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Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D...

173.190.16.182
Posted on March 11, 2014 at 15:29:53
John Elison
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 Unlike Dave Pogue, I don't have an additional $2500 to make this thing listenable. I guess I didn't realize just how good my system sounded until I installed the Oppo BDP-105D in place of my music server and DAC. This thing is truly mid-fi at best. I bought it because it has balanced outputs and I thought it could replace my computer music server and DAC in addition to providing an SACD capability that I've never had. Unfortunately, its analog output stage is nowhere near as good as anything I've had in my system in many years. Either that or its internal DAC is not very good. At any rate, I cannot tolerate the downgrade in fidelity it provides so I've connected its digital output to my April Music Eximus DP1 DAC in order to get back to a listenable system again. The Eximus DP1 brings back the high fidelity but only with PCM digital. Unfortunately, it does not decode DSD or SACD. I borrowed a number of SACDs in anticipation of the Oppo BDP-105D's arrival, but they don't even sound as good as playing their PCM layer in an ordinary CD player. Oh, well. Live and learn!

Best regards,
John Elison

 

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RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 15:42:55
oldmkvi
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 I preferred Marantz 7007 to 105, also a Uni Player, no DSD Files, tho.
Sony 5400 is still available, but cd playback is lacking, SACD great IMO.
Way better than Oppo or Marantz, but they are DVD Players with added capability.
Marantz plays all PCM File Formats with USB Stick, but no match for Sony.
Or, splurge a little and get Z1!

 

Sorry about that, John., posted on March 11, 2014 at 16:39:15
Dave Pogue
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 I found mine quite listenable out of the box and a couple of audiobuddies confirmed it. Much better yet after Dan Wright laid his hands on it, but if you want to cheap out, so be it :-)

What's the "D" in the model number?

BTW, Are you sure you've goosed the thing to its max, via the monitor you attached to it? I guess I'm just surprised because mine clearly outperformed three Sonys and two earlier Oppos on CD playback and finally let me hear deeply into SACDs BEFORE I sent it to Dan Wright (but after a good 2-week break-in).

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 16:40:17
John Elison
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 Yeah, I guess I screwed up. I should have researched this a lot more. Furthermore, I didn't realize just how good my system is because I haven't really heard any significant difference between any of my DACs in the past 20-years. Even the DAC in my old Alesis Masterlink sounds just fine to me. The Oppo, on the other hand, sounds soft and somewhat blurry. It seems to blend everything together rather than separating individual instruments. The bass is soft and somewhat loose. It certainly doesn't have any digital stridency or harshness and almost sounds like a tube component instead of solid state. Unfortunately, I miss the detail, delineation and tight, deep bass of my Eximus DAC. I'm just glad I have an external DAC because the Oppo sounds very good when connected to my April Music Eximus DP1. That is one fine sounding DAC, IMO.

Oh, well. Such is life!

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Sorry about that, John., posted on March 11, 2014 at 17:22:22
John Elison
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 > Are you sure you've goosed the thing to its max, via the monitor you attached to it?

I have no idea what that means, but I have explored every aspect of its setup menu and I understand it thoroughly. I bought it primarily for listening to digital music and I've optimized it for two-channel stereo.

First you said yours was quite listenable out of the box and then you implied it let you hear deeply into SACDs before you sent it away for modification, but after a good two-week break-in period. I've been listening to mine for only three days. Perhaps it will improve.

On the other hand, I have a feeling that my system is more resolving than yours and perhaps that is the reason your Oppo sounded okay out of the box. I've been listening to high-resolution 24/96 and 24/192 digital with an exceptional DAC through Thiel CS3.7 speakers for over a year. Apparently, I've gotten used to a rather high level of fidelity and the Oppo brought me back down to mid-fi instantly. Oh well. Such is life!

Best regards,
John Elison

PS. The "D" stands for Darbee. It is a video enhancement system.

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 17:23:18
Mr_bill2
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 Hi John,

I found there was quite a few menu adjustments to optimize 2 CH playback. Just curious, if you made any beforehand? Otherwise, stuff like this is always a crapshoot, you never know about synergy untill you get them home and plugged in. In any event, you still have the 30 day return policy or if not, they tend to sell quickly on Agon. Sorry to hear of your disappointment.

All the best,
Bill

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 17:31:11
Mr_bill2
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 The DACs the 105 uses is the SABRE32 DAC. From what I've read, this DAC is expensive and used in other more costly hi end players...though I'm only quoting what I've read in a few reviews.

 

As you say ..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 17:39:39
Dave Pogue
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 ... such is life. Just to clarify, I WAS impressed by mine, out of the box. But after a trial listen, I put it on endless repeat playing a break-in disk with the amps off and didn't hear it again for quite a few days.

Since you've now played the "resolving system card," I just have to say I demur about our respective sonic wonderfulness. I mean, good grief, man, you're listening to solid state AND Thiel speakers :-)

 

Dun worry, you're not the only wan, posted on March 11, 2014 at 17:45:22
jeromelang
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 Bought one and sold it.

The buyer also bought one of my xa9000es player (with iLink cable removed, set to default 2-ch play mode)
He too prefers the xa over the oppo.

In replacement I got a DVP-S790 which sound closer to the TSDX/DAC2X than the oppo.

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 17:45:28
John Elison
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 Well, if it's not the DAC, then it is definitely the analog output stage. I wonder if there is a less expensive modification than ModWright's $2500 upgrade. I don't need tubes or an expensive power supply. I just need it to sound like my high-end solid state Eximus DP1 DAC. ;-)

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 17:57:01
Mr_bill2
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 http://www.tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/Oppo_105_Mods.html

Personally, based on what I've already heard from my unit, I would not add tubes but that's me, I already have plenty in the chain.

The EVS mod really excites me, makes a lot of sense and has a few good reviews. I might consider it later, as the price tag is very reasonable and Ric does good work and stands behind his mods for life.

Bill

 

Come Back of the Week!, posted on March 11, 2014 at 18:27:40
Gerry E.
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 "I mean, good grief, man, you're listening to solid state AND Thiel speakers" :-)

All kidding aside John - Did you really think the Oppo was going to replace the $3K Eximus DP-1?

Gerry

 

RE: As you say ..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 18:38:04
AbeCollins
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 "I mean, good grief, man, you're listening to solid state AND Thiel speakers :-)"

Hey wait a minute, I resemble that remark! I run solid-state through my Thiels and couldn't be happier. I've also run a few tube amps through the Thiels with excellent results, too.



