"Seriously, thanks. I haven't had anything this refreshing from audio equipment since a long, long time. This is the kind of $#^+ that makes me want to believe again. As sincerely as a junkie can get."
For a player as expensive as it is, the Classé CDP-502 could stand for some improvement in its core video performance. Its de-interlacer performance is very good though, and the National Semiconductor AVC 2510 chip set handles most material very well, as there were really only a few minor hiccups it experienced in our DVD Player Benchmark™ tests. It would be hard for me to recommend this DVD player based on its video performance alone, but people in the market for a player in this price class will undoubtedly be looking at it for its ultra high-end audio performance. That, combined with a robust video feature set and the ability to up-convert any material to various HD resolutions through HDMI, makes the CDP-502 an impressive offering overall.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (SD DVD), Noble House (SD DVD), Independence Day (Blu-ray), Cloverfield (SD DVD), The Lives of Others (Blu-ray), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Blu-ray), I Am Legend (Blu-ray), AVP Requiem (Blu-ray), 27 Dresses (Blu-ray)
If you've never heard of mezzo-soprano Joyce Castle, by all means read on. To say she is a hoot to interview is a major understatement. Castle, long a member of New York City Opera, has of late become associated with leading and character roles in contemporary opera, as well as the French repertoire. She is certainly a character and a half over the phone.
The BD-P1400 is Samsung's latest Blu-ray model. We have already reviewed its overall performance, but how did it handle our Secrets DVD Player Benchmark™ tests? Click to find out.
The Elite BDP-95FD is Pioneer's latest Blu-ray DVD player. You have read the Secrets DVD Player Benchmark™ review, and now here is the rest of the story (Blu-ray performance and audio performance).
The Marantz SR8002 7.1 receiver adds HDM 1.3 support and some other things that make it a product that you should audition if you are ready to spring for a new unit. It decodes all the new high def audio formats from Blu-ray discs, so get your tail in gear.
You have read our Secrets DVD Benchmark™ review of the Oppo Digital DV-983H DVD player that showed you how good the player is at delivering video. Now read about its audio performance.
Things We Lost in the Fire (SD DVD), Â Hitman (Blu-ray), Â Ceine Dion: Live in Las Vegas (Blu-ray), Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (Blu-ray), Ice Age (Blu-ray), i, Robot (Blu-ray), The Kite Runner (SD DVD), There Will Be Blood (SD DVD)
******** BENCH TEST RESULTS HAVE BEEN ADDED 3/17/08 ******** Von Schweikert's new VisiUN center channel speaker is nirvana, with its detailed, powerful sound that does not diminish for off-axis listeners. Expensive? Yes, and worth every penny. For those of you who want the ultra-cool, it's got the same paint finish as the USA Stealth Bomber. Read this exclusive review to find out why.
The Oppo Digital DV-983H is finally about to arrive (March 10, 2008). The Secrets Benchmark test results are spectacular. For $399, this is a player that everyone should consider.
SVSound's new MTS-01 series of speakers includes these floor-standers that just blew us away in listening tests and bench measurements. For the price, they are very stiff competition.
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus. John E. Johnson, Jr. founded Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity in 1994, shortly after publishing a hardcopy book of the same title. He served as Editor-in-Chief of Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity until 2022. John has been involved in audio and video for more than 50 years, having built radio transmitters, amplifiers, turntables, and speakers from scratch. He was also one of the founders of the Northern California Audio Video Association, now The Bay Area Audio Society.
John holds four university degrees, including a Ph.D. in Neuroscience, and has published numerous scientific books, along with dozens of scientific articles on biomedical research topics as well as imaging technology. He was the founder and Editor-in-Chief of two medical/scientific journals for 20 years. John holds several patents, including one on high resolution image analysis and one on a surgical instrument. He has been affiliated with NASA, The National Institutes of Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Stanford Research Institute, and The University of California at Berkeley. He is President of the consulting firm Scientific Design and Information, Inc., which is based in Redwood City, California.
John resides in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife and multiple kitties! His daughter, Cynthia, who was an integral part of SECRETS for many years, resides in San Francisco.
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