little bit poor, which means that the European variant of DVD-S2300 does not have a YUV-output like US-variant which means that therefore no progressive scan-signal output is possible. As video D/A-converter (short-called video DAC) the player uses a 54 MHz/10-bit-construction part and not a 108 MHz/12-bit video-DAC, as it has become usual in these price sections in the meantime. The finish of this appliance has all together now become very reasonable, only the DVD-/CD-tray seems not too high-graded. The disk drive is very quiet, the layer break can be realised, however it is very short. Unfortunately when reading all media the disk drive is too slow. 

Excellent:: DVD-S2300 is able to play DVD-Rs and DVD+Rs as well as DVD-RWs and DVD+RWs. Only DVD-RAM- and DVD-ROM-discs can’t be read. WMA (Windows Media Audio)-discs can’t be read by Yamaha, for the future a jpeg-viewer would be on the „wish-list“. Deduction of points arose for the unacceptable SVCD-reproduction. The Yamaha-appliance does not offer a lot of MP3-features, however the sound quality during MP3-operation is excellent. Hardly any failure happened at the Yamaha-appliance during testing operation.

Rating

Operating

The „On screen menues“ are visually attractive and very clearly arranged which means that all necessary adjustments can be met quickly. The remote control does not completely convince, the buttons are too small and a corresponding illumination is missing.

Rating

Visual performance

Yamaha DVD-S2300 achieves very good results, however no results higher than the average. This concerns all individual assessments, which means that the picture sharpness is perfect, however compared with Pioneer DV-757Ai and Denon DVD-2900 the Yamaha did not reach the performance of its competitors. It is the same case with regard to the details presentation. It perfectly succeeded concerning the natural and clear colour reproduction whereas Yamaha has to give precedence to Denon and Pioneer with regard to the quality of the contrast. 

Rating 

Acoustical performance 

DVD Audio: Yamaha DVD-S2300 fills you with enthusiasm due to its living, clear and fresh reproduction. DVD-S2300 reproduced each detail with great precision. Its a great performance for EUR 1.300,--. 

SACD: Also in the SACD-operation Yamaha inspires you with its brilliant, very expressive reproduction. The surround-sound background possesses a lot of natural volume, the voice reproduction is very sensitive.

CD:The one who wants to play usual audio CDs can be highly satisfied with DVD-S2300, too. The player understands to present each detail, besides this the offered total harmony is very high. The high frequency range is drawn very precisely.

Internal Dolby Digital / DTS-decoder:The internal decoder of DVD-S2300 is one of the best decoders we ever heard. Its bass is powerful and precise, all the effects are presented clearly and dynamically. The detail reproduction is above the average.

Digital Audio: Transparent, homogeneous and absolutely clear – the Yamaha achieves peak values.

Rating 

Summary

With regard to its audio-features Yamaha DVD-S2300 is a first-class product that's even better than many more expensive players. On the other hand, the video testing results are good, but not above the average.

Extraordinary
Upper Class
May 22nd, 2003

Value

Pro:

• Brilliant SACD- and DVD Audio sound
• Excellent internal DD/DTS-decoder
• Perfectly suitable as CD-player-substitute
• Outstanding digital sound
• Reliable MP3-reproduction
• Natural and very pleasant picture
• DVD-R/DVD+R/DVD-RW/DVD+RW-reproduction
• First-class finish apart from the DVD-tray

Contra:

• No progressive scan-signal output
• DVD-/CD-tray could be equipped more high-graded
• Remote control is not completely in accordance with its price range
• Problems with SVCD-playback

Specifications:

• DVD-Video, DVD-Audio- and SACD-reproduction
• Integrated Dolby Digital-/DTS-decoder
• Completely independent processing of DVD-audio and SACD
• High-level SACD-D/A-converter for all channels
• 192-kHz/24-Bit-audio-D/A-converter
• 54-MHz/12-Bit-video-D/A-converter
• CD-R/CD-RW/MP3 (incl. multi-session)/VCD-play possibility
• DVD reproduction: DVD+R/DVD+RW/DVD-R/DVD-RW 
• Bass management
• Video off-mode
• Selection movie mode (normal, cinema-image, user)
• Independent digital analogous circuits and converters
• Disc-stabilizer
• Resonant choking double covers on the upper and lower part
• Harmonious distortion and noise effect: 0,0016% (SACD)
• Noise voltage distance 115 dB
• Volume range 108 dB (SACD)
• Frequency response: 2-88.000 Hz (192kHz sampling frequency)
• Dimensions (B x H x T): 435x116x350 mm
• Weight: 8,7kg
• Deliverable colours: black, titanium, golden
• Suggested retail price: EUR 1.300,-- (on the German market)

Reviewed by: Carsten Rampacher
Assistent: Matthias Walther-Richters

2003/05/22

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