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OPPO or Something Else?

I am very ignorant in the latest and greatest in digital audio. My current setup is all analog with the exception of a CD player. Before OPPO announced their cease of production I read a lot of reviews and opinions from what a wonderful product it is. My main interest is in the quality of audio it can produce and not so much with the video capabilities. However, it is probably more capable than my current Blu Ray player (3D is not a concern).
Getting back to audio quality my sources are CD's and SACD's. I know that DAC's are all the rage with digital media. While researching the history of the various OPPO models that came out over the years, and paying close attention to user experiences with audio performance, it seems that with each model the audio quality improved with each release of a new model. Such as.....the 95 over the 93, the 105 over the 103, and the 205 over the 203.
Since the close of OPPO production it makes sense that the price of existing units in good condition would bring a premium price in the used market to those determined to purchase one. There are also many opinions that some of the upgrades to those units elevate them to a supreme product (those upgrades/modifications appear to cost almost as much as the units themselves).
Given that info on what my listening media is, would purchasing a used OPPO whether modded or not offer very good audio performance versus buying a different piece of equipment in the $1k to $1.5 range? I know that there are many OPPO users out there that are satisfied with their purchases. But I am mostly interested in opinions that have strolled down the OPPO path and have been disappointed with the audio performance.

jrpnde

Showing 3 responses by whart

whart's avatar
whart
2,967 posts
 
On the audio only side, I didn’t think much changed after the BDP 95, based on reading about how the chips were deployed (you can’t really access the internal DAC itself, something you can do on later models?). I bought one used from someone who I know takes care of his equipment for very little money. It sounded pretty good using the stereo analog outputs. But the transport actually seemed like a choke point-running into an external DAC didn’t make much of an improvement. I bought a much better stand alone Redbook only transport (I know that doesn’t address your SACD) and then I heard a demonstrable difference. I put the Oppo in my small HT system in another room.
I am new to the digital side- i’ve been a vinyl only guy since the late ’60s and have a very good vinyl front end. I’m actually very impressed with how (some) digital sounds- much, like LPs, seems to be down to the source material itself.
whart's avatar
whart
2,967 posts
 
I believe the reclocker won’t do anything if you are using the Oppo analog outputs. I think Steve, who can (and does) speak for himself here, will tell you it improves performance of the transport outputting a digital signal to an external DAC. I can tell you that, based on my experience with the BDP 95, using an external DAC without more didn’t improve things much and I suspect it was a shortcoming in the transport for Redbook, since using a more expensive Redbook only transport (no reclocker) definitely sounded different than the Oppo as a transport.
Since I’m new to digital (though pretty well versed in analog), I had several friends tell me to skip the traditional disc spinner altogether, invest in a DAC and rip CDs or download albums to a computer based software playback system. I have set up one of those and it is pretty impressive, even on a budget; it is far more complicated by wiring, boxes and set up but once I got it working and learned more about how it worked, i’m pretty pleased (there I do use a relatively inexpensive device to covert usb to coax which also reclocks). I did want a conventional transport though I suppose you could eliminate it if you are wiling to do the ripping.
whart's avatar
whart
2,967 posts
 
@mahler123--I appreciate your different viewpoint, given my admittedly limited experience on the digital side. I’m trying to understand where we differ.
Are you saying that the Oppo worked fine as a transport, and using other external DACS revealed their potential? (My impression, as mentioned, was that the Oppo transport was a choke point for Redbook).
The 95 doesn’t permit me to access the internal DAC directly as i understand it; i can attach a thumb drive or hard drive, but that is going through the internal player as well as the internal DAC of the Oppo. So, I was not able to assess the sonics of the Oppo DAC standing alone. By contrast, I gather the 105 has inputs to enable you to use its internal DAC directly and use computer based software players, rather than just plugging in external ’memory’ and relying on the Oppo as a player and DAC.
Overall, I thought the sound of the 95 from its analog outputs was pretty good. The product(s) deliver a lot of performance for the money, and are built to a standard far higher than most of the cheapie Blu-Ray players I once had.
I also agree that it is unfortunate that Oppo chose to discontinue making these universal players altogether.
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