 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 18:44:25
John Elison
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 Hi Bill,

Thanks for your input. Yes, I selected my subject title based on your original thread below. ;-)

Thanks for the link to EVS. That sounds like just the thing for my Oppo. I wouldn't mind having tubes, but not for $2500. All I want is a detailed, transparent sound quality like my solid state Eximus DAC and my Pass Labs components. If EVS can do this for the Oppo's balanced and unbalanced stereo outputs, that's all I need. I'm not interested in home theater.

Thanks again,
John Elison

 

RE: Come Back of the Week!, posted on March 11, 2014 at 18:57:15
John Elison
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 > Did you really think the Oppo was going to replace the $3K Eximus DP-1?

Yeah, I'm pretty stupid sometimes. I guess I've had really excellent DACs for the past 20-years because I didn't feel the Eximus DP1 was necessarily an upgrade in sound quality -- only an upgrade in digital resolution. I guess I should have known that a good analog output stage makes all the difference. ;-)

However, maybe the Oppo can be modified to sound good for a reasonable price by EVS. In the interim, at least I still have my April Music Eximus DP1 to connect to the Oppo.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

Before you sink $2500 into mods on the Oppo......., posted on March 11, 2014 at 19:21:23
sleeper
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 Give a listen to the Marantz SA11S3. I picked one up a couple of months ago and really like its performance on SACD and redbook in my system. It is a big sonic improvement over the Sony SCD777ES that I had in the rack for years. If you can borrow one or arrange a loaner from a local dealer, a home audtion will tell you if it rings your bell, too. You could sell the Oppo on Audiogon quickly for at least half what you paid for it, bundle the revenue from the sale with the $2500 you would have spent on mods, and be in the street price ball park for the Marantz.

 

That is what the 30 day return policy is for, posted on March 11, 2014 at 20:40:02
G Squared
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 Is there a significant restock fee?

I gave up on spinners and am all PC based now. I have a cheapo universal for the few SACDs I have. I am never going back.
Gsquared

 

RE: That is what the 30 day return policy is for, posted on March 11, 2014 at 20:52:35
John Elison
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 I might just take advantage of the 30-day return option. I bought directly from Oppo. I've never used a return option before because I'm usually happy with my purchases, but I guess there's always a first time. I honestly thought it would sound more similar to what I'm used to, but it's definitely mid-fi.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

I have no intention of sinking $2500 into mods...., posted on March 11, 2014 at 20:57:54
John Elison
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 Furthermore, I don't need to sell it for half price. I can return it for a full refund minus shipping costs. I've got 30-days from the shipping date to contact Oppo for return authorization.

Thanks,
John Elison

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 21:09:34
John Elison
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 Hi Bill,

I went through all the setup menus very thoroughly a few different times. I'm pretty sure its optimized for two-channel stereo. Furthermore, I don't think synergy is the problem. I connected it to a balanced input on my Pass Labs X1 control preamplifier in place of my Eximus DP1 DAC. My guess is that it just doesn't have a very good analog output stage. It's a shame they didn't bring the balanced output stage up to high-end quality.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

Great! You are risk free with the Oppo. NT, posted on March 11, 2014 at 21:53:00
sleeper
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 NT

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 11, 2014 at 21:59:22
DKC1
 That just shows you have to try equipment yourself, and not believe reviewers or individuals.

"Secrets of HT and Hi Fidelity" used an Oppo in their review of the Pass Labs XS300 mono blocks and XS line stage ($100,000+). When a reader questioned their choice, they replied the Oppo was the reference of choice on CD and SACD playback by everyone!

 

RE: I have no intention of sinking $2500 into mods...., posted on March 12, 2014 at 05:44:40
Mr_bill2
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 Hi John,

Return ship is picked up by Oppo, just follow,the procedures outlined in the manual and you will,be good to go, if indeed you still are within the 30 day time window.

Cheers,
Bill

 

Folks asking about the D designation..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 06:40:23
rlw
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 It stands for Darbee. The BDP-105D has the Darbee Darblet video enhancer...

-RW-

 

Have you tried the RCA output?, posted on March 12, 2014 at 07:18:54
hawkmoon
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 Have you tried the RCA output?

 

If Balanced isn't twice the voltage of RCA, use RCA!, posted on March 12, 2014 at 07:57:41
oldmkvi
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 My stock Sony 5400 has the same voltage on both, and Balanced sound weak and thin compared to RCA, even with Volume Control turned up on Bal compared to RCA.
Give it a try.

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 08:47:59
Mel
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 John,

How much break-in have you given the DAC circuits? It needs tons.

Suggest you put some music on a zip drive and run it 24/7 for at least a week, better two.

Mel

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:08:48
akltam
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 You are so lucky. In my part of the world, there is no such thing as 30 days return policy.

Thank you for your review as I am also wondering if a dozen hundred USD will do the trick.

Alan

 

RE: I have no intention of sinking $2500 into mods...., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:10:50
John Elison
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 Thanks, Bill.

Yes, I'm still well within the 30-day limit. My order date was March 4th. I'm still trying to make up my mind. I have never in my life bought something with the intention of returning it. However, I guess there is always a first time.

Thanks again,
John Elison

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:31:13
John Elison
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 Thanks, Mel.

I'll try that. I have at least 22-days left before I'm outside the 30-day limit.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

Agree..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:32:51
TWR
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 I would never post a negative review of any product before at least 200 hours of operation.
Open up your mind, in pours the trash. - Meat Puppets, 1987

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:34:13
John Elison
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 Well, I'm going to reassess the situation after I've given it some break-in time. However, there is probably a good reason that at least two other companies have developed modifications for its analog output stage.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Agree..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:41:12
John Elison
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 Well, I'll post an update after I give it some more break-in time, but I've been playing it quite a lot. I have watched several DVD and Blu-Ray movies and also some Netflix online movies. I watch movies and Netflix as much or more than I listen to audio. However, I will now put a CD on repeat while I'm not using it. I hope I don't wear it out before the 30-days is up. ;-)

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Agree..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:53:24
TWR
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 Good luck. I look forward to your impressions down the line.

I recently purchased the 105 but have not spent much time with it. Since I can do extensive mods myself, I'm not too worried since fundamentally it's a good design and has some features I like. I'll be using it for two channel unbalanced audio only (both movies and music) which will make the modification process easier.

For those that can't do their own mods, the EVS (tweakaudio.com) "Best basic mod for 2 channel unbalanced only" looks like a great value for $525. At around $1750 total, I'll bet this would be the current under $2k player to beat.


