Home > Consumer Reviews > Philips DVD763SA Multi-Channel SACD/DVD Player

I bought this unit specifically to play the new Super Audio SACDs. In particular, I wanted something that would play the new Rolling Stones ABKCO SACD reissues.
The unit does a great job of playing the SACDs. But there is no headphone output anywhere on the unit. There is no Volume Control on the unit or the Remote Control, which appears to be more directed at playing DVD movies than SACD purposes.
The unit is constructed very inexpensively. I really miss the headphone output, and would have been happy to pay a few dollars more for the feature. The unit is very lightweight.
I would have preferred a more solid unit. The disc tray hangs a bit loose in the open position, and CDs don't fit down in the tray solidly. The unit does not completely turn off unless the power is cut to it, the unit has a "Standby" switch only.
Because the SACD technology is new, I did not want to buy an expensive unit for several thousand dollars at this point. I guess for the entry level price I can't expect the machine of my dreams.

At $... w/free shipping, this player is about the least expensive DVD/SACD player I have come across. I am very happy w/the DVD playback and the sound of SACD.

I have one cause for concern regarding SACD playback, though: When I put in hybrid CD/SACD, the player often refuses to recognize the SACD layer and only plays the CD layer. It usually takes a few times of putting the SACD in before it will recognize and play the SACD layer. It is very frustrating when I put an SACD in and can only get CD.

Overall though, the features work great. The remote and menu system are a bit complex at first, but they soon become fairly easy to navigate.

This is a good DVD player at a very reasonable price. But it has an additional feature which makes it very special: in addition to DVDs and regular CDs, it plays the new SACDs -- which are the finest sounding recordings currently available.

When conventional CDs became available they displaced LPs in the marketplace because of their small size and the fact that their sound did not degrade with the ticks and pops that even the best-maintained LPs eventually acquire. But, despite these advantages -- as well as significant improvements in CD sound over time with technological advances such as oversampling -- many connoisseurs maintained that CDs never achieved the warmth and high-frequency sweetness characteristic of top-grade audiophile LPs. Now that has changed. Super Audio CDs are superior in sound to the finest audiophile-quality LPs I've ever heard. Furthermore, even conventional CDs played on a SACD player sound better than they do on typical CD players. In fact, the best conventional CDs in my collection equal audiophile-quality LPs in sound when played on a SACD player and the new SACDs sound even better. If you're going to buy a DVD player, why not get one like which also plays both CDs and the new terrific-sounding SACDs?

I love the price - great deal for an SACD-compatible DVD player. I use a Kenwood receiver and speakers (HTB-504 home theatre in-a-box) but have replaced the sub with a Velodyne CHT-12. I connected the 6-channel analog audio with 3 pairs of Stealth FLR silver interconnects, the digital audio with a Stealth Fineline MK II S/PDIF digital coaxial cable, and the video with Audioquest/Cinemaquest YIQ-3 component video cables. The SACD sound is outstanding, and I actually prefer it for use as a DVD player over my Toshiba SD-3755 5-disc DVD changer, even though Toshiba DVD players are generally considered better than Philips. It automatically adjusts to correctly display widescreen movies, whereas with my Toshiba I have to use the 16:9 enhanced mode on my Sony TV. I couldn't be happier with the purchase, and, in retrospect, would gladly have paid more for it. The buyer should be aware, however, that it can get quite expensive buying the high-quality interconnect cables necessary for SACD playback.

Excellent apparatus, in combination with Philips 9616 PixelPlus TV and Philips MatchlineVR 1200 SVHS, Yamaha TopART Apmplifier and Surround Processors and a fine set of Dali Loudspeakers (2x Blue 606 and 2x Dali Suite 2.5) this DVD player is a joy. SACD: brilliant reproduction, even on regular stereo (hifi) sets or non-multichanneloptions chosen on the amplifier.