Denon DVD-1940CI Universal Scaling DVD/DVDA/SACD Player w/ DCDi by Faroudja
By: Denon Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 9
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 On: 2008-07-05
This is one of the first 1080p upconversion dvd players. Nowadays for the price you can get a better one for 1/3 of the price.
 On: 2008-03-26
I bought the 1940CI primarily as my first universal CD/SACD/DVD-A player. I was tired of using the standard DVD player connected to my receiver (Outlaw 1070) via a coax/optical. I had begun to delve into researching an affordable player that has better DACs than my receiver. So off I went. I took this baby home and used it for the first month or so strictly as a CD player using decent quality cables (dont bother with the analog RCA cables Denon gives you - theyre really shoddy but you shouldnt expect nice cables in the box.) I was really extremely happy running this player for CDs. Simple L/R audio cables from the player to my receiver, set my receiver into Bypass mode (shuts off digital processing), and wham, the sound was so much nicer to listen to. Thrilled.
SACD and DVD-A playback have also been a treat. Ive listened to Pink Floyd DSOTM (6ch SACD) and the Beatles Love DVD-A discs repeatedly. They are outstanding listens.
What Im not convinced about, and hence the 4 instead of 5 stars, is this players upscaling. Prior to buying this, Id been watching my standard DVDs on my Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player, which has a top-notch reputation as a very good upscaler. As of now, I think the HD-A2 produces a cleaner picture. I havent run too many A-B type tests but my first impression is usually right. To what degree remains to be seen. I by no means needed another upscaling DVD player as I was thrilled with the A2s capabilities. In all, I think this player is a good one. Its a little pricey but if youre into music and are looking to better the experience of listening to your CDs and delve into the limited libraries of SACD and DVD-A, I vote to go for it.
 On: 2008-01-09
This product was bought as a gift. However, I have had the benefit of watching and utilizing it. This is a terrific dvd player and CD player is superb. It looks nice too. No problems at this point.
On: 2008-01-08
This product was bought as a gift. However, I have had the benefit of watching and utilizing it. This is a terrific dvd player and CD player is superb. It looks nice too. No problems at this point.
On: 2007-09-19
When my Samsung 985 player broke down I look at the 1930 and the 2930 dvd player. Since my Denon 3805 AVR does not have any HDMI inputs or outputs I was reluctant to cough up the cash for the 2930. The 1930 is a great improvemtent over the Samsung I had. Sound is incredible and picture quality improved too. I have a Panasonic phd428uk which for the money (at the time of purchase was a fantastic deal). When the time comes for a upgrade I will stick with Denon, until then I am very happy with the set up I have. Cant go wrong with Denon.
 On: 2007-08-06
I compared the picture quality of this unit to the LG DN798 that I recently purchased. Both players were hooked up to a new 55" Sony TV (model KDS-55A2020) using the same Monster brand HDMI cable. During my testing I swapped the same DVD disk between players, and I made sure that both players were set to 1080p resolution.
Over a period of two hours I made numerous adjustments to try and make the Denon look as good as the LG, but I just couldnt do it. The LG simply produces a much sharper and more life-like picture. Whats more, the LG can be purchased for less than $100.00.
In my opinion, the number one criteria for selecting a DVD player is picture quality. When you consider that the Denon costs more than twice as much as the LG, I cant justify giving this unit more than a one star rating. Needless to say, the Denon is being returned.
On: 2007-08-05
I compared the picture quality of this unit to the LG DN798 that I recently purchased. Both players were hooked up to a new 55" Sony TV (model KDS-55A2020) using the same Monster brand HDMI cable. During my testing I swapped the same DVD disk between players, and I made sure that both players were set to 1080p resolution.
Over a period of two hours I made numerous adjustments to try and make the Denon look as good as the LG, but I just couldnt do it. The LG simply produces a much sharper and more life-like picture. Whats more, the LG can be purchased for less than $100.00.
In my opinion, the number one criteria for selecting a DVD player is picture quality. When you consider that the Denon costs more than twice as much as the LG, I cant justify giving this unit more than a one star rating. Needless to say, the Denon is being returned.
On: 2007-07-14
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 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 SONYs, 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 CDs 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.
SONYs 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 first thing you should know is that the ONKYOs 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.
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 havent tested yet), or just make an effort for the DENON. Its worth.
On: 2007-02-12
We love the combination of the DVD-CD player. With the purchase of a larger stereo component, we needed a combination CD and DVD player to save on space. Weve been very pleased with the performance of the Denon unit, but the operation could be more straight forward. It was easy to hook up.
