“The DV-09 weighs almost 35 pounds, with a great deal more internal damping, bracing, and shielding than any other player in my experience. In addition to dual composite and S-video outputs, it also provides component video outputs (3 RCA). There are also dual stereo analog audio outputs, and optical and coaxial PCM/Dolby Digital/DTS RCAs, with an additional straight PCM RCA coaxial out…”

“There’s something special about this new top model from Arcam, and that is the DAC, which comes from their Huntingdon, England neighbour, dCS. Having spent the better part of a week this past summer listening to this company’s professional ADC and DAC gear while recording the Chuck Israels Quartet, I was very curious in August to have a chance to audition the Alpha 9 with its dCS Ring digital-to-analog converter…”

“The most interesting thing I noted in listening to the DSP-A1 was the fact that it was wholly satisfying with 4 or 5 channels in terms of dynamics, imaging and surround excitement, especially with the discrete formats, but also with Pro Logic using only the enhanced mode. As with all really good products, it’s hard to say a lot about it because there’s so little to criticize…”

“The DVD-L10 has a 16:9 CD screen that measures 5 1/4″diagonally, and is 5″W x 2 9/16″H. It’s a double clam-shell design, with the screen section flipping up first, and then the DVD/CD lid. Power switch, headphone jack, and volume control are on the left side, while S-video and mini-jack A/V in s and outs, and an optical digital out are on the rear…”

“This could be the CD player Clark Kent would have used had there been CDs in the world of Metropolis. The Planet (Daily or otherwise) is Rega’s first crack at playing the silver discs, and brings designer Roy Gandi’s unique approach to it. It’s a top loader, reminiscent of a Philips portable I once owned, the weighted magnetic clamp contained in the hinged lid so that it automatically seats properly…”

“Perhaps the most versatile consumer optical playback device available, the DVL-90 (along with its less expensive companion, the DVL-700) plays laserdiscs, CDs, and the new DVD format, and offers a bevy of digital outputs. As you’ll note from my Denon AVR-3600 review, there’s a certain amount of honest confusion out there in the marketplace about Dolby Digital (AC-3) inputs and outputs…”