Re: S & V Apex AD-7701 review

I would like to comment on the ''''test report'''' for the Apex multi-format player. The review is mostly accurate, but doesn''''t reflect ''''real-world'''' experiences.<p>I am an owner of this player. I purchased it at J&R Music World, placed my pre-order for the unit back in Sept. 2001. J&R shipped it to me on Dec. 20th. <p>There have been mixed experiences with this unit. Many people have problems with this unit not being able to play specific SACD, and DVD-A titles (myself is included in this list). Others have bigger problems, such as excessive audio playback crackling and poping with both DVD-A and SACD discs, or units working for a few weeks then failing (heat related problems?). The<a href="http://www.nerd-out.com/forum/viewforum.php?forum=10&308" target="_blank">Apex Info Pages Forum</a> has a long laundry list of issues and experiences with this unit.<p>Basically, I''''d like to know how many, what titles, DVD-Audio and SACDs are played back fully when S & V does their testing? If you''''re only playing one or 2, then this sample is too small to reveal any playback issues. I would like to know if S & V has tried the known problem discs:<br />Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - ''''Brain Salad Surgery'''', Eric Clapton & BB King - ''''Riding with The King'''', or either Greatful Dead titles - ''''American Beauty'''' and ''''Workingman''''s Dead''''.<p>If there were no issues with any of these discs, then I would assume that Apex would give their ''''best'''' unit to be tested which could be hand-picked and thoroughly QA''''ed. Atleast, this would shed a ray of hope to those who have this player and have troubles, knowing that they could possible get a player that works without any playback issues with DVD-A and SACD discs.<p>Apex technical support is another topic which does not breed confidence for those who have had direct experience with them. confangry.gif border=0 <p>Any comments, or suggestions are welcomed. biggthumpup.gif border=0

Sorry, this should have probably been posted under the ''Recent Articles'' forum, maybe the moderator can move it?

[apcarandang]

Hmmm.... too bad seems like a winner at first but maybe they''ll get it right on the next generation model.<p> smile.gif border=0

[Captain_RJ]

I''ve come to find that in the electronics world you get what you pay for. And something that offers all kinds of playback from DVD-A, SACD, HDCD, and progressive scan output, at only $349 seems awfully fishy to me.<br />I think we all appreciate you reporting your personal expierence about the Apex unit, it will discourage people from doing the same!<br />Knowing someone who works there,(dowtown NYC) your not the only one who has bad expierences with the AD-7701, according to what I hear they have had a 40%+ return rate on those units.<p>The problem is that the only other unit to offer all these universal features is hard to find, actually it''s been very expensive. I.E. no one can afford the Pioneer Elite DV-AX10 for $5000.<br />The good news is that Pioneer has on the other hand discontiued their $1700 Elite progressive scan, DVD-Audio player, the DV38A. At this point they are in the process of replacing it with the new DV-47A for a more reasonable price of around $1200 retail. And in that price including such universal features such as DVD-Audio, Multichannel SACD, progressive scan playback, 192khz, 24 bit DAC processing, and 108mhz, 12bit video processor. The street date is this January, but to date I have not seen any retailer get the player in their stores. I can''t wait.<p>< January 24, 2002: Message edited by: Captain RJ ><p>< January 24, 2002: Message edited by: Captain RJ ></p>

[StartOver]

"You get what you pay for" is true with this player in my opinion.