Open up your mind, in pours the trash. - Meat Puppets, 1987

 

RE: Agree..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 09:58:33
Mel
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 John,

That's why I suggested a zip drive with the music on it. No need to wear out the disk player when all you want to do is exercise the DAC and associated analog circuits.

I think you will be astonished with what the break-in does. I was.

The player also responds to aftermarket power cords. I tried two and the cheaper one worked better.

Mel

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 10:07:59
Mel
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 Yes, audiophile insecurity. There's a lot of that going around.

For years they have provided about the same mods to Oppo units, though Oppo has improved them over time. My own surmise is that over the years they are providing less and less marginal improvement. They may be providing some tone controls though.

The unadorned Oppo is doing splendidly in my setup and it replaced an outstanding Lavry DAC.

The only advice I would offer is not consider a mod until the unit is thoroughly broken in.

 

RE: I have no intention of sinking $2500 into mods...., posted on March 12, 2014 at 10:21:00
Mr_bill2
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 Hi John,

Just in case you missed something, this is a quick list of the adjustments I made to my player to get it 2CH stereo ready;

Pure Audio Mode always in use
Audio Play Mode always off
Auto Resume always off
Coaxial/Optical Output set to 192k LPCM
HDCD Decoding on
SACD set to DSD
Secondary Audio Off
HDMI Audio Off
Dynamic Range Control Off
DTS Neo:6 Mode Off
Output Volume set to Fixed
Stereo Signal set to Down-mix Stereo
Standby Mode set to Quick Start
Front Panel Brightness Off


If others have more adjustments please speak up or if you think I've made any errors please reply. Also remember this is optimized for a 2 channel single ended stereo system with the use of a preamp and no video concerns. I would imagine the use of balanced outputs would sound even better in some systems. Even more so a direct input to an amp would be more pure and was stated so in a few reviews I read, but both reviews warned the impedance match was important to note if you go direct. To which I have yet to try, as I like what the tubes in my preamp do. ;)

John, I hope this helps...but if not, it sounds like you are already very happy with your current digital set up. It just goes to show us, a perfect fit for all is not always the case and in the example of the Oppo 105 the home trial return policy is a nice option to have.

Regards,
Bill

 

RE: If Balanced isn't twice the voltage of RCA, use RCA!, posted on March 12, 2014 at 10:21:42
Dave Pogue
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 The Oppo 105 is MUCH louder through the balanced outputs than through the RCAs.

 

RE: If Balanced isn't twice the voltage of RCA, use RCA!, posted on March 12, 2014 at 10:34:17
Mr_bill2
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 Bal is 4.2 Vrms vs 2.1 Vrms for RCA

 

RE: You're Not Alone, posted on March 12, 2014 at 11:42:55
thegage
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 I ran mine continually for almost the full 30-day break-in before deciding it wasn't for me and sent it back. Impressive in a sort of hi-fi way, but emotionally it left me cold. Since I listen exclusively two-channel with only a smattering of DVD-A, I am much happier with the Sony XA-5400ES I picked up instead.

John K.

 

RE: As you say ..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 12:59:29
John Elison
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 > I put it on endless repeat playing a break-in disk with the amps off and didn't hear it again for quite a few days.

What disc did you use?

I've got a disc I've never played called "Irrational, But Efficacious!" I can copy it to a USB flash memory using Exact Audio Copy so as not to wear out the disc drive. It has white noise, pink noise, brown noise, etc. What would you recommend?

Thanks,
John Elison

 

RE: Agree..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 13:07:18
John Elison
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 > That's why I suggested a zip drive with the music on it.

Yeah, good idea! I have a CD called "Irrational, But Efficacious!" that is designed for "system enhancement." I can copy it to a flash drive (they're called "flash drives" now -- there used be something called a "zip drive" years ago). If you have any other suggestions for a break-in CD, let me know.

Thanks,
John Elison

 

I use Track 8 from the Sheffield/XLO Test & Burn-in CD, posted on March 12, 2014 at 13:32:29
Dave Pogue
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 It's 12 minutes long. Probably hard to find now and I would think any burn-in disk or any complex orchestral music would work pretty much as well. In fact, the notes to the Sheffield/XLO disc say you could use the entire disc rather than simply repeating track 8, but that burn-in would take longer. I kinda doubt that, but there it is.

 

Thanks, Dave. I'll just use some pink noise. /nt\, posted on March 12, 2014 at 14:06:11
John Elison
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RE: Thanks, Dave. I'll just use some pink noise. /nt\, posted on March 12, 2014 at 14:11:47
Dave Pogue
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 I'd use that Ayre disk you have.

 

At least you can, posted on March 12, 2014 at 14:12:17
G Squared
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 Use your DAC as a reference to compare it to over the 30 days. It will help you judge if use is improving the Oppo's sound or your perception is changing.
Gsquared

 

Perceptions differ..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 14:35:09
Chris Garrett
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 systems differ, moods differ.

John pretty much is disappointed. Dave likes it with a $2500 premium thrown in.

There is no 'end all, be all' solution out there that acts as a 'one size fits all.'

Unless a piece of gear is behaving bizarrely and making strange noises, or is woefully out of spec in a carefully done test, it pretty much comes down to 'personal preferences,' as the final arbiter of what 'we' call good and bad.

I've looked at John's system and he's got some nice gear, although I don't recall the DAC and transport company that he's running (and using as his litmus test,) but he's not happy with what he's hearing.

I agree with Mel, I think it is, that (an arbitrary) 200 hours would be sufficient, before making a judgement. I remember having the Sony SCD-1 in the beginning and this was before 'break-in' became an 'excuse' bandied about to cover short comings in gear, but it did take a good 200 hours and I remember listening one day and hearing things gel right in front of my ears.

Can't explain it scientifically, but it was there.

I know John's a vinyl guy and I'm sure that he'd give a phono cartridge a good length of time (50-100 hrs?) before proclaiming things A, B or C.

Then again, the Oppo isn't the greatest disc player on planet Earth, either. Some people may never warm up to its sonic signature.

Chris



 

RE: At least you can, posted on March 12, 2014 at 14:50:22
John Elison
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 Yes, I intend to listen to my DAC and then switch back to the Oppo after a week of break-in with pink noise, music, and movies. I will be listening to the music and movies via the Oppo's digital output into my Eximus DP1 DAC. If the Oppo sounds dull and unemotional when I switch back in a week or so, then perhaps it does not have a decent analog output stage. I will test both the balanced and unbalanced stereo outputs.