On: 2007-01-19
Bought this after upgrading our TV this X-mas to a 42" Pioneer plasma. The upgrading (only) via HDMI is very nice. Black levels were a huge improvement over the non-upscaling Denon DVD player we replaced. Colors are great, as well. Running video to TV via HDMI and audio via coax to Denon 3805 AVR, no lip-synching issues. Runs DVD-Rs with no problem. Have yet to try SACD. Noticed artifacts on extended Lord of the Rings DVD, but much less than previous DVD player generated. Remastered DVDs (Star Wars, Underworld: Evo) look great and much better than non-upscaling DVD player. Also tested some old DVDs (Bladerunner for example), and they looked much better than on the old DVD player. Black levels in the opening scene were much greater than anticipated. Our choice was between the 1930CI and an upscaling Pioneer Elite DVD player, my eye could not tell the difference so I went with what I knew. Weve been very happy with the unit over the last month. No issues so far. I read on some forums people were unhappy with the set-up. While its not as Plugnplay ready as some people may want, I had no issues reading the three or so pages of the booklet to get the setup I needed. If you are looking for an upscaling DVD player while waiting for the Blu-Ray/HD DVD war to settle (and dont mind dishing out the money), Id recommend this unit. Overall. seems very well-built. (Oh yeah, it has a light on the front that blinks if the HDMI isnt hooked up. For a week, I had to send the video over component while I waited for the HDMI cables to arrive, and found the blinking slightly annoying. After the cables arrived and HDMI was all hooked up, the blinking stopped.) I wouldnt recommend the 1930 unless youre planning on HDMI. Last note: my TV accepts but doesnt play 1080p so we watch on 1080i (it seems to look better on my Pioneer plasma than 720p. Of all the shops I went to looking at 1080p, heck if I could see a noticeable difference. However, overall, huge improvement over 480p). It seems that the technology is trickling down from the higher-end Denons.
On: 2007-01-18
Bought this after upgrading our TV this X-mas to a 42" Pioneer plasma. The upgrading (only) via HDMI is very nice. Black levels were a huge improvement over the non-upscaling Denon DVD player we replaced. Colors are great, as well. Running video to TV via HDMI and audio via coax to Denon 3805 AVR, no lip-synching issues. Runs DVD-Rs with no problem. Have yet to try SACD. Noticed artifacts on extended Lord of the Rings DVD, but much less than previous DVD player generated. Remastered DVDs (Star Wars, Underworld: Evo) look great and much better than non-upscaling DVD player. Also tested some old DVDs (Bladerunner for example), and they looked much better than on the old DVD player. Black levels in the opening scene were much greater than anticipated. Our choice was between the 1930CI and an upscaling Pioneer Elite DVD player, my eye could not tell the difference so I went with what I knew. Weve been very happy with the unit over the last month. No issues so far. I read on some forums people were unhappy with the set-up. While its not as Plugnplay ready as some people may want, I had no issues reading the three or so pages of the booklet to get the setup I needed. If you are looking for an upscaling DVD player while waiting for the Blu-Ray/HD DVD war to settle (and dont mind dishing out the money), Id recommend this unit. Overall. seems very well-built. (Oh yeah, it has a light on the front that blinks if the HDMI isnt hooked up. For a week, I had to send the video over component while I waited for the HDMI cables to arrive, and found the blinking slightly annoying. After the cables arrived and HDMI was all hooked up, the blinking stopped.) I wouldnt recommend the 1930 unless youre planning on HDMI. Last note: my TV accepts but doesnt play 1080p so we watch on 1080i (it seems to look better on my Pioneer plasma than 720p. Of all the shops I went to looking at 1080p, heck if I could see a noticeable difference. However, overall, huge improvement over 480p). It seems that the technology is trickling down from the higher-end Denons.
On: 2007-01-02
DVDs upconverted to 1080p look unbelievable on my Sharp LCD TV. My wife and I continually remark on details in movies weve seen many times that we missed when watching in standard definition. I have found the picture to be detailed, sharp and vivid through HDMI. Hard to imagine that such a picture is available at this price. CDs sound great when played with this unit, the sound much fuller than on my old JVC DVD player.
While the unit felt light out of the box, build quality is evident in every other way and the unit is attractive. I like that it has the essential functions on the unit face, as so many components these days make you use the remote for every little thing. I/O in the back of the unit is clearly labeled and logically spaced to increase ease of hook-up.
Overall, I am extremely pleased with the look and performance of this unit.
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