The best, but with a diminished rate of return.

This DVD player is undoubtedly the finest standard-definition DVD player on the market (with the notable exception of its own evolutionary successor, the 5910CI).

As the owner of a HD-DVD player and the frequent viewer of a friend's Blu-Ray player, I have had the considerable privilege of enjoying a multitude of next-generation consumer video media. In spite of my experiences with these exceptional formats, I would be hard pressed to say that there is a significant real-world benefit over that which can be achieved by the world's finest upscaling DVD players.

Without going into extensive and boring detail, I will simply say this: I can tell that HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are superior formats in terms of video quality, but I have yet to encounter a single second-party viewer who can clearly delineate between a second-generation disc and standard-definition DVDs played on my 5910. The fact is that this player is so exceptional on every level that it can, in many ways, elevate mere DVDs to near-HD performance.

Every review I have read of the Batman Begins HD-DVD has detailed at length the superiority of picture and sound, and yet not a single person who has viewed the two versions of the movie at my home has been able to tell the difference between formats. This is not a criticism of HD-DVD, but a resounding accolade of the 5910's performance.

If you must have the very best standard-definition DVD player, then you need not consider any other component. There are offerings from premium manufacturers, such as Theta, that command an even more unjustifiable price tag, but I refuse to believe that these can demonstrably trump the Denon. At a total cost of roughly $600, my Xbox-360 with HD-DVD drive can compete admirably with my $2000 5910, but the Denon offers sound quality that is absolutely impossible with any other component in the sub-$10,000 range and the benefit of providing comparable video-quality for your entire DVD collection.

Buy it at a discount, but buy it with confidence. The Denon 5910 is a reference-grade player that can elevate your current collection of DVDs, SACDs, DVD-As, and CDs with equal aplomb. Pick your next-generation format or go with this player and defy the early-adopters. The choice is yours.