Onkyo DV-SP502 Universal CD Player.

Manufacturer: Onkyo USA Corporation, 18 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458; 201/785-2600; www.onkyousa.com

Price: $299

Source: Manufacturer loan

* Weight: 7.5 lbs

* Dimensions (W x H x D): 171/8"" x 3 3/16"" x 12 3/16"

* Formats supported: SACD/CD/CD-R/CDRW; DVD-Video/Audio

* Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 data are transmitted on digital link if it these formats are encoded on a DVD. Units allow 96 kHz Linear PCM on digital output when DVD disk allows this output (most DVDs block it).

* Conversion to 48 KHz Linear PCM optional on digital link for Dolby Digital/DTS/96kHz. This is for receivers/external DACs that support only 2-channel digital data.

* This unit does not have data links to transmit SACD or DVD-A data.

* Up to 192 kHz sampling rate supported internally for DVD-A dependent on disc encoding

* Bass management 80Hz crossover only (slopes of LPF and HPF crossover not specified)

* Video output--component / S-video / composite

* 2:3 Pulldown progressive scan

Onkyo has also designed the player to support disc formats listed below. I did not attempt to verify that the unit does support all of these. Given potential incompatibles between the unit that writes the disc and the unit that reads them I recommended that you obtain a money-back guarantee if you plan to use any format below in order to verify the Onkyo functions with your media. This advice applies to any piece of equipment of this complexity, not just this Onkyo. Be careful of stores and websites that have restocking fees.

* Video CD

* DVD-R/RW (VR format)

* The following formats are supported on CDR/RW but not DVD-R/RW

* MP3 Playback (VBR not supported) / WMA Playback

*JPEG_(not progressive scan) Baseline and EXIF 2.2 formats only

The above set of features may be understandable only by those still in high school. Because audio is the emphasis of this review, I will refrain from commenting on the unit's facility with video, beyond noting that the progressive-scan mode did work on my EDTV when I used the component video connections.

Compared to an entry-level DVD player, the Onkyo has a better look and feel. Buttons have more heft, their placement is superior, and there is the added bonus of three ancillary functions on the front panel that are not usually found on an entry-level unit. The display provides both track and time information. Believe it or not, some entry-level units display only track information. You have to turn on the TV to find run-time information or information about what type of silver disc is spinning in the unit. Even for those who use the remote as the primary entry point, the Onkyo still feels more substantial when approaching the unit to change disks. The remote control, however, does not get a gold star. Buttons are small, as is the writing. At least the contrast of the writing is clear.

Did I say audio-only? Well, that really does not apply here, because you need a TV for setup and for navigating through the startup menus on DVD and DVD-A discs. Those born prior to 1990 will find the Onkyo setup menus maddening, because they are controlled with five buttons. Press the wrong one and you are punished by being sent back to the top.

The Onkyo would not transmit the DVD layer of a DVD-A disc across the SPDIF digital link (coax or optical). Although it is not well known all DVD-A disks will play on any DVD player and all have compressed audio (Dolby digital or DTS) data encoded on them to allow this to happen. The Onkyo will also not pass CD quality digital data down an SPDIF digital link if an SACD is playing. Although the high resolution signal of a DVD-A or SACD is lost if the SPDIF digital link is used it may still be desirable to use the digital stream to regain features of your AV receiver that are operational only with digital inputs.

When the cover is removed we see three PC boards that appear to be very similar to the Pioneer DV-578AS reviewed below. The units' setup screens are also identical. The similarities end there, however. The Onkyo has a more substantial chassis--at 7 pounds, it is 2.5 pounds heavier than the Pioneer. The Onkyo also adds an inch in height.

Inside the unit there is a small transformer on a single-sided power-supply board. The two conductive layers of the main board are stuffed with components. The TIPCM1742KE DACs are supplied with a local regulator. The E designates the higher-performance units. Key specifications for this part are given as worst-case numbers, which is surprising for a lower-end DAC. Worst-case dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio are at the 16-bit level. Add a bit for typical performance. Maximum full-scale distortion is 0.006%, which is 14-bit performance, although the typical number adds about 1.5 bits. Dropping the signal level down by a 1000 (60dB), the part is specified with a typical distortion figure equivalent to 17 bits. On the digital side, the passband ripple in-band is +/- 0.03dB and the stop band (sharp roll-off mode) is -55dB. Both specs indicate a relatively small length for the FIR digital filter. These are stereo DACs, with three used to create the 5.1 outputs. The DAC has no provision for one-bit data streams, meaning that your SACD/DSD data are converted to PCM by one of the DSP chips ahead of the DAC. Output operational amplifiers are NJM 4560s, adequate components that are consistent with the price point of the unit and the DAC performance. Electrolytic caps couple the signals between ICs, while the muting employs transistors. Relays would have been cost-prohibitive.

Overall, the analog electronics and power supplies are satisfactory. You can achieve better performance by paying more, but the money is probably better spent on the AV receiver. Excepting the DVD-A and SACD disks, data conversion occurs in the AV receiver, not the DVD player.

Readers will recall a higher-priced DVD player that graced the cover of a past issue of T$S that had a DAC capable of delivering more than a bit of extra resolution for $450. That's nice, but the front panel of that unit has only five buttons--including power. It is impossible to use the unit without a remote--ugh. In my world, usability of the unit without recourse to the remote trumps a better DAC.

Those who monitor the leading edge of consumer electronics will be aware of the pending two formats for high-definition DVDs. For early adapters, high-priced players and disks may arrive at the time this magazine hits the newsstand. Just like DVD-A and SACD, warring factions exist in HD quality DVD land. The shakeout may require a couple of years, and prices of the hardware and software should drop accordingly.

What will become of DVD-A and SACD? The issue is not whether you should invest in one of these universal players were SACD and DVD-A formats to be orphaned; they still function as DVD players and the prices are reasonable. The issue is the software, given that the price of a handful of DVD-As and SACDs eclipse the cost of the players. To build a library of these disks may not be sensible, although I find more comfort purchasing a DVD-A since the format still delivers multichannel sound, in the compressed Dolby digital or the DTS standard on a standard DVD player. SACDs fall back to a standard 2-channel CD when played on a standard DVD player.

Although the Onkyo runs about $100 more than entry-level universal players, it has the look and feel of a higher-end AV component. Spending much more here is not prudent until technology flux settles down. I have the Onkyo in my main audio system and am very happy with it.