I honestly expected the Oppo to sound basically as good as my DAC and my Alesis Masterlink. The Alesis Masterlink was not an overly expensive component, costing only $800 in 2004, but it sounds perfect to me. By perfect, I mean that when I copy a vinyl LP at 24/96, the digital copy sounds identical to the LP when played back through either the Masterlink's DAC or from the Masterlink's digital output through my Eximus DP1 DAC. There might be minimal differences, but for all practical purposes, digital copies of vinyl sound identical to vinyl as far as I can tell. Therefore, I expected the Oppo to sound basically as good as my Masterlink and my Eximus DP1 DAC. I was very surprised that it sounded rather dull, blurry and unemotional instead of detailed and transparent. I actually wondered whether Oppo tried to give it a tube-like sound quality instead of an accurate sound quality.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

I fully intend to use the Ayre disc..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 14:53:10
John Elison
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 It has white noise, pink noise, and brown noise. I was planning to use pink noise unless you would recommend something else.

Thanks,
John Elison

 

RE: Perceptions differ..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 15:08:55
John Elison
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Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 > Then again, the Oppo isn't the greatest disc player on planet Earth, either. Some people may never warm up to its sonic signature.

I guess I didn't expect it to have a sonic signature per se. I was expecting it to be accurate and transparent like my Alesis Masterlink and also like my Eximus DP1 DAC. I've been listening exclusively to a computer music server for more than a year. All my CDs have been ripped to my hard drive. I was just surprised and disappointed when the Oppo sounded rather soft and unemotional instead of detailed and transparent like my other digital components. I don't think there is anything wrong with the Oppo, but I think you might be right about it having a definite sonic signature. I'm not really interested in that sort of thing in a digital component, though. I like my music to present the sonic signature and my digital components to reproduce whatever sonic signature the music presents. However, I fully intend to give the Oppo an adequate break-in period before making a final decision to either keep it or send it back.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: I fully intend to use the Ayre disc..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 16:08:51
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 I'm really not familiar with it so I can't be much help. Sorry. I thought it was just something you played all the way through that would somehow improve the sound of your system. And that no one seems to know how it works.

 

What They Said, posted on March 12, 2014 at 16:39:28
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 Of course give it some break in time as others pointed out. Put a decent power cord on it. Lift the AC ground especially if you're using the coax dig out. Compare the optical out as some ground issues transfer via coaxial but not via optical. Report back. Good luck!

ET

ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

You and I go almost all the way back to the beginning of this place..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 19:39:16
Chris Garrett
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Contributor
  Since: June 19, 2000
 everything has a sonic signature. You should know that.

That's why posting our systems and expressing our biases makes a big difference and somebody that only owns an X, Y or Z player, might not be the best guy to go to for advise in the long run.

I haven't bought a piece of gear since I bought my Masterlink back in '02, so I'm out of the loop and that's why I'm not posting much here, but from '99-'04 (maybe) I had a group of friends that bought some top notch gear and had really good ears. They had their biases like everybody else, but it was like hanging out at a few different stereo shops, multiple days a week.

I learned a lot and what I think might be neutral, is another man's warm, or sterile.

This stuff is all a crap shoot and sometimes we gamble and lose.

Best to just move on and chalk it up to experience.

If I had back every dollar that I lost on a component switch, I could buy a nice set of speakers.

Buy right, buy once, cry once, as we say.

Chris



 

Pretty much, I guess..., posted on March 12, 2014 at 20:33:36
John Elison
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 I was participating in audio newsgroups as far back as the early to mid 1990s. I got started in the Audio Asylum in December 2000.

> everything has a sonic signature. You should know that.

Well, I understand what you're implying, but some digital components do not have sonic signatures to my ears. The word "sonic" has to do with sound and hearing. As I stated in my post above, I cannot hear any difference between my 24/96 digital copies of a vinyl records and the records themselves. In that sense, my Masterlink digital recorder does not present any kind of sonic signature to my ears. Furthermore, when I play a 24/96 copy of a vinyl record from the hard drive into my Eximus DP1 DAC, it also sounds the same as the vinyl record to me. However, when I play the same 24/96 digital recording with the Oppo BDP-105, it sounds noticeably different. I didn't expect it to sound different and I'm disappointed.

Now, I have to decide whether I'm willing to live with the difference or whether I will return the Oppo for a refund. I'll make that decision in a couple of weeks after I complete a break-in period.

> This stuff is all a crap shoot and sometimes we gamble and lose.
>
> Best to just move on and chalk it up to experience.

Very true! But, I don't intend to lose $1300 if I don't have to. I've never returned a component because I didn't like the way it sounded, but there's always a first time. Oppo instituted the return policy for a reason and I might have to take advantage of it. I'll know more later.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Something is Wrong Here!, posted on March 12, 2014 at 20:34:30
Mel
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Posts: 2993
Location: New York City Area
Joined: February 21, 2001
 "I was very surprised that it sounded rather dull, blurry and unemotional instead of detailed and transparent. I actually wondered whether Oppo tried to give it a tube-like sound quality instead of an accurate sound quality."

I don't know about the emotional part, but if it sounds dull and blurry instead of detailed and transparant even before being broken in, there is something VERY wrong going on in your system. That description differs from virtually every review of it. It also differs from the consensus descriptions of users in its very extensive thread on the AVS Forum which I followed many months ago. Somewhere I have described it as "Avery Fisher Hall rather than Carnegie Hall." It should give you what's on the disk, warts and all.

Breaking it in mellows it, not the other way around.

Mel

 

RE: Something is Wrong Here!, posted on March 12, 2014 at 20:47:17
John Elison
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 Well, if there is something wrong with it, I'll return it. Perhaps the words "dull" and "blurry" are a bit too strong. It sounds soft. Bass is not tight and clean. The highs seem to surpress detail. It doesn't sound as transparent as my Alesis masterlink and my Eximus DP1 DAC. If it continues to sound this way after a break-in period, I plan to send it back.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

Send it back, John, posted on March 13, 2014 at 05:30:10
Dave Pogue
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Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
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 As Mel notes, something is so wrong with your Oppo 105 that even extended break-in time is very unlikely to bring it to acceptable standards.. The unit simply does not sound the way you describe it, despite a few posts here to the contrary.

