This is a very wonderful BD player

[prepress]

After some compatibility issues with my iScan Duo VP, I put the 88 on a direct connection to my Kuro. This is a really good player, in my opinion. Really liking the bump-up in sound quality so far, detail in particular. Perhaps the 09 it's replacing has a bit more bottom, but there's nothing to really complain about so far. And the 88 loads faster, not that load times were an area of concern but it's nice to have.

[prepress]

I was playing around with the upsamplng (48k, 96k and 192k) and while it will take more experimenting, I think 192 sounded better on the test disc I used (Yes Live at Montreaux). On "Heart of the Sunrise" the sound was a bit—I don't know—fuller in the middle, or maybe louder is a better term. Anyway, I heard a difference. And I was listening normally, as opposed to casually or critically.

[PHC1]

Some years ago I bought a Pioneer Elite BD player and it was not cheap.
It started locking up and eventually stopped working all together. Pioneer did not make it easy to update the firmware at all at that time. I had to make a trip to my dealer twice and both times some other problems appeared within days. I got fed up and it sat on a shelf in my garage for many years. Bought Oppo some time after and have been loyal to Oppo ever since. Just recently upgraded to the Oppo 4k UHD BDP203. Between the LG 4K UHD OLED tv set I upgraded to at the same time and the Oppo 203, I have all the eye candy I need and the firmware updates are automatic and hassle free. I can certainly understand the want to go after the most performance available but a half baked product like my old Pioneer Elite BD that became dead within weeks leaves one very disappointed. That's not to say the current Pioneer products are bad! I have no idea and no desire to even look at them.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Some years ago I bought a Pioneer Elite BD player and it was not cheap.
It started locking up and eventually stopped working all together. Pioneer did not make it easy to update the firmware at all at that time. I had to make a trip to my dealer twice and both times some other problems appeared within days. I got fed up and it sat on a shelf in my garage for many years. Bought Oppo some time after and have been loyal to Oppo ever since. Just recently upgraded to the Oppo 4k UHD BDP203. Between the LG 4K UHD OLED tv set I upgraded to at the same time and the Oppo 203, I have all the eye candy I need and the firmware updates are automatic and hassle free. I can certainly understand the want to go after the most performance available but a half baked product like my old Pioneer Elite BD that became dead within weeks leaves one very disappointed. That's not to say the current Pioneer products are bad! I have no idea and no desire to even look at them.

Was that an 09FD? I never had any problems with mine, though quite a few others did based upon posts on another forum.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by prepress

Was that an 09FD? I never had any problems with mine, though quite a few others did based upon posts on another forum.

It may have been, I don't recall the model now. All I remember is it was not cheap and it did not work.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by PHC1

It may have been, I don't recall the model now. All I remember is it was not cheap and it did not work.

If it was the 09, top of the line in its heyday, the MSRP was around $2000. Those complaints I mentioned regarding the 09 were due to the drive mechanism primarily. Unfortunate.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by prepress

If it was the 09, top of the line in its heyday, the MSRP was around $2000. Those complaints I mentioned regarding the 09 were due to the drive mechanism primarily. Unfortunate.

Sounds about right.

[prepress]

While playing a couple of BDs on my 88FD, I noticed that with each there was a 1-second or so audio dropout at one point. The discs were The Avengers and Black Panther. Unfortunately, I didn't note the time stamps when this occurred. It happened twice with The Avengers in the same viewing session. I doubt it's the discs, since it never happened before with either.

I guess I'll need to keep an eye on this. I do have my 09FD and an Oppo 83 on hand to help troubleshoot if it comes to that. The audio is routed through my system via Transparent Plus ICs; video goes to the TV via HDMI.

Anyone have an idea what might cause this?

[prepress]

^^^^
Update: the dropout happened once a few days later with another movie, but not since. Hoping it was an anomaly.

[sgbroimp]

OK, so I have a 9 year old LG BD390. Timne to replace and if so with what for best pic and sound?