I vote for option 3.
Oppo 95 vs. Mac Mini + dac
My oppo-95 is still under trial period and I'd like to explore any other options that I may have.
Before oppo-95, I was running Electrocompaniet ECD-1 dac fed by AppleTV. Beautiful midrange but the rest of freq extremes and soundstage are bettered by oppo-95. Mainly due to AppleTV lacks of audiophile quality (superb interface and convenience though).
But coming from AppleTV, I feel oppo-95 user interface, netflix/youtube streaming are awful. Although very happy with sound quality improvement right now (oppo @450hr burn-in), I'm not sure if this is the user interface I'd like to live with - I can control AppleTV with iphone but with oppo, I need a monitor and have to use oppo remote. So, the following is the options what I can think of. Any suggestion and commentary are welcome.
1) Get a quality C7 power cord for AppleTV (Nordost Purple Flare or PS Audio Jewel). Try if ECD-1 + AppleTV + power cord will improve enough to return oppo-95. Maybe wishful thinking.
2) As mentioned above, even with sound quality improvement on oppo-95, I'm not entirely satisfied with its midrange and some digital glare. I may need to get at least Modwright SS mod ($500). Tube-mod probably is a little too expensive ($2000). Oppo USB feature is good but interface issue remains. Hopefully, the mod sound quality improvement is good enough to live with this.
3) Return oppo-95, get a mac-mini (+ pure music or amarra) to use with ECD-1 dac. The thought of having all your music at your finger tip is really exciting. AppleTV may still have better interface but at least now I'll be able to use my iphone for control. Plus, I read somewhere that the latest mac mini power supply has been improved over the older models and I may not need a mod and be satisfied with it. Not sure if it is true or not. Maybe worthwhile to try this out? (with this option, I maybe able to explore some other external dac in the future as well)
I have revealing speakers, class A amp and very neutral SS pre.
Thanks in advance, folks.
Before oppo-95, I was running Electrocompaniet ECD-1 dac fed by AppleTV. Beautiful midrange but the rest of freq extremes and soundstage are bettered by oppo-95. Mainly due to AppleTV lacks of audiophile quality (superb interface and convenience though).
But coming from AppleTV, I feel oppo-95 user interface, netflix/youtube streaming are awful. Although very happy with sound quality improvement right now (oppo @450hr burn-in), I'm not sure if this is the user interface I'd like to live with - I can control AppleTV with iphone but with oppo, I need a monitor and have to use oppo remote. So, the following is the options what I can think of. Any suggestion and commentary are welcome.
1) Get a quality C7 power cord for AppleTV (Nordost Purple Flare or PS Audio Jewel). Try if ECD-1 + AppleTV + power cord will improve enough to return oppo-95. Maybe wishful thinking.
2) As mentioned above, even with sound quality improvement on oppo-95, I'm not entirely satisfied with its midrange and some digital glare. I may need to get at least Modwright SS mod ($500). Tube-mod probably is a little too expensive ($2000). Oppo USB feature is good but interface issue remains. Hopefully, the mod sound quality improvement is good enough to live with this.
3) Return oppo-95, get a mac-mini (+ pure music or amarra) to use with ECD-1 dac. The thought of having all your music at your finger tip is really exciting. AppleTV may still have better interface but at least now I'll be able to use my iphone for control. Plus, I read somewhere that the latest mac mini power supply has been improved over the older models and I may not need a mod and be satisfied with it. Not sure if it is true or not. Maybe worthwhile to try this out? (with this option, I maybe able to explore some other external dac in the future as well)
I have revealing speakers, class A amp and very neutral SS pre.
Thanks in advance, folks.