I do have to say that the word "transparency" has me bothered a little. I recognize that "transparent" is the adjective du jour in many audio circles but to me (after hearing systems lauded as "transparent" at shows and elsewhere), it brings to mind words like "threadbare," "bleached" and "uninvolving." I'm sure you don't think of it that way, and that's probably a minority view. But in any event the 105 is, in my system, full-bodied, dynamic, very open, and quite sufficiently detailed without being "ruthlessly revealing." Just so you know where i'm coming from. And that's the stock unit. The ModWright version is a whole other story.

 

RE: Something is Wrong Here!, posted on March 13, 2014 at 07:04:26
Mel
Audiophile

Posts: 2993
Location: New York City Area
Joined: February 21, 2001
 John,

I found my year old post on Audiogon. This is what I wrote:

"I find it to be sensational. It replaced a very fine Lavry fed by a good Panasonic CD player. Soundstages beautifully and with the right material extends easily past the speakers. Great sense of depth. Terrific dynamics and strong and detailed bass. Very revealing, so watch out for poorly engineered disks. Needs tons of break-in. It encourages me to buy SACDs, including the old RCAs which are wonderful and inexpensive. It is Avery Fischer Hall rather than Carnegie, so system matching matters. For me it makes digital much more competitive with my vinyl. Among the joys is putting youtube videos up wirelessly on the screen and enjoying many performances with excellent video and audio that are available. They're getting better all the time. Much more enjoyable than watching on the computer. I should add that I'm only using two channels of it. And did I mention that it needs tons of break-in."

Of course, in different systems and to different ears YMMV.

And then there are the Bluray disks and downloads and on and on.

In fact I found it so good that I was almost tempted to give up on analog. But then I got a ringweight (everyone should have one of these), and it is now back and forth for me. I'll never have nearly as many silver disks as I have lps.

Best,

Mel

 

How can anyone Sell a product that doesn't sound good right away? nt, posted on March 13, 2014 at 09:57:47
oldmkvi
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Posts: 10583
Joined: April 12, 2002
 /

 

RE: Something is Wrong Here!, posted on March 13, 2014 at 10:14:13
John Elison
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  Since: January 29, 2004
 > Needs tons of break-in.

I am currently in the break-in phase. I'll let you know how it sounds after a good 200-hours or more of break-in.

Thanks,
John Elison

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 10:42:55
dbphd
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Posts: 1674
Location: Montecito, CA
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 OP might want to address this to the Oppo 105 owners thread at AVS. His negative impression, based on very limited use, doesn't comport with that of most others. Dismissing the impressions of others as having systems not sufficiently revealing seems a bit like saying their tastes are not as refined as his. He must have been aware that one can spend big bucks on specialized CD players. I assume he checked out the recommended components on Stereophile.

db

 

I'm going to break it in first..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 10:46:50
John Elison
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 Your idea of transparency is wrong. Think of it like this:

Suppose you are looking out a plate glass window onto a view of the countryside. If the window is truly transparent, what you see through the window will be identical to what you see when the window is removed.

Transparency and accuracy go together. I judge a digital components transparency with the sound of vinyl. My Alesis Masterlink is truly transparent in that I can make a 24/96 digital copy of a vinyl record and the digital copy will sound just like the record when played back through the Masterlink. Furthermore, when I transfer the digital file to my hard drive and play it through my DAC, it also sounds just like the vinyl record. However, when I play that same file with the Oppo, it sounds different than the vinyl record.

The Oppo has a definite sonic signature that none of my other digital components posses. Perhaps I've been blessed, but I have owned accurate and transparent digital recorders and players for the past 20-years. Perhaps you remember when Mike Lavigne challenged me in June 2007 to prove to him that I could make a 16/44 Redbook CD-R that sounded like vinyl. Mike lost his own challenge when he failed to identify the CD-R recording from a vinyl record being played on his $75,000 Rockport Sirius III turntable.

I really don't think there is anything wrong with my Oppo BDP-105D other than the fact that Oppo gave it a definite sonic signature rather than making it accurate and transparent. On the other hand, you must have thought there was something very seriously wrong with your Oppo to spend twice it price on modifications to its power supply and analog output stage. Actually, I was hoping that the Oppo would be accurate and that you wanted it to be colored, and that was the reason for spending all that money. However, that doesn't seem to be the case with my Oppo. It is already colored more than I prefer.

Since I have it setup and running in my system, I will keep it for another couple of weeks of break-in before making a final decision on whether to send it back. We'll see how it goes.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: I have no intention of sinking $2500 into mods...., posted on March 13, 2014 at 10:57:55
jkm
Audiophile

Posts: 605
Joined: July 20, 2001
 Do you havea Speaker Configuration Crossover Hz setting? I have a model 93 set to 80Hz.

 

OMG..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 10:59:51
Mr_bill2
Audiophile

Posts: 2178
Joined: September 17, 2002
 Will you or won't you, this is really getting exciting! ;)

A lot is riding on this decision, many egos could be bruised and sales might suffer, so let's not make a hasty call here....

John, pls put these guys out of their miseries so we can go back to listening to the music. LOL

Doug
PS; playing some Patty Barber Cafe Blue on MFSL SACD in the next room, I swear she's just right around the corner. So, so good!

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 11:15:51
DaveJT
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Ontario
Joined: May 25, 2007
 You're doing a lot of complaining about a player that isn't broken-in yet. I got my 105 in November and it steadily improved until the following January. I didn't use a break-in disc, just played music, it immediately sounded better than the 83SE it replaced and in January I stopped using my Accuphase DP-75 to play CDs.
I suspect that the 105D is similar to the 105.
Now I primarily use it as a DAC and am quite pleased with the performance.
Be sure to press the 'Pure Audio" button on the remote before listening to music, it makes a difference.

 

RE: I'm going to break it in first..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 11:18:31
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 We'll have to agree to differ on the subjects of "transparency" and "accuracy."

As to why I modded the 105, I've explained it elsewhere. But here it is. I have 150+ SACDs and thousands of CDs. I've had, prior to the 105, five players that would handle SACDs, topped by the $3K Sony XA-777ES. None of them sounded remotely close to my Raysonic 128 ... on CDs. On SACDs, the Raysonic -- playing the CD layer when there was one -- usually sounded as good or better than any of the SACD players

What I was looking for was one player that would do it all -- play CDs at least as well as the Raysonic and play SACDs better than anything I had heard to date. If the stock 105 hadn't done that, I wouldn't have kept it. It passed both tests. It sounded so good that I wanted to see how much better I could make it. Thus the ModWright modifications. And NOS Sylvania 6SN7s (arriving tomorrow). And a NOS 5R4GYS rectifier tube from Upscale Audio (arrived yesterday). And topflight power cords and interconnects (already owned). And full attention to damping and decoupling (maple platforms, brass cones, cork/rubber things, also already owned).

