REVIEW: Panasonic A-310 DVD Players

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I have owned the Panasonic A-310 for 10 months now. I paid $500 when it first came out. I chose the Panasonic A-310 because it was the first DTS compatible player on the market that had component video, and it was rumored to be a very good player. It is. The A-310 has worked flawlessly. The only exception is that on the DVD of The Saint, there is noticable pixelization in some scenes (which aren't there on other players). This is the only DVD I've encountered it on (I've seen close to 100).
Frankly, with the exception of aesthetics, I see no need for anyone to buy a better DVD player than the A-310. The picture and sound are superb. Layer changes are very quick. In these respects, the Panasonic is better than the Sony 7000 and 7700. The Panasonic is also very easy to use and setup. The remote is great, and the joystick is invaluable.
As a CD player, the Panasonic sounds like most other mid-fi CD or DVD players, meaning it's not bad and not good. It is on the bright side, however. The review in Audio Magazine saying it was almost as good as the $4000 Meridian 508.24 is a joke, but for a solidly mid-fi HT, the Panasonic would work admirably as a CD player. It does take awhile to read the disk, however, and you can't advance the tracks until the CD starts playing. It also does not play CD-Rs.
I tried the built-in Dolby Digital decoder. While it was noticably a step below my (now sold) Denon 2700 receiver, and two steps below my Sherwood Newcastle pre/pro, it it's not as bad as people make it out to be. Bass management is not a problem, either.
Now, ten months later, the Panasonic is still a competetive player. It has fewer glitches than most other DVD players, and still performs admirably. If I were to buy a DVD player now, I'd probably opt for the newer A-120, which has similar performance, component vidoe, is cheaper, and has fewer glitches. But it is basically the same player. If you find a good deal ($300) on the A-310, go for it. Highly recommended.

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Topic - REVIEW: Panasonic A-310 DVD Players Review by Justin Doring at Audio Asylum - Justin Doring 22:57:12 04/20/99 (2)

Re: Panasonic A-310 DVD Players - JimB 23:11:28 05/01/99 (0)

Re: Panasonic A-310 DVD Players - TomD 09:47:50 05/01/99 (0)

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