Panasonic DMP-BDT500 Pro Reviews

I have a mixed opinion of the Panasonic DMP-BDT500. It does a spectacular job with its video performance, and its price point makes it an easy recommendation for that alone. But as an audio player upgrade, it leaves me unimpressed. Although its sound quality was very good, I doubt it would represent a significant (or even noticeable) improvement over the sound of the D/A conversion found in most mid-level receivers when coupled via HDMI or coax/optical cable. Considering that the Panasonic also lacks support for DVD-Audio, SACD, and DSD—the most desirable audiophile formats—I would recommend that budding audiophiles spend a bit more if they’re in pursuit of great audio playback. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a budget option to supplement a legacy receiver that lacks decoding for the latest lossless Blu-ray audio signals, or you just don’t care about those high-rez audio formats, this Panasonic is a great choice you won’t regret.

Few will appreciate its multitude of audio-enhancing features, but this is still a fantastic Blu-ray player

The DMP-BDT500 certainly looks like a flagship player with an attractive, if rather traditional, design. The metal chassis, gloss black finish and brushed metal strip along the bottom of the facia give the player a suitably high-end look. The larger dimensions, solid feet and increased weight, also help provide a sense of high quality player and the BDT500 is very quiet in operation. The rear connections are reasonably comprehensive and include twin HDMI outputs and 7.1-channel analogue outputs. The remote control is a big improvement on the one included with the BDT320 and whilst it still has a touch pad, it also includes all the major buttons, making it much easier to use.

Panasonic has done it again – this player delivers a truly captivating performance