Denon DBP-2012UD

Denon DBP-2012UD review

The Denon DBP-2012UD is built like Vin Diesel and boasts high-grade internal electronics that aim to deliver superior performance to the masses. The £750 price tag is as hefty as the player itself, but will be viewed as peace of mind for any AV enthusiast looking for a machine to satisfy their videophile aspirations. Apart from the headline 3D capability, this is also a universal player, which means it spins Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio, too. A USB port and DLNA 1.5 support also boost the deck's multimedia cred. The machine shares the same structural DNA as Denon's reference-class DBP-4010UD, which has Direct Mechanical Ground Construction to suppress vibration. Plus the luxurious build extends to the chunky buttons on the fascia and the smoothly gliding disc-tray mechanism. Around the back, it's disappointing to find a single HDMI v1.4 port, which means owners of the DBP-2012UD with older AVRs will need to employ the 7.1 analogue outputs to enjoy HD audio and 3D pictures simultaneously. Elsewhere on that back panel you'll find a separate set of analogue stereo outputs for pure audio playback, component and composite video ports and a coaxial digital audio output.