anyone heard the new 6.5 from integra?

[tunerguy]

I've been in search for musical nirvana in a universal player.In my journey I came accross the new Integra 6.5.I was just wondering if anyone has picked this unit up yet.If so,How is it in terms of SA-CD,DVD-a & redbook.I'm not much of a video freak so don't really care if it has all the bells & whistles for video.What I do is listen to MC & stereo pretty much all day with the occassional movie here & there.I would like some input on the unit.Right now I run a Sony 999ES for SA-CD & redbook(cd going thru an a24 DAC by music fidelity).
I love the setup except I can't play DVD-A in hi-rez.I keep feeling like that is supposed to be an important missing link in my search for the holy grail.I run my speakers(maggies) on large so bass management isn't a majorly big issue.

[NEC baby]

I am shopping for a receiver and happen to have demoed that machine yesterday! It was plugged on an Integra DTR-6.5 with my NHT 1.3 speakers. I did a direct comparison of it in analog stereo output with the Pioneer 47Ai.

Unfortunately, I would have picked the Pioneer on that test alone but not by much. The Pioneer sounded a little more detailed for music.

Sorry that's all I can say about it, I was there to test out the receivers not the DVD players. By the way, if you are looking for great sound at a cheap price, I think the Cambridge 540D is very difficult to beat. That's what I own and at that price I have yet to ear something that sounds nicer. For video I can't say much aside that I'm satisfied with it's performance.

Hope this helps. If you have tried other models, please let me know what you think, I'm currently searching for a new DVD because my Cambridge has no DTS decoder inside it.

Cheers.

[tunerguy]

I've tried the 47a,2910,yamaha unit(forgot the model) 45,2200.Didn't care for any of them though.Pioneer was to mellow sounding for me.2910,2200 just didn't cut it either.I would like to sample the 10.5 but can't afford the pricetag since I'm just getting ready to buy a house(2500.00).I had a Cambridge cd player for awhile & liked it.Ended up getting the Sony 999ES.

[NEC baby]

Thanks tunerguy, good info. If I can submit a suggestion, maybe you should try to demo the Integra 6.5 with the Marantz DV6500, I think they are both around the same price but on paper the Marantz seems to have quite good specs. In theory Marantz players are supposed to sound not so bad.

[Ovation]

I have the DV6400 and for audio, I think it is quite nice, especially with SACD. I'd expect the 6500 to be as good. Worth an audition.

[tunerguy]

Does the 6400 have a detatchable power chord? I saw a 6500 in Audio Advisor for a reasonable price.Are you able to disable the bass management?I still have a problem with 80hz crossover point.It's great for movies but sucks if you run full range for music.I'm going to be auditioning a 9500 in a few as soon as the dealer gets it in.

[Ovation]

The 6400 does not have a detachable power cord (don't think the 6500 does either). If you run all speakers LARGE, sub ON or OFF, you have no active bass management. Sub ON means LFE will go to sub, sub OFF probably means LFE redirected to front mains (but I've never tested that, so I can't say for sure, as I use my receiver's BM/TA at the MCH input).

On first glance, the 6400/6500 seems somewhat unimposing. It's light (about 5-6lbs) and is only 60% as deep as standard players. I was sceptical of it at first when I was shopping, but its sound quality in hi-res won me over. Its interlaced PQ is quite good on my analogue CRT (I can't use its prog scan, so I didn't test that) but I use another player for movies because the other one has a faster layer change and identical (to my eyes, both machines calibrated with DVE) PQ. My other player is for movies and CD (as I prefer its subtly wider soundstage over the Marantz, though the Marantz edges my other player for bass in redbook) and I have two players to split the workload (and keep me in music should one go down--music being my priority). However, if I had to live with only one machine, I'd be very happy with my Marantz.

If you're able to play in the 9500 league, though, then I'd say go for it.

[tunerguy]

The problem is the 9500 is out of my budget.I haven't found any universal players that I've tried that is to my liking.I get the feeling that I might hafta break the bank to get the quality for SACD that my other player does so well.I guess with uni's you hafta give up something in one respect or the other.

[NEC baby]

tunerguy, one that would certainly beat them all is the Arcam DV79! I'm going to audition one very soon, one by one test against the Marantz DV8400 and my Cambridge 540D. I expect both to leave my Cambridge in the dust but for the price difference I'm not sure it the Arcam will beat the Arcam that much...

Another interesting one is the Jolida JD700 with it's tube output stage. That one could be quite a bargain but I can't find much info on it and I can't audition one either so it's quite a risk!

Let me know if you find other interesting stuff.