Marantz DV9500 user guide

manufacturer: Marantz

model: DV9500 Universal Player

category: DVD Players

review date: August 2005

reviewed by: Brian Kahn

Marantz DV9500 Universal Player

Introduction

The DV9500 is Marantz’s latest universal disc player, situated
at the top of their line. The player boasts an impressive set of
features in both performance and convenience. At $2,099, the
DV9500 is not cheap, but there is much to set it apart from the
$300 universal disc players found at your local retailer. Upon
lifting the box, I immediately noticed that the DV9500 was a
lot more substantial than most other single-disc transports at
18-and-three-quarters pounds. Once I opened the box and removed the player, which measured a fairly
standard 17-and-one-sixteenth inches wide by four-and-a-half inches tall by 15-and-one-eighth inches, it
was apparent that a lot of effort went into making sure that the chassis was solid and free of resonant
chatter.

Some of the DV9500’s numerous convenience features include the ability to read the following formats,
DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD-stereo and SACD multi-channel, DVD-R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, SVCD,
VCD, MP3 and JPEG discs. I think this should cover just about any five-inch disc format. While the player
is technically called the DV9500 Progressive Scan Universal DVD Player, it is capable of outputting not
only 480p, but also 1080i and 720p. This is a highly significant feature. The DV9500 has multiple video
outputs, including HDCP compatible HDMI, Component Video, S-Video and Composite. On the audio
side of things, the player can internally decode DTS (including DTS 96/24) and Dolby Digital, has
adjustable lip synch delay, is the first single-disc player to feature Dolby Headphone, bass management and
delay with DVD-Audio and SACD (SACD signals must be converted from DSD to utilized this feature).
Other features include RS-232 and RC-5 connections.

The DV9500’s performance features include a chassis that’s built upon a damped double layer bottom
plate, which is designed to provide a stable platform for the transport mechanism and circuits. The transport
is a new mechanism engineered to provide precise tracking. Marantz has provided a huge new feature –
dual transformers to minimize channel-to-channel interference or cross talk. The analog audio circuits
feature high current High Definition Audio Modules (HDAM) and a zero impedance copper grounding
plate. The DACs are 192kHz/24-bit and true DSD processing is used for SACDs. Video performance is
assisted by a 216MHz/14-bit video DAC and a separate 10-bit video scaler with 3:2 and 2:2 pull-down. A
special Noise Shaped video circuit is also incorporated to help minimize video noise.

In short, this is a universal disc player with a scalable HDMI output that can handle just about every format
and is designed to do so without compromise.

Set-up and Connection
Connecting the DV9500 was fairly simple. I used Monster
Cable’s M1000 DAV HDMI cable to connect the DV9500 to
my Marantz VP12S4 projector. The other outputs of the
DV9500 – 5.1 analog, via Monster Cable M550i and digital
audio, via Monster Cable Ultra Series THX 1000 – were

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connected to a Krell HTS 7.1. There are several menus offering numerous adjustments and options that
allow the user to tweak both audio and video performance. I did all of my critical viewing through the
HDMI output set to 720p and my projector set to native mode, so that the DV9500 was the only component
doing the video processing.

Test Patterns
I began my viewing with a couple of test discs, the first of which was Joe Kane’s Digital Video Essentials.
Looking at the RP-133 test pattern, I noticed movement in the multi-burst portion of pattern when using my
reference Kenwood DV-5900M. The Kenwood was outputting a 480i signal through component cables. On
the Kenwood, I also noticed borders around the horizontal bars within bars portion of pattern. When
looking at the multi-burst vertical pattern, I noticed that horizontal edges of signal from the Kenwood were
cut off. When testing the Marantz DV9500 with the Pb & Pr sweep, 0.5 to 5.75 MHz, the Marantz
maintained resolution throughout the entire pattern and the Kenwood turned solid gray about two-thirds of
the way through the pattern. Overall, the Marantz appeared to be much more stable on the high-resolution
patterns, providing a much clearer picture.

I then placed the Silicon Optix Test Disc into the Marantz. On the opening test screen, the color bars were
stable, with no movement in the higher frequency portion of the pattern. On the “Diagonal Jaggies” de­interlacing test, the Marantz did well, showing only signs of jagged edges at less than 10 degrees; with the
three-bar test, only the bottom bar showed any signs of being jagged. On the motion adaptive de-interlacing
waving flag test, the Marantz did very well, with the flag flowing smoothly. The bridge showed good detail
in the bricks and grass, with noticeably more resolution than the Kenwood. On the noise reduction tests, the
Marantz again did a great job. Overall, the picture was extremely close to still frame. On the simulated
digital transmission, there was very slight smearing behind the roller coaster. On the 3:2 detection test, the
Marantz locked onto the signal but moiré pattern in the stands was visible for perhaps half a second before
it did so. The last portion of the test disc is comprised of various cadence tests on which the Marantz
DV9500 performed very well, with only the occasional minimal jagged edge.

Music and Movies
I then switched to real source material and played a DVD from Season One of “Alias,”
something my wife appreciated much more than the test discs. While the characters were
in an industrial park with larger tanks, I noticed mild jagged edges on a steel band that
went around the tank. These were more noticeable when paused and much less so during
playback. While the recording quality of the “Alias” discs was not extremely consistent,
when watching any of the better recorded segments, the Marantz seemed to be well
balanced across the color spectrum, with no noticeable aberrations.

While watching “The Incredibles” (Walt Disney Home Entertainment), I saw no signs of the
chroma bug. The color fields were uniform, with very clean transitions and no noise. Overall,
while viewing several rental discs and a few from my collection, the blacks were slightly better
with the Marantz than with my Kenwood and the Marantz’s picture was consistently sharp and
stable with smooth, accurate colors.

I began the audio portion of my review by listening to some regular old red book CDs. I first
played Janet Jackson’s “Go Deep” from the Velvet Rope album (Virgin Records). This track
is rich with solid, detailed bass that the Marantz replayed better than any other player I have
had in my system. The midrange was relaxed and natural, with highs that fell only slightly
shy of what I have heard on the best and most expensive CD players in terms of airiness and
extension.

M

oving on to Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms (Warner Brothers) album, the classic demo
track “Your Latest Trick,” the clean midrange did well with Knopfler’s voice. The high
end of the cymbals was clean and clear, with the entire package combining for a solid,
well-placed soundstage.

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