A Place Reserved in Olympus Rezervované miste na Olympu DVD32R + PSM192: “Vynikajici*” “Pro: Truly the very best picture and excellent sound from DVD and CD, perfect build quality and great design of all parts. "Against: With the PSM192 the unit is expensive, but...” * Excellent Stereo & Video (Czech Republic) - April 2003 The readers of the German magazine audiovision have voted. They decided on their favourite audiovisual products of 2002. The clear winner in the category 'DVD players above GBP 700' was the DVD32R + PSM192! "Ahead of the Game: "The first DVD player with PAL progressive scan - not cheap, but timelessly fascinating." audiovision - March 2003 Reference Class DVD Player DVD32R Heimkino - February 2003 “previously unattained sound quality” “What the DVD32R put on screen, created a wave of excitment that swept the room” “sound: 60/64 picture: 10/10” stereoplay February 2003   What a great, new reward for our dvd player DVD32R: The German magazine stereoplay just nominated the DVD32R to be the best DVD Player ever tested, leaving far more expensive competitors, such as Theta DaVID or Proceed PMDT behind!   Reference Class! DVD32R/PSM192 + AV32Rbp-192 “Finally de-interlaced PAL instead of NTSC Progressive Scan in a region-2-player! Helpful the option to output either YUV or RGB. Key is the sleek system integration of the Progressive Scan Module [PSM192] and the resulting ability to improve all video sources. Reference Class.” Image Home Entertainment - November / December 2002 Pole Position for TAG McLaren in DVD Super-Player test “Perfectionism as usual - we hadn't expected less from TAG McLaren.” DVD32R & PSM192: 1.191 Denon DVD 3800: 1.31 Denon DVD-A1: 1.34 Toshiba SD-9500 E: 1.34 “The DVD32R seems to be the most future-proof player at present. In addition, only the DVD32R officially offers PAL Progressive Scan, also available in RGB format and from external signals.” Audiovision - September 2002 1. The number 1 is the theoretically best achievable score. The smaller the number, the better the player digital evolution "But what of that integral part of any vaguely serious film-watchers set-up, a DVD player? Well, there's one long-lived model here that I've reviewed on several occasions, which has yet to be bettered. And as the most upgradeable DVD player I've ever come across, there was no doubting where my imaginary money was heading. Straight into the coffers of TAG McLaren in return for their glorious DVD32R. It provides razor sharp images, has multi-room capabilities and, as with any genuine investment, will improve with age." Smarthouse (volume 2 issue 4) - Summer 2002 “Given the aspirational stature of the TAG McLaren outfit, it comes as no surprise that the audio components it produces are extremely classy. More importantly, they perform like true thoroughbreds, which is just as well, given their asking price. "The most recent addition to the TAG McLaren Audio stable is the DVD32R, a welcome partner to the AV32R processor and 100x5R power amplifier already available. Unashamedly high-end, the DVD32R is one of only a handful of DVD players meeting LucasFilm's stringent THX Ultra requirement. It weighs in at just under 10kg and looks gloriously different from the norm... "Indeed, the DVD32R not only has the right stuff in AV terms, but is also a top scorer as far as CD performance is concerned. The images produced are quite brilliant, with shadow detail and contrast a particular highlight. Colours were natural but vibrant, with excellent resolution. In fact, grain and line formation were virtually absent, which is usually achievable only in conjunction with some sort of line doubling device. "In sonic terms, both DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound formats were treated with a sense of subtlety and integration that did much to enhance the overall home theatre experience. If anything, detail appeared to be particularly well represented, while the soundfields, often too disparate in lesser systems, were confidently merged into a cohesive, three-dimensional whole. The result is a sound that envelops and involves, that relies less on in-your-face impact than on absolute cohesion and credibility, and is all the more enjoyable and believable for it. In stereo terms, the DVD32R shines particularly brightly, and that should come as no surprise, given the sheer quality of the transport and data retrieval on offer here. Again, the sonic performance was marked by a rich harvest of detail, an expansive soundstage and almost holographic imaging.“ Audio Video - June 2002 “A relative newcomer to audio - and especially to home cinema gear - TAG McLaren has, in just three years, established itself as a heavyweight. Why? Because it's produced some of the best-sounding, and best-looking home cinema separates going. Take this combination of power amp, AV receiver and DVD player - the 100x5R, the AV32R and the DVD32R respectively. This is serious home cinema at a price, but the money is well spent.” T3 Aspirations - 2002 The 'forever young’ system AV32R, DVD32R and 100x5R "There are two important features of the TAG equipment reviewed here which are not necessarily obvious from reading the spec sheets. One is the way that the various components cooperate, which goes significantly beyond the norm set by other similar equipment. The really impressive point however, and this really distinguishes TAG McLaren from the crowd, is the upgradability of each of the components, which ensures that any and every improvement that TAG introduce can be implemented on existing units of any vintage." Performing beautifully "So we have established that the TAG system is flexible, and it turns its back on fashionable obsolescence. But all this would be for nothing if it failed to perform. Happily, and with some relatively minor reservations, it not only performs, it does so in spades... The processor AV32R is unusually transparent... The AV32R has a smooth, relaxed and finely controlled sound, with virtually none of the usual fingerprints of lesser digital audio... Similarly, and here is another absolute must-have for any system that demands to be taken seriously with music as well as home cinema, the DVD32R is one of the very few DVD players that deserve to be taken seriously as an audiophile CD player... The 100x5R offers fine precision and detail, and the treble again is of the highest quality... Musically, this is a system with true audiophile credibility, and with home cinema it is distinguished by superb video signal handling and aurally, by particularly well implemented and subtle versions of the main signal processing algorithms, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS." Home Cinema Choice Practical Tip "The home cinema market has seen an explosion in surround processing standards, more than could have been anticipated