With all this, I still don't have as much new money in it as the original flagship Sony and Marantz SACD players, which the modded Oppo already pretty much leaves in the dust, IMO. Whether you keep it or not, your 105 will never sound like mine. But it should sound damn good. I still recommend that you send it back, because you have taken such a strong and repeated stand relative to the "inadequacies" you perceive, and I think you'd be much happier with something else. But obviously, your call.

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 11:38:00
John Elison
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Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
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Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 > You're doing a lot of complaining about a player that isn't broken-in yet.
> I got my 105 in November and it steadily improved until the following January.

Unfortunately, Oppo only gives me 30-days for break-in. I've got it playing the Ayre brown noise cut 24-hours a day. Well, maybe not quite. I also use the Oppo for movies and music some of the time, but I have my own DAC connected for accuracy and transparency. I'll check the Oppo's analog outputs again after it's got over 200-hours of break-in time.

> Now I primarily use it as a DAC and am quite pleased with the performance.

That was my intention. I bought it primarily to replace my music server and DAC in addition to adding an SACD capability to my system. Of course, it is also replacing my Blu-Ray disc player.

> Be sure to press the 'Pure Audio" button on the remote before listening to music, it makes a difference.

I have and I will continue to do so. However, I have not heard the slightest difference when pressing that button. I turn my TV off in addition to pressing the "Pure Audio" button.

Thanks,
John Elison

 

RE: I'm going to break it in first..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 12:09:30
John Elison
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  Since: January 29, 2004
 > We'll have to agree to differ on the subjects of "transparency" and "accuracy."

What are the terms that you use to describe a component that imparts no sonic signature whatsoever? Whatever terms you use to describe that concept, please feel free to insert those terms into all my previous posts in place of the words "transparency" and "accuracy." This will alleviate the need for me to rewrite everything I've already written so that you might understand its intended meaning. LOL! Unbelievable!

Yes, I now understand completely why you modified your Oppo BDP-105 -- you didn't like the way it sounded. Wow!

Thanks,
John Elison

 

RE: I have no intention of sinking $2500 into mods...., posted on March 13, 2014 at 12:14:51
John Elison
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 I assume that is only for the subwoofer low-pass filter. My 105 arrived set to 80-Hz. Its lowest setting is 40-Hz. I don't use the subwoofer output so I assume it doesn't matter where it's set.

Best regards,
John Elison.

 

Goodbye John,, posted on March 13, 2014 at 12:48:01
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 Happy listening.

 

It looks like your reference DAC is NOS?, posted on March 13, 2014 at 13:22:56
sbrians
Audiophile

Posts: 1455
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 If your references are analog and a NOS DAC, then I would not expect others to compete with that.

 

RE: It looks like your reference DAC is NOS?, posted on March 13, 2014 at 16:12:44
John Elison
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 Are you saying the reason the Oppo BDP-105 sounds different is because of its DAC rather than its analog output stage?

 

Yes, posted on March 13, 2014 at 17:59:33
sbrians
Audiophile

Posts: 1455
Joined: March 4, 2002
 As I gain more experience, more evidence points me in that direction.

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 18:08:02
DaveJT
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Ontario
Joined: May 25, 2007
 From your reply, I'm not sure how you are running the burn-in CD. You have to be using the analog outputs (XLR or RCA) when you are burning them in. It sounds like you are running a digital output to your other DAC and using the analog output from that.
I've been reading the other posts and your replies, and can say that my 24-bit 96 kHz recordings of LP's direct from the phono preamp to my ESI JuliaXTe sound card in balanced mode sound just like the turntable when played back on the 105.

 

Well, if that is the case..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 18:08:22
John Elison
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 I doubt it will improve with break-in. Oh, well.

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 13, 2014 at 18:18:56
John Elison
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 I've got the unbalanced analog output connected to my Eximus DP1 DAC/preamp so I suppose it provides a load. I just leave the DP1's selector switch on its optical input.

Perhaps there is something wrong with my Oppo because it doesn't sound the same as vinyl with my 24/96 copies, which all sound the same as vinyl when played on my other digital components. The Oppo imparts a definite sonic signature that my other digital components do not.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Something is Wrong Here!, posted on March 13, 2014 at 18:19:09
jbufka2
Audiophile

Posts: 422
Location: Michigan
Joined: February 4, 2003
 I bought a BDP-105 a little more than a year ago and had the same experience. I expected much better siound than I was hearing. After some more listening and comparisons with other players I had around the house I determined that I had a defective unit. Crutchfield sent a replacement right aware and wow, what a difference the new player made. The Oppo is very detailed and has solid deep low end and very detailed highs. My original player seemed to have one channel wired out of phase. Before giving up on the player ask for a replacement. It sounds like your player has an issue of some sort. All the reviews, and I can confirm this, suggest the player sounds just about the opposite of what you describe.

 

And they are correct..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 06:19:36
rlw
Audiophile

Posts: 3347
Location: Near West Palm Bch, FL
Joined: August 29, 2006
 The Oppo 105 is THE player to beat in the $1200 price range. Nothing else comes even close when it comes to fidelity, build quality, feature set, after sale support, etc...

-RW-

 

And it's safe to say..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 06:23:40
rlw
Audiophile

Posts: 3347
Location: Near West Palm Bch, FL
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 That your DVD-A discs now sit un-played on a shelf somewhere...

-RW-

 

Yeah, they like to be able to make payroll every month..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 06:28:05
rlw
Audiophile

Posts: 3347
Location: Near West Palm Bch, FL
Joined: August 29, 2006
 >>However, there is probably a good reason that at least two other companies have developed modifications for its analog output stage.<<

Those mods incorporate a tubed output stage, hardly the last word in accurate reproduction. It is well-known that 2nd order harmonic distortion is euphonic and somewhat pleasing to most people's ears. But it *is* distortion nonetheless...


-RW-

 

I agee with Dave..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 06:40:33
rlw
Audiophile

Posts: 3347
Location: Near West Palm Bch, FL
Joined: August 29, 2006
 Why not simply get another one in for a side by side evaluation? If it, too, sounds as you describe, then you simply do not like the Oppo sound. BFD. However, if it sounds markedly better, you then know that your original unit was faulty.

Even Oppo, with their SOTA engineering and production facilities, make a bad unit once in a while...

