Onkyo DV-SP502B 1-Disc Universal DVD-Audio/Super Audio CD Player

by Onkyo

Product Details

Product Manual [3.19mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 20 x 22 x 11 inches ; 12 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 pounds
• ASIN: B000653KME
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,035 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 8, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Want to experience multi-channel surround sound movies and hear your own music blissfully transformed with the latest audio formats from a Progressive Scan Universal player? OnkyoÕs DV-SP502 provides the perfect source if you do. By incorporating OnkyoÕs exceptional "build quality"--embracing high quality component such as 108 MHz/12-bit video and 192 kHz/24-bit audio DACs--with design considerations, the DV-SP502Õs performance has not been compromised. And to crush any misconceptions that this is a mere DVD-Video/CD player, the DV-SP502 also supports revolutionary music formats--Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio--played back through stereo or 5.1 multi-channel analog output, as well as your favorite MP3/WMA/JPEG files through CD-R and CD-RW. With such versatile multi-capabilities, the DV-SP502 will keep your entertainment options open for years to come.

Other features include:

• 2:3 Pulldown On-screen Display
• Video Black Level Control
• Plays DVD-Audio And Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, Super Audio CD, Audio CD, CD-R/RW,
• DVD-R/RW, MP3 CD, WMA CD, Video CD, JPEG/Picture CD
• 8-Language Soundtrack Capability
• Component Video Output, S-Video and Composite Video Outputs
• Audio Output: 2 Optical, 1 Digital, 3 Analog Audio (L/R RCA Style)

What's in the Box
DVD/SACD player, remote control (with batteries), printed operating instructions

Product Description

With this Universal Player you can be assured of not only quality sound, but versatility too as it contains advanced digital audio formats-like DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD. The 192 kHz/24-Bit Audio DAC and 108 MHz/12-Bit Video DAC mean you get great sound and video performance for a great price.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent value, September 13, 2005

By 

pattic "pattic171" (NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Onkyo DV-SP502B 1-Disc Universal DVD-Audio/Super Audio CD Player (Electronics)

Ok. I was stuck in the same spot as you.

I had purchased a Denon DVD-2910 which was built like a tank, had audiophile sound, and was of the utmost quality. It had every feature known to man....and did not like my display at all. Essentially, I was one of the unlucky ones whose display was not compatible with the Genesis chip in that player, and had a nasty ghosting and macroblocking problem. So much for my dream machine.

Since I wasn't about to go through that again (and the upscaling is a gimmick no matter what anyone tells you. Trust me, you can't add more gas to a 5 gallon tank by making the gascap bigger)I decided to find a high quality player without the upscaling. Problem is, most of the better universal players these days use that darn Genesis chip. That left me with basically 2 options: The Harman Kardon 31 or the Onkyo.

The Harman gets great user reviews, and has the typical high gloss looks that HK is known for, but it doesn't play SACD's and it got a pretty weak review from a pro benchmarking site.

The Onkyo on the other hand, is an interesting case. It turns out that this model is actually a Pioneer 588a (which got a killer review from the same benchmarking site for picture quality), plopped into a sturdier, less plastic-y chassis.

I held my breath and ordered the Onkyo, and boy am I glad I did.

The build quality is excellent. Not a 12lb hi-end battleship by any means, but solid enough to not look or feel cheap. The jacks on the rear apron are sturdy enough to take my "grip from hell" Monster component cables without buckling, and the layout is logical. The remote is well layed-out and easy to use, and the buttons are very responsive.

Unlike my pricey Denon, the video adjustments can be made on a bar at the bottom of the screen allowing a full view of the change in picture as you adjust. The picture, amazingly at this price, is fairly close to reference. Although the tech review site mentioned a problem with black level, the blacks looked plenty black to me, more-so than my Denon anyway. This could be a newer firmware version for all I know. Chroma is absolutely spot-on, and the colors in Return of the Jedi, and Starship Troopers look jaw-dropping.

