2 channel sound in a blu ray player

Get the Oppo 95! you got a 30 day trail period. this thing is the reference in all it does!

A Bit of background first

(i) I had the ARCAM FMJ CD23 myself (fine kit!) until November as part of an All Arcam FMJ bi-amped 2 channel kit, -- operating as a discreet 2 channel audio system -- separate and distinct from my independent 7.1 AV system.

(ii) I also have the CAMBRIDGE AZUR 650 BD Blu-ray player in that separate AV system. Go read the tech reviews and pop the hood on the Cambridge and you are looking at a unit that is near copy of the OPPO or vice versa.

(iii) I now have a REGA ISIS VALVE cdp/ REGA OSIRIS in my successor discreet 2 channel audio system.

THE POINT:

The Cambridge Blu-Ray player does many things well, including inter alia playing SACD recordings in a 7.1 arena (a manufactured sound) --- BUT ... and it is a BIG BUT .... it never measured up to the ARCAM CD23 redbook cdp nor the REGA ISIS redbook cdp player on ANY PLANE vis-a-vis playing 2 channel music. The compromises were very apparent, and that's why I have two discreet systems with separate audio and video players.

IMO the BR player as an audio player is a measurable compromise in 2 channel audio, which is okay as along as those trade-offs are considered in advance.

Good luck.

i've had a similar experience as kotta and akg--the oppo is fantastic for video, but for redbook cds my arcam cd73 and even an older rotel rc955 sounded better to my ears. i emphasize that this is purely my own, necessarily subjective opinion and that i haven't compared with other br players, which may sound better or worse