-RW-

 

RE: No, it's not., posted on March 14, 2014 at 07:22:15
thegage
Audiophile

Posts: 1157
Location: Western Mass.
Joined: April 29, 2000
 Leaving aside the snide aspect of your reply, I still have the 83 connected, and when I want to play one of my nine or ten DVD-As I just flip the selector on my preamp. I'd have more DVD-As if I felt they were sonically superior to SACD in my system, but I don't. Plus there's the PITA factor since my 2-channel system is separate from my video set-up with no monitor.

I initially went with the 105 mostly due to the FOMO factor: What if I don't have DVD-A capability? What if I can't do hi-rez from a thumb drive? What if I can't stream from my computer? What if I don't have HDCD for those handful of dics? I even went so far as to create an account at HD Tracks and download a few albums that people seem to agree are well mastered in the hi-rez format as part of the audition process.

As I said, it didn't do it for me emotionally.

John K.

 

RE: Yes, and regarding break in..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 07:35:11
thegage
Audiophile

Posts: 1157
Location: Western Mass.
Joined: April 29, 2000
 In my experience break in never makes better something that you don't like the sound of initially, it only improves on aspects you already find positive. All the times I've worked diligently on break in it has been on a component that had a bothersome aspect right from the start, and I was hoping that break in would change that. It never does for me. I'll make the (dangerous, since someone will probably ask for proof) blanket statement that any component I have ever had that was counseled as needing serious break in to see it at its best I have returned/sold within months of acquiring it. If the piece doesn't sing to me in some way in the first hour after warm up then 400+ hours of break in (what I did on the 105) isn't going to make me ultimately like it.

John K.

 

RE: No, it's not., posted on March 14, 2014 at 10:20:06
John Elison
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 Did you think the Oppo 105 sounded any better than Oppo 83?

 

RE: Yes, and regarding break in..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 11:05:59
John Elison
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  Since: January 29, 2004
 I basically agree with you, but I've had one experience with the exact opposite results. My Thiel CS3.7 speakers required serious break-in before sounding good. I originally heard them on a factory tour and I was completely blown away by their excellent sound quality. However, when I bought them and initially set them up, they sounded pretty bad in my system. I was actually shocked that the built-in speakers in my flat panel HDTV sounded better than the Thiel CS3.7. In fact, I was ready to dump them when a good friend told me, "John, you need to listen to those Thiels until you like them." Well, I respected this guy quite a bit, so I began playing the Thiel's night and day. They were bright with little bass and they actually produced distorted sibilance that I had never heard on female vocal recordings with which I was familiar.

Anyway, to make a long story short, after a month of daily use, the Thiel CS3.7 speakers transformed into what I heard in the Thiel factory listening room. They continued to improve for at least another six months, but after one month they turned into the best sounding speakers I have ever owned, and possibly the best sounding speaker I have ever heard. They are no longer bright in the least and they no longer produce distorted sibilance. Their bass improved considerably, but I still use a subwoofer for the bottom octave. These Thiel CS3.7s are now very musical and detailed, yet not the least analytical in the negative sense. They allow me to hear everything in the recording and they present good recordings with outstanding presence and realism. Their imaging and soundstage is truly holigraphic. They make good recordings sound better than ever and not-so-good recording sound not-so-good. Whatever their sonic signature, I now prefer it to any other speakers I've owned or heard.

Quite frankly, I had never had an experience like this. All my other experiences with break-in were just as you suggest. I suspect the Oppo BDP-105D will fall into the category for which break-in will not change the actual character of this component. Anyway, thanks for your comments.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Yeah, they like to be able to make payroll every month..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 11:16:50
John Elison
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 > Those mods incorporate a tubed output stage, hardly the last word in accurate reproduction.

Actually, one of mods to which I was referring is solid-state. It is also reasonably priced.

Thanks,
John Elison

 

RE: I agee with Dave..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 11:27:09
John Elison
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Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
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  Since: January 29, 2004
 I'd love to compare mine to another, but I don't think it's possible without actually buying another. Mine might be improving, too. I listened last night through its unbalanced analog outputs and it seemed to sound better than I remembered. It certainly is a nice Blu-Ray/DVD/Netflix player for video, though.

Best regards
John Elison

 

RE: I agee with Dave..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 11:58:13
Mr_bill2
Audiophile

Posts: 2178
Joined: September 17, 2002
 Hi john,

Could I suggest you call the boys, i.e., customer service at Oppo and describe what you are hearing so they might have an idea if your unit is either defective or just not to your liking?

In any event, they might offer to swap out a unit, gratis, and have you return the old back just for evaluation.

I have found them extremely helpful and accommodating when I had to call them for a few suggestions re my player.

Regards,
Bill

 

The Oppo 105, as reviewed in TNT UK by Maarten van Casteren, posted on March 14, 2014 at 13:02:54
Mr_bill2
Audiophile

Posts: 2178
Joined: September 17, 2002
 I also found this particular review to be spot on, as I hear it in my system as well.

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/oppo_bdp105_e.html

 

Optical input wrong?, posted on March 14, 2014 at 13:51:09
sbrians
Audiophile

Posts: 1455
Joined: March 4, 2002
 It seems to me, that to have a current into a load, you need to leave the preamp input on the analog while burning in, if current is much of a factor.
But, yeah, if the mfg. expects you to like the initial sound (within 30 days), then you better like it quickly or return.
My experience fits "thegage", below:
"In my experience break in never makes better something that you don't like the sound of initially, it only improves on aspects you already find positive."

 

RE: Optical input wrong?, posted on March 14, 2014 at 14:08:01
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 The balanced outputs from the Oppo have been connected to AUX 2 of my Pass Labs X1 control preamplifier since I installed the Oppo. My Pass Labs X1 input selector has been position to AUX 2 the entire time and the X1 has been on for eleven years; it doesn't have an off switch. I simply disconnected the X1 from my power amplifier and connected the Eximus DP1 DAC/Preamp to the amplifier. Then I connected the unbalanced analog outputs from the Oppo to the analog input on the Eximus DP1 and I also connected the optical output from the Oppo to the optical digital input on the Eximus DP1. The volume control on the Oppo is fixed to 100% and I use the volume control on the Eximus DP1 when playing music.

The Oppo might be sounding a little better or else I might be getting used to it. We'll see how it goes.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

RE: Oppo 83, posted on March 14, 2014 at 17:09:08
thegage
Audiophile

Posts: 1157
Location: Western Mass.
Joined: April 29, 2000
 Oh yes. The improvement in the breed, so to speak, was very obvious. Much more refined, greater instrument definition, depth, timbre, etc. But, as noted, something lacking for me that's more difficult to define.

