Pioneer DCS-340

Advantages: High playback quality, easy to use and available in black!
Disadvantages: Occasional SCART problems on startup, no "display off" option, sometimes too good!

...Pioneer have been in the home cinema market for longer than most, and it shows in their most recent offering of DVD players. The DV464 is placed in roughly the middle of their range, and retails anywhere between £90 and £150. It's got all the right letters after its name - DTS, MP3, CD-RW, WMA, SRS (TruSurround). To cover those quickly, DTS is an improvement on Dolby Digital sound; it'll play MP3s and Windows Media files off recordable CDs (it'll also do slideshows of JPEG image files, play Video CDs, DVD-R and DVD-RW), and SRS TruSurround allows a simulation of surround sound to be created from two speakers. As ever, the DV464 conveys the feeling you get with Pioneer equipment that you're getting a good buy - lifting it out of the box it feels solid, and it sits in the middle of a very big stack of equipment without trouble... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Mindblowing sound, Explosive picture and feature packed - at a great price. Buy it.
Disadvantages: Nothing significant at this price

...Pioneer is well respected manufacturer for top quality home cinema products, and it ranks amongst the top few manufacturers of DVD players, up there with Sony, Toshiba and Panasonic. Pioneer is well known for impeccable build quality and excellent performance and the DV-626D is a brilliant example of just what Pioneer can do. After searching though review magazines and browsing the internet, I decided the pioneer was the one to go for. Main features include onboard Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, duel laser pickup, Pal/NTSC output, Digital noise reduction, conditional memory, Virtual Dolby Surround... I know what you're probably thinking... WHAT??? So I'll go through them as best as I can to make things a little clearer. One of the main features of DVD is its ability to hold surround sound soundtracks. This means... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Sound quality, 3 pre-outs, MP3 + WMA playback.
Disadvantages: Model now discontinued.

...I have had many in-car head units, Sony, Kenwood and various other Pioneer models but this model does everything i need from a head unit. I have had this for about 4 years now, and is frankly head and shoulders above most head units i have had before. You don't now need to spend £200 - £300 on a head unit, and thankfully prices have come down significantly in the last few years and an equivalent model should now set you back about £150. My current set up comprises of Pioneer DEH-P7500MP head unit, Kenwood amp 60 x 2 driving a pair of pioneer 6.5" speakers on rear shelf, an audison amp 220w x 1 driving a 10" Pioneer sealed sub box in the boot and factory fit Ford speakers driven by internal amp (50 x 4) on head unit. Needless to say it rocks with most types of music. Bass extension is deep but not harsh or overpowering. Separation... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful