Long awaited NAIM DVD player has finally reached the shelves. It was first demonstrated at the 2004 Bristol Sound & Vision. Many think of NAIM as a synonym for top quality and price and the DVD5 is up to this reputation. It is simply outstanding, certainly not the machine you would keep in your bedroom along with your 15 years cathode TV and a 30 Watts amplifier because it would be a misuse.
The casing is anti-resonant (as on the other 5 series) and is outstandingly electrically and mechanically isolated. DVD5 uses a Korean DVS DVD transport coming with a conventional tray-loader. Cirrus provides the DVD decoder DSP and Faroudja the Digital Video Processing DCDi deinterlacing system. A DVI socket provides the digital Video output. Analogue Video outputs on component, RGB on 5 BNCs, RGB Scart, composite S-Video.
On the Audio side, DVD5 uses the same settings as those present in the CDS3 CD player, i.e. a separate two-channel decoding board with Burr-Brown differential 24-bit/192kHz DACs. 2 electrical and 2 optical digital Audio outputs, Stereo and 5.1 Analogue outputs, while an optional ₤215 multichannel Audio board enables full DVD-A surround. DVD5 can be used as an outstanding CD machine (one can switch off the video outputs when playing music).
The quality delivered is simply stunning, on both Video and Audio sides. Now the price: at ₤2350 it is certainly not cheap, but any quality matching single CD player would cost around ₤1000+ and one would have to spend another ₤750/1000+ for a DVD player to get similar impressions… so that, although far from cheap, the price does not look revolting. A nice device, worth the try if you have the money.
Specifications *Media Supported
DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, CD Audio, CD-RW and CD-R
Video Outputs
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) with HDCP copy protection
RGB/RGBHV (for non-macrovision encoded discs) via BNC, 75-Ohm
YPbPr via BNC, 75-Ohm
RGB interlaced (for non-macrovision encoded discs) via SCART, 75-Ohm
YPbPr interlaced via SCART, 75-Ohm
S-video via 4 pin DIN, 75-Ohm
Composite via SCART, 75-Ohm
Video Features
Faroudja DCDi® de-interlacing technology
Automatic PAL or NTSC playback and conversion
Black-level setup for NTSC (0IRE or 7.5IRE)
Up to five different format simultaneous video outputs
16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratio support
Video zoom support
Picture adjustment including saturation, contrast and position
-60x -30x, -16x, -8x, -4x, -2x, 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, 30x, 60x speeds
Full easy to navigate OSD with built in test screens for display calibration
Full +/- time delay lip sync
Forthcoming scaler upgrade card with custom resolutions including 720p and 1080p
Audio Output
Two digital coax and two digital optical
2 Volt RMS analogue stereo from 24bit, 192kHz re-clocked DACs via 5-pin DIN and stereo phono sockets
Up to 7.1 channel with multi-channel audio upgrade fitted, 24bit 96kHz via DIN sockets
Communications
Full integration with Naim AV2 processor including AV2 OSD
RS232 control for custom install and home automation
Dimensions (H x W x D)
70 x 432 x 301mm
Finish
Black
* source: NAIM