What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision News Home cinema Pioneer launches three new Blu-ray players – from budget to high-end

Pioneer launches three new Blu-ray players – from budget to high-end

2 Jun 2009

Pioneer BDP-120
Pioneer BDP-120 Blu-ray player

Good news for all home cinema fans – Pioneer has three new Blu-ray players, and there's something for everyone when it comes to price.

Leading the line is the £550 BDP-LX52, followed by the £400 BDP-320 and the budget BDP-120, yours for £270.

All three players can output all HD audio formats native bitstream or decode them internally and output as uncompressed multichannel LPCM via HDMI.

BD-Live compatability, USB ports and Kuro Link are present and correct on each of the Blu-ray machines, too.

When it comes to 1080p/24fps pictures, the BDP-120 has 36-bit Deep Colour support, while the BDP-320 and BDP-LX52 boasts 48-bit Deep Colour.

The top machine has PQLS (Precision Quartz Lock System) multisurround support, while the mid-range player has PQLS two-channel support, for jitter-free audio over HDMI.

The Pioneer BDP-320 will be out this month, while the other two players will follow in July.

 

 

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Comments

jacobmorrison Thu, Jun 11 2009, 2:08PM

So Pioneer wait for these to be announced before releasing the firmware update that enables the LX71/BDP51 etc to send DTS-MA from the analogue outputs, an update that was promised back in January by the way. Now they've stripped out the analogue outputs completely on their new range. So you've a choice of a profile 1.1 player with audio backwards-compatibility, or a profile 2 player with no backwards compatibility.  What a shame they didn't feel like they could do both, especially as it looks like they are for the US market. Maybe they feel they need this added feature in the US to stave off the threat of the forthcoming Oppo 83? Glad I waited now, I just hope the Oppo eventually reaches the UK. Latest rumours are July/August?

swc461 Fri, Jun 5 2009, 1:19AM

Looks like the new Panasonic's 60 and 80 are still the ones to beat, good try though Pioneer!

digital01 Wed, Jun 3 2009, 9:08PM

All of the 3 players seem good enough to budget, midrange & highend, probably they will be best buy, but Pioneer in Europe forgot to make 7.1 Channel Analog Audio Outputs for compatibility with non HDMI equipped receivers and preamps in the US they made the BDP-320 with 7.1-Channel Analog Outputs with 4 Burr-Brown Audio DACs.  

timbobs Wed, Jun 3 2009, 11:33AM

I have the BDP

LX-08 which is a great player, but it seems unfair that Pioneer release 3 new players with on-board HD audio decoding when players from last year don't have this. Surely a new firmware update should be available before they release these new players.