Panasonic BD55
mecolwell -- Thu, 10/30/2008 - 13:57
I have seen and read a couple reviews about the new Panasonic BD55 Blu-ray player, and it seems to ask the question, "why spend more??"
It seems to do it all well, loads in about 15 or so seconds, is Profile 2.0, and by the first reviews, seems to be a clear winner.
The build quality looks a bit "plastic", but at $399, and a "mass market" unit, about what I would expect.
The video performance seems to be state of the art, and they have also concentrated on the analog side, as well, giving it 196k/24 bit audio dacs.
Is the answer to the question, then, the same as the question:" why spend more!!!".
Anyone with any thoughts?
Mike
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It does look like a great machine for the money. We're starting to see some real choices in BD players.
For right now, this player and the Sony 550 are pretty much state of the art.
As Blu-Ray matures, I would think we see players with better power supplies at least. Nothing against Sony and Panasonic, but at this price, the power supplies are going to be pretty basic.
One supposes that there is a choice of DACs as well, and again at $400 retail, it seems unlikely that the best DACs possible are inside. That doesn't mean that the Panasonic and Sony players will sound bad. But DACs and power supplies will be reasons in the future, for some, to spend more.
Finally, one supposes that will the possibility of 4k displays, upconverting will be a future "why spend more" feature.
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
NAD just announced a $1500 Blu-ray player (the T 587) that uses many parts and circuits from the company's great-sounding CD players.
Note however, that the NAD doesn't decode B-R discs to analog multichannel form. It assumes that D/A conversion will happen in the receiver or controller and thus converts Dolby True HD to LPCM form (as far as I can understand what NAD says).
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
Here is my quick report on unboxing the BD-55:
http://www.avguide.com/article/unboxing-panasonic-dmp-bd55-blu-ray-disc-...
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
I will unbox my BD-55, too, as it is sitting in a closet, now, waiting to be wrapped for my Christmas present.
I love the VU meter, too!
Mike
VinylGuy
Yeah, I've always had a thing for VU meters. What will you be hooking the BD55 up to, post Christmas?
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
I'll hook it up, coaxial, for now, to my excellent, but older Classe' SSP-25, and use "only" the DD and DTS 5.1.
I put up a comment on your other post about the "sound of the panasonic", and, so far, it looks promising, doesn't it?
My system is a combined music/HT, and leans on music with a Linn LP12/ ProJect Tube Box pre,/Sumiko BPS Evo 2,/Classe'/JoLida 702 integrated (using it as a power amp for the main L-R channels))/B&W CDM 7NT's mains / with a Carver THX 6 channel power amp for the 3 other channels, and matched B&W's for center/THX surrounds.
My display is a 57" Mitsubishi Diamond DLP WD57831.
Mike
VinylGuy
Update on the BD 55.
I recieved this player for Christmas, and have seen 7 films, so far.
First off, I went to the website and downloaded the latest firmware (v 1.6), to make it current.
The first film, "The Dark Night" was quite spectacular, all around, from images/sound/film, and, of course, the acting.
The 1080P/24 images are pristine.
Everything I have sent to it has been nothing short of incredible, including the pictures I took at Christmas..I put the SD card into the player and it gave me a clear, pixel and grain free image of all the shots, shown on my Mitsibishi 57" Diamond DLP display.
The improved DD-Tru-HD and DTS Master Audio on BD discs are improved, even if you haven't upgraded to these new formats yet, as the encoding algorighms have been improved and the bitrates are much higher, so the core 5.1 outputs have been significantly improved over DVD's versions of DD and DTS.
This player does it all well, from image quality, on BD and DVD, fast load times, operations, navigations and responses are quick..overall a top player.
If Pioneer Elite or Sony ES put this in a heavy case, and sold it for $2000, everyone would call this the state of the art player, the one to beat.
I was able to get it locally (for my family's gift to me) at the internet price of $325 at a local dealer..a steal at this price.
I have the 2 channel analog outputs plugged into my controller, using "Analog Bypass", and CD's sound good, too, but I haven't done much serious litening on it, to compare to my Cambridge Audio 640C V 2, but initial listening gives me a similar character from the both of them, without any brightness or "sizzle" noted. More listening is needed.
Highly recommended!
Mike
VinylGuy
After two months, the Panasonic BD-55 is a stellar performer.
I have nothing at all to quibble about, no operational quirks, load times are fast, and it all works very well, with stellar image quality.
I still haven't done anything about the Controller, and am still using the coax with DD and DTS to my Classe' SSP-25.
The 25 is such an excellent audio preamp, I can't seem to part with it for a new controller, like the Integra 9.8 or 9.9, which by all accounts, is an excellent HT controller, but a so-so analog preamp.
The DD and DTS audio I am listening to seem more focused and coherent from BD, than on DVD, I suppose to higher bitrates and improved encoding algorithims, and what I am hearing sounds really good to me.
I just can't justify the funds for an upgrade at this point.
Interesting note, HT just reviewed the $2000+ Sony ES BD player, and the little Panasonic seems to beat it in several areas, as it passed all tests while the Sony did not, and the load times on the Sony are longer than the Panasonic.
Panasonic has already upgraded the 55 to the BD-80, but just some new menu items, internet stuff, etc, still $399 MSRP.
I suspect the differences could be added to the 55 with firmware, but mainstream manufacturers like Panasonic seem to like new models (I have the current v.1.6 firmware installed).
Time to sit back and ..... Enjoy!
Mike
VinylGuy
Thanks for the update on the Panasonic. I'm going to check out the BD-80 for myself.
I agree with you on Classe controllers. I've used the SSP25, and am now enjoying the SSP-800 (review in the June/July issue).
I love the Analog Bypass on the SSP-25, and feel it is an excellent analog preamp in my combined music/HT system.
Do you feel I am really missing out, not having High-res audio on BD?
The sound I hear is quite good, on DD and DTS watching BD, and the sound seems superior to what I am used to from DVD, and I don't want to "throw out the baby with the bathwater" to get HD audio by compromising my analog playback, which is vinyl centered, and the two channel L-R amplification and Phono stage are tubed.
I have listened to a BD with "losless PCM", albeit in two channel from the coax out, and felt, while it sounded a bit more focused, coherent, and natural, the DD was not bad, and I can't seem to justify a new controller based on this one listen, as it was a "bit" better, not a revolution, as some seem to say.
Do you feel the SSP-25 is, like I do, an excellent analog preamp?
Mike
VinylGuy
Very pleased with my BD 55 but eyeing the upcoming Oppo Digital BDP-83..this holds a lot of promise.
I am not too impressed with the analog setup in the Panasonic. The Oppo's is much more straight-forward plus offers a x-over of 80Hz vs. 100+Hz in most players that must also consider smaller HTIB systems. Plus, SACD/DVDAudio and excellent upconversion in the Oppo tradition along with their great customer support. And even shorter load times than the competition. Wish I had waited now, but in all fairness the BD35/55 represent the best of Profile 2.0 and BD performance quite well IMO.
Chris' review of the BD55 in Playback is here:
http://playback.avguide.com/issue/18/150
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
I just read the review of the BD-55, and can agree fully.
So, I guess when I finally upgrade to get HD audio, maybe I should look at a used Classe' SSP-30, for example, to replace my Classe' SSP-25, which is an excellent sounding analog premp, but without 7.1 inputs, and use the Panasonic's DACS for decoding.
My big issue about getting, for example, a universally agreed excellent Integra 9.8/9.9 is the almost universal opinion that it is a so-so analog piece.
What is your "reference" HT receiver you are comparing the Panasonic's analog output to?
I am curious.
Happy listening.
Mike
VinylGuy