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75.111.28.146
Just checking before I press "go to checkout"!
Follow Ups:
Look at the Cambridge Audio DVD. From what I read ( and remember) it uses similar circuitry if not exact, with better power supply, options, and build. I bought the Oppo because of price, but like the Cambridge better.
"There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness"
Mike
I think the 970 is 'on sale' (maybe refurbished units?) on Oppo's site for $119 or something! So that might be a driver for our friend. (Whoops - just checked, they are out of stock ...).
I hope sanman got one if that's what he wanted! Otherwise, $169 is a great deal for what you get in the 980.
The XR-57 + 980 is $440, which seems like a still outstanding deal for a pretty darn high-end digital audio surround setup! Add the Polk Audio RM6750 package ($250 on sale at Amazon ...); $700 + shipping total seems like a pretty reasonable deal for what I bet sounds better than many $1000+ packaged systems.
And better sound than what you maybe had to pay $4000 to get not too many years ago!
I am fortunate (or un-, in many ways!) to be approaching 50, and I now have a fairly good 2-channel (actually 2.1) setup after upgrading over the years ... but I am about to take a larger upgrade plunge (as I can justify it - hey, you only turn 50 once!). BWAAAAAA-HAAAAAA-HAAAAAAA !!!!!
This hobby does keep escalating ... be warned! (of course we know that ... it's the Audio Asylum, after all).
- Rick.
If you do a Google search for the OPPO 970, you will find several favorable reviews touting it as good as or better than many universal CD/DVD players costing hundreds of dollars more.I will not repeat their rave reports except to say that I have had my 970 for about four months, and, after letting it "burn in", am so pleased with my OPPO 970 that I use it instead of a much more expensive Marantz CD player in my main system.
I cannot comment on the 970's video or surround sound capabilities since I use it solely for 2 channel audio. Most of my CDs are either classical or Jazz and I now can appreciate the details in the instruments and vocals that were missing prior to my listening to the 970.
Some years ago, I had aspirations of being a professional violinist. But lack of time for instensive practice and probably the requisite talent reduced my violin playing to small amateur classical and jazz groups. However, I still managed to accumulate a large selection of recordings by violin virtuosi of the past 60 or more years.
When I listen to these recordings, I am very sensitive to the details of fingering, bowing articulation, harmonics, pizzicato etc that can sound muddied or nonexistent on some CD players. The OPPO 970 does a great job of bringing out all these details and dynamics without sounding harsh or edgy.
Recently, I acquired Panasonic SA-XR55 digital reciever with digital inputs that I connected directly to the optical output of the 970. After allowing the XR55 time to "burn in", the results were truly amazing. I was hearing even more details in my orchestral and solo recordings.
Despite their budget price, the XR55s are also receiving rave reveiws on many forums. Connecting the XR55 directly to the optical output of the 970 gives you a pure digital audio up to the output stage.
Since speakers and room acoustics vary, I use both AKG K701 and Sennheiser HD650 headphones that are considered reference standards by many audiophiles to verify these results. The XR55 has an excellent headphone output with plenty of power.
When you consider that both the OPPO 970 and Panasonic SA-XR55 can be purchased for a total of around $300, you have a great budget system for all your video, surround and 2 channel audio requirements.
For a few dollars more, you may want to consider getting the new OPPO 980 in which some of the electronic components have been upgraded.
Good Luck.
Barney
People who are into 'warmth', 'tube sound' or 'smooth' sound, may not like the Panny sound. It is totally a very neutral presentation, but you dont have to strain your ears to hear the 'room/recording venue' ambience or every detail. It has a very open sound. To me it sounds like a monitoring feed in the studio. I love it. Especially with good recordings it is fantastic.
"Since speakers and room acoustics vary, I use both AKG K701 and Sennheiser HD650 headphones that are considered reference standards by many audiophiles to verify these results. The XR55 has an excellent headphone output with plenty of power."
IME XR55's headphone jacks are some of the worst headphone outputs I have ever used. I have tried many headphones with it, including Grado RS-1, AKG K701 you mention, etc, and none of the 'phones sounded anywhere near their potential at all. If anything, I would recommend making a headphone adapter with some resistors and using the XR55 speaker outputs for headphones...
"IME XR55's headphone jacks are some of the worst headphone outputs I have ever used. I have tried many headphones with it, including Grado RS-1, AKG K701 you mention, etc, and none of the 'phones sounded anywhere near their potential at all. If anything, I would recommend making a headphone adapter with some resistors and using the XR55 speaker outputs for headphones..."I have been a dedicated headphone enthusiast for many years and have used all kinds of amplifiers, most recently the Grado RA-1. I have also made some DIY adapters like you recommended.
One of the problems with playing the violin like I did for many years is that the sound you hear with the fiddle under your chin is not the same as the sound projected by the instrument. Sometimes you need a microphone placed at a distance with an amplifier or recorder and headphones to properly monitor the sound.
Since the XR55 does not have a preamp output, the headphone jack is the only convenient way for monitoring the audio with cans. Most of the reviews I read that mentioned the headphone output were very positive. One reviewer even said that listening to the XR55 with his headphones reawakened his enjoyment of recorded music.
IMHO The headphone output of the XR55 is relatively detailed and musical compared to some other amplifiers I have listened to. There were subtle differences in the soundstage and ambience when I listened to the OPPO with other amps/preamps, but, in general, the headphone output of the XR55 when listening to the digital sound of well-recorded Cds was not fatiguing or harsh and edgy - just the opposite.