John K.

 

RE: I think you are correct..., posted on March 14, 2014 at 17:13:14
thegage
Audiophile

Posts: 1157
Location: Western Mass.
Joined: April 29, 2000
 That in some cases speakers can be the exception to the rule, but in my own case I have never found that to be so. But then I have gone through many more components than I have speakers. In the case of the latter when I find what I like I stick with it.

John K.

 

tweak in review question, posted on March 18, 2014 at 13:59:16
sjg
Audiophile

Posts: 738
Location: Boston
Joined: April 8, 2004
 Hi, I am usually lurking over at the vinyl asylum where I occasionally post, or in the PC asylum where I have not posted.

I bought the Oppo 105 last fall and I am always interested in John's posts so I have been following this thread with great interest.

I reread the TNT review and was curious about benefit of covering the coax output if it is not being used -- from the review:

"I also experimented with a terminator for the coaxial digital output. This likes to see a 75ohm load, and can sometimes be noisy when left open. Since it is located directly under the audiophile stereo board the effect could be bigger than usual. I tried this and indeed could hear a very slight improvement in the sound. I left it in for the duration of the review."

Have others tried this? Results? What sort of terminator would do?

Thanks, Stephanie

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 21, 2014 at 14:24:16
Harold T.
Audiophile

Posts: 77
Location: New York area
Joined: July 16, 2003
 I'm coming late to this batch of comments, so maybe somebody said it already, but I recently got a 105, and when I played it out of the box was initially appalled. It was heavily veiled on both CD and SACD (two channel).

*** Make sure you get all the audio settings (done via a connected TV monitor) correct before you send it back! *** For some reason I've not seen any reviewers mention this, but this is NOT the old-fashioned high-end sort of thing with minimalist setup. It took me about three setup sessions to get it right, and then the veil vanished.

Experiment. There are several screens that matter here (haven't got the book in front of me). After I hit on the magic combo of settings, I LOVE it. It's the best front end I've ever had, on CD or SACD, and it plays just about everything else to boot. PCM and DSD downloads are great.

I have found their email customer support good also; they get back to you within 10 hours or so.

 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 21, 2014 at 15:17:44
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 Yeah, I've been listening to it for nearly two weeks and I think it has definitely improved. I actually sometimes like the sound of it now. For the first time, I'm thinking I might keep it. If you have any specific setup suggestions, I'm all ears. I was pretty disappointed initially, but perhaps I'm getting used to it. My final decision point will be at the end of the month.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

It is time to give your update review!, posted on March 21, 2014 at 20:50:19
akltam
Audiophile

Posts: 1057
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: September 29, 2002
 Thanks.
Alan

 

I thought I just gave an update..., posted on March 21, 2014 at 21:34:09
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 It sounds a little bit better. I'll make a firm decision by the end of the month, but I'm leaning toward keeping it.

There are a lot of things I don't particularly like about it, though. It seems to have a short drop-out on the first song of an album on the flash drive just about every time I begin playing an album from the flash drive. It doesn't remember that I've watched half a movie on DVD when I go back to the movie later. It doesn't turn my TV on automatically. It also doesn't change my TV back to TV after I've finished watching a movie and I turn off the Oppo. I have to do everything manually when it comes to switching inputs on my TV whereas my my cheap $80 Samsung Blu-Ray Player did everything I just mentioned completely automatically.

On the other hand, I'm beginning to get used to the Oppo's sonic signature and some things are beginning to sound good to me. Consequently, I might end up keeping it, but I don't need to make that decision until the end of the month.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

Describe the OPPO Signature you mentioned. , posted on March 22, 2014 at 08:43:03
akltam
Audiophile

Posts: 1057
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: September 29, 2002
 So that I can understand why you are keeping it.

Thanks.
Alan

 

RE: Describe the OPPO Signature you mentioned. , posted on March 22, 2014 at 16:48:42
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23900
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since: January 29, 2004
 I'm not keeping it because of its sonic signature. If I decide to keep it, and I'm now leaning in that direction, it will be in spite of its sonic signature. I'm becoming accustomed to its sonic signature and it doesn't bother me as much as it did when I first heard it. In fact, the more I listen, the more I'm discovering that some things actually sound pretty good when played on the Oppo.

The main reason I bought the Oppo was to consolidate all my digital audio and video components into one component while also adding SACD capability to my system. The Oppo BDP-105D does this very neatly. It replaces my DVD/Blu-Ray player, my CD player, my computer music server, and my DAC with one component that has balanced analog outputs. This is what I wanted. The Oppo BDP-105D allows me to remove all the clutter from on top of my fireplace mantel. You can see the difference in the following "before" and "after" pictures.







 

RE: Oh, no, I bought an Oppo BDP-105D..., posted on March 24, 2014 at 05:48:50
Harold T.
Audiophile

Posts: 77
Location: New York area
Joined: July 16, 2003
 I have it set up simply for 2-channel audio using the ordinary RCA interconnects out. No TV is connected (I subsequently bought a small monitor for it which is only used to play DSD and PCM downloads); when I first tried setting it up, I disconnected it from the stereo and went back and forth to the TV, just plugging in the HDMI cable, till I finally got it right.

I can't emphasize how much different the sound was out of the box with the factory settings: it sounded like the average cheap 1990-era CD player. (I received it on a very cold day; I don't know whether that had any effect on the sound.) When I got the settings right, it *immediately* jumped forward in clarity etc. 25 years. I think it's getting even better with more break-in, but that's *much* less pronounced a difference.

I *think* the most significant settings are:
1. Disable the remote volume control; I use my preamp for that.
2. Leave the default speaker/crossover settings alone (at least if you're doing 2-channel).
3. On Setup/Playback Setup, select DVD-Audio and SACD as appropriate for you.
4. CRITICAL FOR ME: on Setup/Audio Format Setup, I use:
Secondary Audio Off (this may have been the game-changer)
HDMI Audio Off
Coax/Optical 192k (I don't use this connection)
SACD Output DSD (but I know PCM sounds good here too)
HDCD Decoding On

I used an Esoteric SA-10 for about 6 years before this on CD and SACD, and that was good but the Oppo is better. And hi-rez downloads, both DSD and 192 or 176 PCM are a revelation: I like them even better than good vinyl.

Best of luck.

 

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