![]() ![]() The P-D1 CD player was brought to market by building upon the optical pickup technology developed for LaserDiscs.Īfter the format wars surrounding next-generation optical discs, Pioneer joined the DVD Consortium (later the DVD Forum) and started creating the DVD-R standard. In June of the same year, the VP-1000 LaserDisc player was launched in the United States. The lack of online video content is a glaring omission given that rivals pack in much more for the same price, but this remains a highly capable player with impressive build and a great picture.A home-use optical video disc player was first exhibited at the “Consumer Electronics Show” held in Las Vegas in the United States. We tested the BDP-LX55 as part of a home cinema package in our March 2012 issue, and we were impressed. Add in Pioneer’s iControlAV2 app – which works especially well on the iPad – and you’ve a compelling proposition by any standards. However, we’ve no such complaints over the Pioneer’s media-replay capabilities: it’ll handle the likes of MKV and FLAC, and includes proprietary Stream Smoother Link and Sound Retriever Link technologies aimed at optimising your viewing and listening experience with streamed media. Yes, it can access Picasa and YouTube – but they’re a poor substitute for the likes of Acetrax, the BBC iPlayer or LoveFilm. More critically, the BDP-LX55 lacks the range of embedded streaming services you’d find in an LG, Panasonic, Samsung or Sony Blu-ray player. Compared with the class-leading Panasonic DMP-BDT500 and Sony BDP-S790, the Pioneer has a less substantial sound. What of weaknesses? Well, there are a couple. ![]() That’s not a criticism – more an interesting observation… All the same, the Pioneer’s presentation still carries over some of that leanness and fast, attacking character. Link it to your AV receiver via HDMI and, of course, the sounds you’ll enjoy depend greatly on the relative quality and tonality of the receiver in question. Connected via its analogue audio outs (supported by a 32-bit/192kHz DAC), the BDP-LX55 exhibits Pioneer’s trademark agility, excitement and speed, making it a surprisingly enjoyable CD player or music streamer. All in all, it’s delightful – all the more so because rivals offering similar standards of picture performance cost at least £150 more. Shadow detail is properly nuanced, while blacks are at once dense and, where appropriate, invested with texture and insight. With both DVD and Blu-ray and in 2D or 3D, its picture quality is exceptional, with richer colours and more distinct, accurately defined detail than others in its price class. ![]() In action, the BDP-LX55 is a positive delight. Cheaper models in the range must make do with PCM audio support only. That said, not all Pioneer’s receivers include the feature as standard: for the full PQLS monty, you’ll need a VSX-1021 or better. We’ve noticed the system’s beneficial effects with older products, particularly with CD: now, in its most sophisticated third-generation form, PQLS is capable of supporting all forms of audio including bitstream (ie: Dolby TrueHD and so forth). When the two components are linked together via HDMI, PQLS allows the AV receiver to take control of the Blu-ray player’s digital ‘clock’, which, Pioneer asserts, eliminates jitter during signal transfer. ![]()
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