Yamaha DVD-S2300 DVD-player
The S2300 plays with all manner of DVD Audio/Video, CD and SACD discs, including MP3 formatted CDR/RW. Bass direction is supplied for fine tuning multi-channel sound output signal.
Using the Yamaha is not as simple as using a CD player that is standard - but that is the same with all players that are worldwide. You have to hook the player as much as a computer screen and establish the default options for Dolby Digital/DTS: language option for the menus, TV aspect ratio, video settings, two or multi-channel output signal, output signal choices via an on screen display. So the two channel set was utilized auditioning revealed no difference in sound quality.
After the original set up was finished it is possible to disconnect the computer screen as most of the settings are saved in a non-volatile memory and stay until corrected.
DVD (encompassing DVD Audio/Video and CD discs) or SACD operation may be chosen through the remote or it is possible to let the player sort out what disc was loaded onto the tray. It is not somewhat fast but will see the disc then go to the manner that is right.
SACD and playing CD is as easy as hitting the play button and loading the player.
DVD Audio on the other hand is a little more involved as pressing at play does not always get the format you need. DVD Audio tracks are broken up into "Groups" for environment, stereo, Dolby Digital, DTS etc. Most DVD-A discs have group that is standardized, ie. Group 1 is environment, group 2 is stereo.
Typically this would mean getting the player forever hooked around a monitor and browsing through the onscreen menu. The Yamaha avoids this with a Group button enabling easy collection of the group you would like to hear. In our two channel program this was really useful as the sound -route to stereo was frequently bordering on unlistenable.
Through Magnepans and my handy Krell, CDs had a nice punchy sound having no awareness of hardening up as things got active and a good amount of detail. Bass and treble were fairly expanded using the midrange revealing a little thinness along with an overall flattening of view little scaled and two dimensional.
With DVD Audio performance was increased several notches.
SACD performance stays the bete noire of worldwide disc players that are affordable, revealing few increases using a somewhat lean, level, airless sound over CD. Compare this with all the Denon DVD-2900 additionally in house at that time.
While the Yamaha was hooked up to your monitor, a few DVD Video discs were attempted. Image quality was quite good even. Colour and element was fine and general video performance had not been too far off the better DVD Video players. Yet the Yamaha is lumbered using a menu arrangement that was cumbersome to execute fundamental operations which other players do using one button push. DVD Video sound during the electronic output signal was OK but got a bit abrasive when the audio combination got active.
This player would create an excellent replacement for the listener needing versatility in one carton. For the demanding listener, the functionality edge is still held by dedicated format players.
