Review and Measurements of ONKYO DV-SP503E universal player (2005)

[pma]

ONKYO DV-SP503E universal player

I bought this universal player in 2005 and it is still working. It is based on cheap TI PCM1742 D/A converter. It works now only with original CDs (does not read CD-R well), reads DVD and DVD-A and has troubles with SACD. So I restricted my CD measurements to original moulded Philips DAC Test Disc 3122-783-00632 which I own and I also have a DVD-A test disc. SACD was not tested, which is a pity, because it was working very well in the beginning Wow! I was finally able to make it work with the SACD layer! Please see at the bottom.

All further measurements will contain info about player mode used and test signal used. All CD and SACD signals are from the mentioned Philips disc.

THD at 1kHz and 0dBFS undithered, CD mode, track 25

THD is not bad and SINAD (A weighted) is 88.6dB. Quite acceptable value. Noise floor, up to 20kHz, is much cleaner then it was with Technics SL-PG100 and the “hash” seen is that of no dithering. There is some ultrasound rubbish above 22kHz, due to cheap DAC converter used.

THD at 1kHz and -60dBFS undithered, CD mode, track 32

Quite good, “rubbish” again due to no dithering of the test signal

THD at 5kHz and -3dBFS, undithered, CD mode, track 16

Distortion is kept quite low, similar comments as at 1kHz

IMD 60Hz + 7kHz, CD mode, track 1

This is almost excellent, except for ultrasound rubbish

CCIF IMD 19+20kHz, CD mode, track 2

This is very good in audio band, but we can also see 2 mirror images above Fs/2.

Signal to noise - digital silence, CD mode, track 47

Quite respectable for CD, referred to full output noise is -96.4 dB(A).

THD at 1kHz and 0dBFS, DVD-A mode

THD = 0.0017% and SINAD(A) = 90.75dB, only slightly better than in CD mode. Less rubbish and cleaner ultrasound spectrum.

THD at 1kHz and 0dBFS, SACD mode

We can see that SACD spectrum is cleaner in the audio band, above 20kHz there is a typical DSD ultrasonic noise

THD at 1kHz and -60dBFS, SACD mode

Again, clean spectrum up to 20kHz

THD at 1kHz and -100dBFS, SACD mode, track 35

Clean!

Conclusion

This player was not bad, built quality is acceptable and parameters are respectable taking into account that the unit was not very expensive, about $300 some 14 years ago when audio was more expensive than now. It still works, plays CDs, DVDs and DVD-As, only having troubles with SACDs, though I was finally able to run SACD test disc. Sound is fine. I will keep the unit as long as it is able to work.

 

[pma]

One more to 60Hz + 7kHz IMD, intermodulation spectral lines at 6940Hz and 7060Hz are 100dB below the 7kHz line, this is an excellent result compared to any player or DAC. Below is the area near 7kHz zoomed.

 

[pma]

I was finally able to operate it in SACD mode, please see the 1st post of the thread! Excited

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Specifications as per manufacturer, from product manual:

 

[LuckyLuke575]

Is this a 'pirate' review? I was looking for @amirm's white graphs and got confused lol

 

[pma]

I made some measurements in time domain as well, in the SACD mode. 1008 Hz square with rise time measurement and 30kHz sine.

1008 Hz square in SACD mode - please note much less ringing and fast settling, compared to usual CD 1kHz square shape.

30kHz sine at -3dBFS, note that DSD noise is not visible in this amplitude resolution

 

[pma]

This Onkyo uses DSD==>PCM 88.2kHz/24bit conversion to play SACD, so the signal ends at the PCM1742 DAC. This limits usable SACD dynamic range, compared to better SACD players like Marantz SA8001 (I may make a review possibly) this ONKYO is 15-20dB worse. Still, there is an advantage oh much cleaner spectra in the audio band compared to CD output and better time response. SINAD number is not everything .

DVD circuit block diagram, note DSD to PCM conversion

 

[pma]

Is this a 'pirate' review? I was looking for @amirm's white graphs and got confused lol

Take it as an alternative approach .
I greatly appreciate that Amir has created this forum. We may have a bit different preferences regarding importance of some measurements, but it does not matter.

 

[pma]

ONKYO inside

MT1389 DVD chip (DSD to PCM as well) and PCM1742 DACs. 4560 cheap opamps

Because of the SMPS power supply, it is best to use an isolation transformer with low P/S capacitance before the mains cord. Decreases considerably the rubbish that this unit sends to mains network and reduces considerably system EMI (cables, loops).

 

[Eirikur]

I was finally able to operate it in SACD mode, please see the 1st post of the thread! Excited

Where did you get the SACD from to test, and is is possible to analyse the input (look at the on-disc data)?
Do you have clean DSD signal files as potential input for tests of DACs?

 

[pma]

Where did you get the SACD from to test, and is is possible to analyse the input (look at the on-disc data)?
Do you have clean DSD signal files as potential input for tests of DACs?

A colleague of mine organised a group buy, I think directly from Philips, for us involved in audio testing, many years ago. I remember it was quite expensive, like $100 for this disc.
I am able to rip the CD layer, but I am not able to rip the SACD layer.

 

[LuckyLuke575]

A colleague of mine organised a group buy, I think directly from Philips, for us involved in audio testing, many years ago. I remember it was quite expensive, like $100 for this disc.
I am able to rip the CD layer, but I am not able to rip the SACD layer.

View attachment 39804

This is the real deal

 

[pma]

Some more measurements

HF spectrum to 10MHz

Output noise, no signal

CD mode, 1kHz/-80dBFS sine

SACD mode measured 12/2012

SACD 1kHz 0dBFS with SINAD and SNR

CD mode measured 11/2012

CD 1102.5Hz -3dBFS with SINAD and SNR, normalized to 0dBr plot