DVD-Audio (I haven't had a chance to test SACD yet) playback was the only element I've run into that was less-than-stellar. To the average "listens to the latest hits" listener it would probably be a knock-out, but chances are an experienced audiophile would find the playback a bit flat, with a slightly noticable noise floor. Not bad mind you, but if you're buying a universal player with emphasis on the audio performance, you may want to spend a bit more money.

But if you are buying with video performance in mind, this Onkyo SP502 absolutley cannot be beat anywhere near this price, without the risk of macroblocking issues with the Faroudja chipset. You could save 90 bucks or so by buying the Pioneer, which has identical performance, but the cheap, flimsy build quality may not be worth the savings.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a difference over 2.0 channel!!!!!!, March 30, 2005

By 

NORML HEAD "Big Dawg" (Alabama/United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Onkyo DV-SP502B 1-Disc Universal DVD-Audio/Super Audio CD Player (Electronics)

I already had the Onkyo TX-SR601 and a $65.00 Toshiba DVD but I wanted to go to DVD-AUDIO. I checked around about a month. Checking prices and features. It came down to the Onkyo DV-502 SADC & DVD Audio/Video player. Like all Onkyo products, it's user friendly and cost. Easily to hook up but I had to read the instruction manual several times to get the most out of it. Man, it rocks!!! I love the 6.1 & the 5.1 sound. It takes everything I've throwned at it. Now movies sound like your are in it. DVD-Audios are awsome. If your looking for a great player, you don't have to look any further. ~PEACE~

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars noisy motor, July 14, 2007

By 

Classical Music (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Onkyo DV-SP502B 1-Disc Universal DVD-Audio/Super Audio CD Player (Electronics)

This is a report/comparison of the CD and SACD (2 channel only) features and capabilities of the ONKYO DV-SP502B, SONY DVP-NS90V, and DENON 1930CI. Before moving on, please note that I will not comment on the video and multi-channel qualities of these universal players. This review concerns the AUDIO stereo features only, tested with the ONKYO TX 8222 receiver and two pairs of good speakers (JBL and Panasonic). As far as myself, I am a professional musician with a PhD in the field and extensive performing and sound editing experience.

The first thing you should know is that the ONKYO's motor is extremely noisy. When listening to classical music, you will be able to hear the motor at low volumes even from about 10-12 feet away. Additionally, the setup requires a connection to a TV, as most menus do not work with the display only. For example, you cannot switch between 2 ch. and 5 ch. SACD without a TV connection. In general the sound is of good quality and the unit is very well built. If you are listening to loud pop/rock music mostly and you have a large room, the motor noise should not be a problem; for classical audiophiles, I would not recommend it. Made in Malaysia. Price: $229 at Target.

SONY's face place looks nice, but overall, the built quality is average or below (it is also smaller and lighter than the other two). The SACD sound is quite muffled, without clarity at both low and high frequencies. The motor is quiet, and the menus are pretty good. Please note that after about 10-14 months of use, many customers reported major mechanical/electronic failures. Not recommended for audiophiles, as this player was not really built for sound. Made in Malaysia. Price: $180 at Crutchfield.

The DENON is quite expensive for the features it offers, but overall is a well-built unit with superior sound. Its motor is a bit noisier than SONY's, but definitely bearable. The setup requires a TV, but you can do more with the display than with the ONKYO. Also, it has a "pure sound" feature that turns off HDMI output and the display. Of these three players, this DENON has the best sound quality. Lows and highs are crisp, the sound is not flat, and there is a certain lifelike presence in both classical chamber and symphonic recordings. Additionally, the CD's that made a soft cricket-like noise when spinning on the ONKYO and SONY were always quiet on the DENON. The manual is poorly designed, but the on-screen menus are very extensive and pretty intuitive. Made in China. Price: $295 on Amazon.

After testing all three of them at the same time for about a week, I decided to keep the DENON, especially that I was able to get an open box unit for $260. For audiophiles on a very tight budget, you may want to look into players by Harman Kardon (which I have seen before, but haven't tested yet), or just make an effort for the DENON. It's worth.