I well realize that the perception of musical sound and what is pleasing is very subjective for different listeners. So I would hesitate to criticize your opinions about the headphone output of the XR55.
As the old Romans used to say: "De gustibus non est disputandum." " About tastes, there should be no dispute."
Regards
Barney
"but, in general, the headphone output of the XR55 when listening to the digital sound of well-recorded Cds was not fatiguing or harsh and edgy - just the opposite."
Actually, that's just my problem with it. It's not harsh or edgy but sounds too restrained/unresolved and microdynamically uninteresting for *MY* tastes. But perhaps we're really coming from different expectations, as I usually enjoy tube headphone amps with huge power supplies, i.e. Eddie Current headamps, some Singlepower amps, Ray Samuels B-52, and of course my Almarro..
Well, I can't settle this very polite disagreement, because, after all, it's a matter of taste. But I just plugged my trusty Senn 580s into the Panny for the first time. I've read a number of folks on the net talking about the headphone out on this amp being terrible. Hadn't even tried it up to this point for that reason. I can't imagine what they're talking about. I don't think my Senns have ever sounded that good. I know they've never delivered that much bass before. I listened to Lucinda Williams' "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road," a pretty well-recorded album, and the detail, clarity, range and dynamics were great. The bass? Just extraordinary. I didn't know the Senns were capable of that, and I'm used to listening to them through a dedicated Headroom headphone amp. Not one of the more expensive ones, but still a very nice little amp. Harsh? Cold? Didn't sound that way to me... I like this cheap receiver more every day.
I dunno. Maybe the folks who said this headphone out was awful are listening to a different version of this amp. Maybe I'm just hearing what I want to hear, but I know exactly what these Senns are supposed to sound like. Or maybe it's the cans. 580s are very warm - nothing even remotely brittle or trebly about them. I'll try the Etys tomorrow. They are much crisper than the Senns. Maybe they'll make the Panny sound bad...
Tim
Well said, Barney! I have to second the opinion. I just received the 980, and immediately compared it head-to-head using synchronized high-res copies of CD-Rs to my slightly modified Philips DVD-963SA (considered somewhat of a 'giant-killer' only a couple of years ago; was $499 list).
This is with a few CDs (I will get to SACDs later), but so far the Oppo equals the 963SA in all respects, sounding *remarkably* similar, just slightly 'crisper'/more articulate in the highs, without being tizzy or whatever in any way. This seems to bring out more details, seems a little higher resolution ...
I think the 'PRaT' (Pace, Rhythm, and Timing (coined by the Brits, apparently)) is actually better (this thing SWINGS!).
Interesting to see what it all sounds like after 50 hours or so of burn-in ...
I agree also if you can, go for the 980 over the 970 - apparently it is much better ergonomically, and some parts/implementation in the audio circuits have been improved.
AND, it has HDMI output! If you can find a good (likely multichannel) receiver/integrated amp with HDMI input, it would be (technically) really sweet. The HDMI connector carries up to 24-bit/192kHz digital audio information from DVD-As and SACDs. (SACDs will not output data from the standard digital outputs of the 970/980 due to copy-protection schemes, and the output of DVD-As is 'truncated' to 16 bits (from a maximum of 24) - but whether this has a sonic effect on all but megabuck systems is questionable ...).
I am sure the setup Barney describes is excellent, and probably impossible to beat for <$400! and especially if you have mainly CDs (as I do) the rest is moot ... you can hook up both the digital and analog outputs to the receiver (I assume it has both) and use the digital one for CDs, the analog one for SACDs, and try both with DVD-As ...
HTH, - Rick.
Rick I agree with you about the 980. With better ergonomics and improved electronics, it sells for $170 - only $20 more than the 970. It will probably be my next purchase since my brother is interested in my 970.
If you are looking for a receiver with a HDMI input, you might want to consider the Panasonic XR57. From what I've read, it has all the features of the highly-rated XR55 with the addition of the HDMI. Both are digital 7.1 100watts per channel amplifiers with provision for bi-amping main speakers. There are 2 optical and 2 coaxial digital inputs and at least 4 other analog inputs with assorted video inputs and outputs as well.
There are a number of reviews of the RX55 in the Reviews section of the Audio Asylum and reams of pages of reviews and comments in the avs forum.
Panasonic must have realized they had a hot selling item with the XR55 which had a list price of $300 and was selling for $150 because they priced the XR57 at $400, and the best price you can get it for at the present time is $270 - almost twice the price of the XR55. Despite the fact that I would like to have the HDMI for SACD and DVD-A, I think I will wait a while until the price comes down even further. For the present, I am very happy with the XR55.
Regards
Barney
that by moving my old Philips 935 out of the bedroom and into the office, I can use the Oppo for both audio and video as I have a Toshiba 32" tv in there, with no dvd player! I'll hook it up to my pioneer 303 receiver for now (I'm proud to say I have 4 stereo setups in my house and no plans to escape...)we can watch movies in bed this winter...think I'll get the 980.
you guys are great, thanks
I just took delivery on a SA-XR55 last week, and haven't tried the headphone out yet. I've been too busy enjoying listening to speakers after a few years of having none and doing all my listening through a Headroom amp and Senn 580s or Etymotics. I'll let you know how I like the Panny's headphone jack, but here's a basic question: Is it driven by a cheap op amp or is it the digital amps in the Panny through a series of resistors to power it down? Anybody know?
Tim
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