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In Reply to: RE: So... posted by RickeyM on May 30, 2016 at 17:59:24
Well, the most spectacular improvements are for the audio section of the player. In addition, the picture is improved a lot. The picture it get more contrast, less (and well noticeable) noises (as much "cleaner" picture), increasing of the fine details, as tonal levels. The black level is also improved (but it depend on the used monitor type). I haven`t tested it yet on 4k...
I initiated this improvement process (for few years ago) as I was not satisfied at all with the muffed sound out of the original device, even though the most of the Oppo owners appreciate the player as it is. For me it was just not enough, especially on sound side, also knowing it have inside the most advanced DAC chip on marked. I bought it actually the first Oppo player (95), because of the ESS9018 chip inside.
To describe the sound improvements is not easy, but there is here not only about "better bass", or "rich treble". The improvement is quite difficult to admit that is so as it is... comparing with an original player. There is another and very real sound scene (it depend of course on the records quality). I noticed at once on the original device about the sound scene, that it was divided in three quite distinct parts/sections/areas on almost every record I`ve played back: left side, with the sound coming right from the speaker, the right side, with a similar directed sound, and the rest of the sound components concentrated in a middle point (on the speakers line). I just knew that such spatial distribution of the sound components is not right. After these mods were in place, the sound stage is very different: the sounds does not come any more from the speaker's placement, but are perceived as been into the room, all around the speaker's physical position. The sound components are not any more concentrated on three points in space, and on the same line, but in a 3D placement, with depth, back and front, and in between the speakers position and the centre. Just distributed all around into the space, as it was at the record session (if the record is of a high enough quality or the sound it was well engineered). The bass it come exactly from where the instrument is placed in space, and is not any more diffuse, coming from everywhere as for an unimproved device. The low-end spectre it is as low frequency as it is difficult some times to hear it. However, it is felt very well, with the whole body, as it should be actually, from a big drum or a very low bass instrument. Sometimes (it depend on records) one feel the vibrations, before realising there is a sound which it generate it. Impressive!
The high end of spectre is very detailed and extremely precise distributed in space. One can perceive the different positions in space of very close cymbals hit it by the percussionist. A drum solo is just impressive to experience it/listen it. For the first time (after so many years of listening it), I realised on this modded device, how in fact the Tangerine dream records it (should) sounds. Just amazing movements of the sounds in space all around, from front to back, and in space as the producers intended it.
Well, all these it have to be experienced to realise what this is all about.
The first and very important step for improving radically this player, is the replacement of the original SMPS (switching mode power supply for its digital stage), with a linear one. Then is about improving the power system of the DAC chip, the post DAC analogue processing stage, the clock system (powered by battery in my mod), and some other small but important improvements.
The clue with this Oppo player itself is not the device`s design, as this it suffer for many imperfections and faults, but the use (at least for the sound stage of it) of the most advanced DAC device on marked today. After one it correct the design faults, and improve what is to be improved, then this device it become in fact a very high end audio (and video too) piece...
This is about the entire clue with this product: the active component basement is good, and it can be improved, for spectacular results...
Follow Ups:
Is a service manual available for the Oppo products or have you a schematic? I wouldn't be able to even envision what could be done without a schematic.
Unfortunately there is not available any detailed service manual or schematic. In my case, I had to do everything by myself, examining the boards, circuits, traces... and of course, knowing how the things it works, should work, testing it, correcting the faults, and so on. Quite an work, I can only say... And most surprisingly, I did not burnt it anything...
OK thanks, that's what I expected. I have the Oppo BDP 95 with the Modwright tube output stage. Right now it is working well and sounds great, but I am a tinkerer so I'm thinking about future upgrades and the linear power supply sounds pretty much within my capabilities.
Indeed, a such moded player it need a linear PSU for the digital board too. I have a external version for my LPM, which it was designed especially for 95 model, as this one do not allow heat dissipation inside its enclosure.
Please PM me if such it could fit for your needs. If you may have enough technical skills, you may be able to install it by yourself...
External LPM - Oppo 95
Why not just buy a separate DAC?
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