Denon DVD-2000 (1997)
Denon's first DVD player came out in 1997 as the DVD-2000. It was a straightforward deck that covered the DVD-Video baseline - multi-angle and multi-language playback - and it decoded linear PCM at various high-resolution audio rates. HiFi-Stereo (August 1997, p.14) noted a list price of $799. It also noted an optical digital audio output for connecting outboard Dolby Digital decoders, plus Denon's Twin-Focus Pickup, which was there to make sure standard audio CDs played reliably.
Audio (November 1997, p.78) took a longer look and measured clean numbers. Line output sat at 2.16 V from a 0-dBFS signal, channels balanced within ±0.05 dB, and A-weighted signal-to-noise hit 106.5 dB. Dynamic range came in at 96.8 dB unweighted and 99.1 dB A-weighted. The reviewer called the 0.17 dB roll at 20 kHz "first-class." The front panel is minimal: a central disc tray, a power switch, a headphone level control with a gold-plated jack, and six transport buttons.
Outside these period reviews, the DVD-2000's full history is thin. No production run totals, later firmware revisions, or collector-market notes have surfaced in the available record.
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