Help with an AV processor

@wemfan 

If you wanna use the Oppo 105 as a preamp surround processor first you will have to set the built-in volume control in the Oppo to variables and make sure you turn down the volume all the way before turning on your Parasound Halo A31 amp. Connect your Oppo directly to your Parasound Halo A31 amp via XLR balanced stereo analog audio on the Oppo 105 to the front LR inputs on the Halo A31 amp, and connect the center channel analog audio out of the Oppo's multi-channel analog audio outputs to a center channel input on your Halo A31 amp. And connect the Oppo's sub out to a subwoofer if you have one. And control the volume from the Oppo. 
I assume you are only doing 3.0 or 3.1 since your Parasound Halo A31 amp is a three-channel amp, unless if you are planning to add more power amp(s) to complete 5.1 or 7.1 setup. 

Alternatively if you are looking for a very good sounding preamp surround processor (pre pro) and if you don't care for 4K video pass through or Dolby Atmos, DTS-X, etc there are some older preamp processors that I would highly recommend to you and today they can be had at quite reasonable prices due to lack of supports for 4K video pass through HDR, Dolby Atmos, DTS-X, etc. 

I highly recommend the Classe SSP 800 av preamp processor. This pre pro originally retailed for $9500 when it was in production and has been discontinued in 2017. Phenomenal sounding AV preamp processor for both movies and stereo music. Nowaday a used SSP 800 can be had in used markets for around $3k ish or less due to lack of supports for latest formats. I used to own the SSP 800 in my reference high end theater room setup. 

The Classe Sigma SSP is my other recommendation and again has been discontinued in 2017 and doesn't support latest formats eg 4K, Dolby Atmos, DTS-X etc and nowaday can be had for around $2500 in used markets. The original retail price was $5k when purchased brand new when it was still in production. This is for the original version of the Sigma SSP, not the Sigma SSP Mkii version which retails for $6 brand new when it was in production and the Mkii version has also been discontinued. The Sigma SSP Mkii version supports Dolby Atmos, DTS-X & 4K video pass through but not HDR nor Dolby Vision. 
Both the Classe SSP 800 & Sigma SSP would sound excellent. 

If you go a pre pro route, you will have to connect your Oppo, cable TV box, etc using HDMI to the pre pro. Your Oppo 105 has dual HDMI outputs, one optimized for audio and the other for video. You will have to split the HDMI AV outputs in the Oppo's menu and connect the video only HDMI out directly to your TV and the audio only HDMI out to a pre pro. 

Hope this helps. 

 

If your Panasonic Plasma TV or cable server box has digital audio output (coaxial or optical), you can connect it to the Oppo-BDP-105D digital audio input.

Hello wemfan,

      Both Loomis and Al above are correct, you can use your Oppo 105D as a preamp processor to do what you want.  Here's how to do it:


1.  Connect an HDMI cable from the output on your cable box to the HDMI input on the back of your Oppo.  Note: this input is listed as "3. HDMI IN-Back" when you later use your Oppo remote "Input" button, located on the top of the remote between the red "Power" button and the disc drawer white "Open" button, to select the proper cable box source.  
     Once setup is complete, you'll be using the Oppo remote to control volume and the cable remote to select the channel.

2.  Connect another HDMI cable from the "HDMI 1" output on the back of the Oppo to the HDMI input on your TV.  Note: you'll also need to select the proper input on your TV.  It's also important to use the HDMI 1 output on the Oppo because it's the only output that benefits from the Oppo's excellent Marvell QDEO video processor. 

3.  Connect a pair of XLR balanced audio cables from the left and right XLR "Stereo Outputs" on the back of the Oppo to the "CH 1" and "CH 3" 
XLR inputs on your A-31 amp.  For wiring simplicity, I suggest using CH 1 for the right channel/speaker and CH 3 for the left channel/speaker.  Set the "Gain" knob to the middle 12:00 position and the "Balanced/Unbalanced" switch to the balanced position on both channel CH 1 and CH 3 inputs. Use speaker wire to connect the right LS50 to CH 1's  speaker outputs and the left LS50 to CH 3's speaker outputs.


4.  Connect a single RCA unbalanced cable from the "Center" output on the back of the Oppo to the "CH 2" RCA input on the A-31 amp.  Set the "Gain" knob to the middle 12:00 position and the "Balanced/Unbalanced" switch to the unbalanced position on CH 2. Use speaker wire to connect the KEF center channel speaker to CH 2's speaker outputs.
     If you want to add a sub, just connect a single RCA unbalanced cable from the "Subwoofer" output on the back of the Oppo to the sub's RCA input.

5.  The final step is to use the Oppo's remote to navigate to the Audio Processing Setup Menu to optimize the audio configuration.  This is the section in which you're able to match the relative volume of your speakers, indicate whether a center ch speaker and/or a sub is being utilized, set the crossover frequency for the sub and determine which speakers will have bass assistance from the sub and which will not.  You can read all about this section beginning on page 63 of your Oppo manual. 

     I'm certain this setup will work well for you since I also use a Panasonic plasma, Oppo 105 (not a D version) and multiple amps in my combo 2-ch music and 5.4 HT system.  The Oppo 105 are excellent serving as surround processors up to 7 channels with a sub or subs.  There's no Atmos but all channels utilize high quality Saber dacs capable of up to 24 bit/192kHz hi-res playback.

Tim

good advise from noble and the others

Caphill,
Using the Oppo for a processor is the way to go for me as I want to keep things as simple as I can. I don't anticipate growing from 3.0 except maybe a sub. I do appreciate all of the info you gave me. THX

Tim, I've read and reread your post and now I have finally got it going but with a few issues. It seems I can run the two main speakers or the center channel but, so far, not at the same time. Under, audio processing- DTS NEO:6 mode, off engages the two main speakers as does the music option. The cinema option turns the two mains off and engages the center channel. How do I engage all 3 speakers at once? I went to Speaker Configuration and turned on the 3 speakers I have and turned off the others and selected 5.1 mode.