by TAG McLaren or anyone else. But the TAG hardware tested was designed so that it is almost infinitely upgradable... All this is supported by a well designed and comprehensive resource in the shape of the TAG website... So the message here is that this system will repay the investment by remaining abreast of developments as they occur. TAG’s record to date in this respect is exemplary." Home Cinema Choice Special Edition Supplement 2001 - November 2001 Fit for a king It's difficult to pinpoint where the DVD32R stands out, as it seems superior in just about every area, but a clear high point is that it maintains particularly good tonal differentiation in deep shadow areas and brightly lit areas alike. Colour registration is beyond criticism, even with the longer wavelength at the red end of the spectrum, which often registers poorly or is simply spread out and looks vague. There are odd moments when the screen composition and lightning conspire to produce a strikingly three-dimensional effect. In sonic terms the DVD32R produces stable, complex soundfields... One of the most remarkable qualities of the DVD32R is that, unlike the vast majority of DVD players, this one offers genuinely high-end audio performance with compact discs. Superb engineering; excellent performance; upgrade options: Best Buy What Video & TV - December 2001 "The unique TAG top loader offers DVD technology at the very highest level. Its picture quality is even without additional features, such as progressive scan, already in a class of its own; sound wise it challenges the best." Stereo - November 2001 Best DVD player: TAG McLaren DVD32R "Of course it goes without saying the TAG DVD32R gives you picture and sound to die for." T3 Readers' Award 2001. sound quality: "Excellent" VIDEO - October 2001 "Future-proof because of its upgrade policy, perfect quality in every aspect. "The best DVD technology we have ever seen." audiovision - October 2001 "TAG McLaren Audio offers with the top loading DVD32R a dream DVD player which is the basis for a very unusual upgrade policy. "The implemented set-up menu puts this player as the clear winner on the imaginary podium of user friendliness because of its well thought out and straight forward solution. "Sound and picture quality are as good as it can get, with the picture only becoming better if forthcoming progressive scan and digital video formats become available [such as the so called DVD192R Upgrade]." Image Home Entertainment - September/October 2001 If you've been awaiting the inevitable Stars Wars analogy, brace yourself: if R2-D2 was a DVD player he'd be the DVD32R. As futuristic as they come, this model combines the highest quality sound and vision when it happens across a complete home cinema setup. While other manufacturers try to give you the best for your money, TAG McLaren continue to deliver simply the best cinematic experience around... Hotdog - July 2001 "Although the DVD32R development focussed on surround sound and picture quality, it was surprising how accurately and musically it played CDs - if the only thing it could do was this, it would already be worth every penny. "Black was really black without any tendency to go pale or grey. In our home cinema test facility, the contrast was correct and the DVD32R 'painted' movie scenes with a high degree of believability thanks to the fine resolution of the colour. It wasn't a surprise that the DVD32R maintained the same top class in producing surround sound. "A source, like the TAG McLaren DVD32R, will succeed. "Surround sound and picture quality extraordinary." Audio - April 2001 Remarkable, this two-box combination [DVD32R + AV32R] breaks the 200 psec barrier for low jitter, with a figure of 135 psec even outstripping the very best single-box CD players. Other parameters, including S/N (111dB) and distortion (typically 0.0006% at -10dBFs) are about as good as it's possible to get with current technology. Sound & Vision TAG's [built-in] video test pattern generator proved essential in balancing the brightness, contrast and colour balance of the (Sony) monitor... All the panellists agreed that the subtle shading of bold colours, of flesh tones and even gradations of shadows in dark scenes was as impressive as they'd seen with any DVD source. As far as MPEG video is concerned, the DVD32R is about as transparent and sympathetic a decoder as you'll encounter. The player's sonic balance is equally well judged, for the bass is extended without sounding too heavy, the midrange is light, transparent and communicative while its treble conveys bags of insightful detail without sounding sharp or hard. Conclusion As a DVD player, the DVD32R/AV32R sweeps all before it and finally demonstrates that dual purpose DVD/CD technology need not sound inferior to plain vanilla CD. HI-FI CHOICE - March 2001 TAG McLaren's first DVD player (tested here with its matching processor, the AV32R) is, as expected , a tour de force of innovative engineering... McLaren's component video output offers the highest picture quality possible, for hook up to the growing number of TVs equipped to handle the high-quality standard. With DVDs, sombre colours of films like The Matrix possess excellent depth and texture, with subtle detail extending deep into even the most shadowy scenes. Colours are more vivid, vibrant and clean. Contrast - particularly impressive through the dark greys - is as good as you'll get with a conventional TV set or projection system... Sound quality from the DVD player will depend largely on your choice of outboard decoder and, for those in the market, will probably be the AV32R... Audio quality is as stunning as the picture and delivers movie soundtracks like Gladiator with aplomb. CD sound is as poised, detailed and enthralling as the best high-end CD players. Home Entertainment - February 2001 For: Outstanding build quality; outstanding specification; terrific performance in every area - including as a CD player. Against: Nothing - as long as you can afford it, of course. Verdict: The DVD32R is the perfect complement to TAG McLaren's excellent AV32R processor and 100x5R power amp - but it works pretty darn well in other systems too. "This TAG McLaren has been well worth the wait. It looks good, it's beautifully made and it's very easy to live with and use. Performance in all areas is well up to par, and it's a fine CD machine. Even at the price, this is an enticing DVD player." What Hi-Fi? - February 2001 "The DVD32R is nothing short of a masterpiece of 21st century technology, but then, at its price, you'd really expect little else... However, as we're fond of saying at Smarthouse, when it comes to technology, you have to expect to pay for the best, and the DVD32R is, undoubtedly, the very best." Smarthouse - February/March 2001

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