blu ray player to match a pioneer Sc-Lx85
Hi, I've had a home cinema set up for a few years now...and have recently upgraded my amp to the Pioneer Sc-Lx85. - I currently have a Pioneer Lx-71 blu ray, with a Tannoy Signature Revolution DC4 5.1 cinema speaker set up + JVC HD 750 projector.
I've never been that convinced that the blu ray player is that great, can anyone advise an upgrade that will be noticably better please, picture & sound are important. I dont have the finances for the top end Marantz (UD8004).
I've noticed a few threads on this that are around, but they seem to be older, and so wondered if there is now a clearer picture "pardon the pun".
Thank you for your time
Str
I'd disagree: auditioned several players (and used matching Pioneers) before opting for the Cambridge Audio 751. Works brilliantly with my Pioneer receiver; better performance (I too use a projector; differences clearer on 80in+ screen) and faster loading.
And I do PR for none of these brands!
I don't do PR either! 
I'd disagree: auditioned several players (and used matching Pioneers) before opting for the Cambridge Audio 751. Works brilliantly with my Pioneer receiver; better performance (I too use a projector; differences clearer on 80in+ screen) and faster loading.
And I do PR for none of these brands!
The Cambridge Audio should definitely sound better than the Pioneer because it has one more Wolfsen Dac but on the picture quality in Richer Sounds I recently demoed the Cambridge Audio and it was showing a lot of grain on Transformers, where as my Pioneer does a great job showing instead a clear picture. Any idea why that is? Thanks.
Without knowing how both players - and their accompanying receivers/displays - were set up, no I couldn't say.
I'd suggest a demo is crucial, especially with a projector - that's a damn big picture to live with if you pick a player that serves up imagery you don't like! (And for everyone whom doesn't iike 'grain' there'll be someone whom prefers a warts-and-all picture above an over-processed 'clear' image).
Without knowing how both players - and their accompanying receivers/displays - were set up, no I couldn't say.
I'd suggest a demo is crucial, especially with a projector - that's a damn big picture to live with if you pick a player that serves up imagery you don't like! (And for everyone whom doesn't iike 'grain' there'll be someone whom prefers a warts-and-all picture above an over-processed 'clear' image).
Ah okay, thanks.
I had the LX71 - then the LX54 and now the LX55 blu ray player.
I have found the latest to the best by far - the picture is much better - sharper with more impact - the 71 has a soft picture.
The player works great now with the latest firmware - its a bit noisey when you first load it up
I find the sound to be excellent as well when used with PQLS on - not so good with it off - average sounding. I have tried recently using the player to decode to PCM as I am upgrading at the minute and my new system requires decoding to be done in the player.
I actually prefer it this way round to the decoding being done in my LX83 - however you do need a few more db amplification (turn it up a bit more - only 2 - 5 db more.
Thats on a calibrated Pioneer LX5090 - it wasnt calibrated when I had the LX71, however my cousin has the LX08 on a calibrated Panny G20 so I get to still see the player a fair bit
Just my 2 p's worth 
Go check out the new Pioneer BDP-450 currently 199 at currys, its pretty much a LX55 but cheaper, and will go with your Amp nicely, Its not going to be night and day in terms of Audio and Picture Film wise so spending 500-700 pounds is not worth it, However if Music is important to you then the Cambridge Audio is a great player.
But as stated try to audition.... 
+1 for the 751, especially with projector and surround sound. Very good image and up scaling, even better now I've tweaked sharpness to involve the qdeo processor more.
Go check out the new Pioneer BDP-450 currently 199 at currys, its pretty much a LX55 but cheaper, and will go with your Amp nicely, Its not going to be night and day in terms of Audio and Picture Film wise so spending 500-700 pounds is not worth it, However if Music is important to you then the Cambridge Audio is a great player.
But as stated try to audition....
Now £229!
gel, are you sure? £229. Point me in the right direction please
Just thought: thats for the Pioneer not the Cambridge.
gel, are you sure? £229. Point me in the right direction please
Just thought: thats for the Pioneer not the Cambridge.
Hi, yep the Pioneer is £229. Cheapest I have seen the Cambridge is £690 with a free hdmi cable, and that is thanks to being a WHF reader. I did see the cheaper Cambridge Audio one the 651? sell on AV and eBay for around £350 recently. Can't see any current deals.
The question is, if the OP already has a brilliant AV receiver which is famed for its audio abilities, what's the point of going for a player with superior audio decoding? Simply bitstream audio for the Pioneer LX85 to decode. The difference, if any, will be very very small. The OP should audition this aspect as well, & see if the huge price difference is worth the extra punt.
The question is, if the OP already has a brilliant AV receiver which is famed for its audio abilities, what's the point of going for a player with superior audio decoding? Simply bitstream audio for the Pioneer LX85 to decode. The difference, if any, will be very very small. The OP should audition this aspect as well, & see if the huge price difference is worth the extra punt.
Yep, definitely. And at the end of the day he already has a £700 Blu-ray player, so it is going to take something special to beat it. With the sound I could hear the difference between my Pioneer 71 against the Pioneer 70a, it was quite noticeable on music Blu-rays to me. These Blu-ray players are quite similarly spec'd too. But the 71 came out on top with the Wolfsen DACs, it had a louder sound, and clearer one too. I definitely a fan of good quality audio components in a Blu-ray player.
Thanks to everyone for the comments, some good advice there......good point about the PQLS, I hadn't really tried it, so I switched the LX71 to PCM & then the SC LX85 allowed me to switch it on. The combination of the Amp now doing the decoding, plus the PQLS was another couple of steps ups in sound.
I'm going to find somewhere to demo the players mentioned.
Thanks again everyone !
str
Hi, I've had a home cinema set up for a few years now...and have recently upgraded my amp to the Pioneer Sc-Lx85. - I currently have a Pioneer Lx-71 blu ray, with a Tannoy Signature Revolution DC4 5.1 cinema speaker set up + JVC HD 750 projector.
I've never been that convinced that the blu ray player is that great, can anyone advise an upgrade that will be noticably better please, picture & sound are important. I dont have the finances for the top end Marantz (UD8004).
I've noticed a few threads on this that are around, but they seem to be older, and so wondered if there is now a clearer picture "pardon the pun".
Thank you for your time
Str
I have looked at alternatives eg Denon 2500 and Cambridge Audio 751 and have come to the conclusion that the Pioneer 71 is great in Blu-ray terms. Whether that means Blu-ray is not great it certainly is very good. I would consider the 91 an upgrade especially in terms of sound. WHF have reviewed the Marantz 7007 is this months issue, and that reviewed very well and is a player I would quite like to demo. Then there are the Oppo's which I have yet to demo either. I think I will keep my 71 for years to come.
Panasonic 50GT50, Pioneer Bdp-lx71, Pioneer Vsx-lx70, B&W FPM Series & B&W PV1.