I have an Oppo Blu Ray player (BDP 103). Do I need a stand alone CD player?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by screechmartin, Aug 22, 2019.

  1. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I say it because it’s true. Why else? Try a dedicated transport you’ll understand what I mean.
     
  2. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    What are the dedicated transports that are that much better than the 103 when used as a transport?
     
  3. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    The Audiolab 6000CDT that I am using which I compared directly to my Oppo is far better in every respect. I am going to guess that the Cambridge Audio CXC is far better as well. I love my Oppo for video however it doesn’t cut it for music.
     
    Robsonschoice likes this.
  4. scottc1963

    scottc1963 Forum Resident

    Then, if the Oppo's don't do well as players? What would everyone suggest? I am curious because I have quite a few SACD's
     
  5. Dingly Del Boy

    Dingly Del Boy Forum Resident

    Location:
    British Columbia
    Happy to confirm that the CXC is indeed an excellent transport.
     
  6. Michael Chavez

    Michael Chavez Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    The first several Oppo models to come out (DVD) got rave rave rave reviews for their use as dedicated music players
    they also read SACD, HDCD and DVD Audio
    Oppo(s) were top drawer designs and ICs for peanuts
    Michael
     
    audiomixer likes this.
  7. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I'm curious as to the sonic differences between the Audiolab 6000CDT and your Oppo when both are used as a transport. Which external DAC are you using when you compared both players as transports? Thanks!
    Do you currently own an Oppo player? If you do how do you think your player sounds? I think the Oppo 95, 105 and 205 are excellent for SACD playback.
     
    zed and GerryO like this.
  8. captwillard

    captwillard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville
    The Oppo makes an excellent CD/SACD transport. I'm running the audio only HDMI to my DAC. A CD transport would't be an improvement.
     
  9. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    It would be my thoughts as well. But I've never used any of my Oppo players as an audio only player to an external DAC. So that's why I'm curious as to the sonic differences of the Audiolab 6000CDT player at $500 when compared to an Oppo player as transports. I think some feel that universal players have lesser transports than dedicated CD players. I don't believe that to be true when I've used the Oppo 105 and 205 as transports using HDMI to an Emotiva XMC-1.

    Below are two reviews of Oppo players in regard to CD playback. The reviews linked below are as players and not just as transports. But one would think the reviewers would be critical of the 105 and 205 transports if they felt they were substandard.

    "But it does provide really good sound in every major respect, and is certainly competitive or better than any of the CD players I’ve auditioned at anything under twice its price."

    "What it will do is engage you in the music of any well-recorded performance, and this makes it more of a pleasure to listen to over time than many far more expensive CD players have been in the past."


    Oppo Digital UDP-205 Multi-Format Disc Player and DAC

    "The player delivers big sound with a flourish. It shows true muscle which is a refreshing change from 'audiophile' CD players which often sound muffled. The Oppo not only builds large images but backs them up with appropriately intense venue response and its decay – everything the sound engineer decided to add to the basic direct sound."

    6moons audio reviews: Oyaide power delivery
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2019
    The Pinhead likes this.
  10. Big Blue

    Big Blue Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    A “CD player” is technically a transport and a DAC, the transport being the part that spins and reads the disc and the DAC being the part that converts the digital to anlog. Any disc player with analog outputs has a DAC built in, but that does not necessarily mean it has the best DAC built in. The digital outputs of the disc player bypass the built-in DAC, so you are using the player as just the disc transport, to a separate DAC, which will often times be of better quality than what is built in.

    IMO, it’s worth your efforts to buy an external DAC, try it out, and if you don’t think it sounds significantly better than the Oppo alone, return the DAC. It seems like that should achieve more improvement than buying a whole separate CD player and using its built-in DAC, unless you spend a lot of money on the CD player. Though, really, you could apply the same “buy one, try it, return if not thrilled” approach to a dedicated CD player, as well.
     
  11. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    The DAC was the one I am currently using, the Border Patrol DAC SE. The differences are remarkable. The Audiolab has greater detail, tonality, timing and sense of realness. It is a much better transport. I still have the Oppo. The DAC and Oppo were significantly better than the Oppo alone. The DAC and Audiolab is an even bigger leap in performance. I was shocked at how much better it is. Check Paul Rigby's review. He is spot on. The Audiolab is a game changer. Anyone here who says the Audiolab is not an upgrade to the Oppo as a transport is just talking. They clearly haven't heard it. I own them both.
     
    Robsonschoice likes this.
  12. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I compared the Oppo 103 as a transport to the Allo DigiOne Raspberry Pi streamer and felt the latter sounded better then the Oppo. So one more "X was a better transport then an Oppo 103" anecdote. I don't know if this means the Oppo is a sub-par transport or if there are simply better ones out there.
     
  13. captwillard

    captwillard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville
    Have you hooked up the hdmi2 out from your Oppo into your DAC? If you haven't you might just be talking, as well. I've compared the Oppo to a Marantz SA-15 LTD as a transport into my Bryston DAC via coax and didn't hear any sound quality difference.
     
  14. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks for your thoughts Art. If I hadn't recently bought a Marantz SA-10 I would order the Audiolab 6000 CDT. I might still do that and compare it to the SA-10's transport. Below is a link to the review by Paul Rigby. Very interesting!

    6000CDT CD Transport From Audiolab - The Audiophile Man

    On second thought I probably will not order the Audiolab 6000 CDT. As interesting as it is I have a large collection of SACDs. So having a player that just does CDs would probably not work out for my needs.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2019
  15. Michael Chavez

    Michael Chavez Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    outboard DACs aren't needed as much/give as much bang for the buck today as they did maybe 20 years ago because chip technology is light years ahead of what it was dollar and cents wise
    it's like that thing I am sick of hearing "there's more technology and computing power in your smartphone than the Apollo mission had" or whatever but as for chips?
    yeah, an IC that used to cost 14 dollars in quantity can now be had for 75 cents
    which means people like Oppo can (well, they could/did) design machines have them built in china and incorporate bleeding edge chips in them and do it all for 150 bucks
    chips are specing out better and better every day too
    the quality of ICs that used to reside in that second box of the two box player have come inside - in even some pretty attractively priced one box units! : - )
    just take a look at Analog Devices and Cypress Semiconductor - the things they are doing and the costs (how cheap) on a unit basis will blow your mind
    Cypress is getting more into touch controls lately
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2019
  16. rudym457

    rudym457 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Thailand
    i have an Oppo 103 and was wondering if any 205 owners have found a better outboard dac that beats it? for what used 205's are going for their must be something in 2020 for under a grand?
     
  17. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    You mean outboard DAC? Plenty of great outboard DACs, but I do Multichannel with my Oppo 105, so that’s where that stands.
     
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  18. Robsonschoice

    Robsonschoice Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ipswich UK
    I tried an Oppo UDP 2 years ago and against my current UDP which I eventually purchased as it sounded flat and a little less 'musical' side by side in a comparison test, the BluRay side was of little interest to me as I rarely play DVD's now and the current UDP was bought to minimise boxes and space as my Home Cinema kit was sold off. Like all multi use boxes (and this can also mean Integrated Amps etc etc) the more components to make it work is not always necessarily the 'best'option, some can but some don't. I will be looking to find a stand alone CD player at sometime in the future and would look at the Audiolab 6000cdt...or even a 2nd hand player but wouldn't knock anyone using an Oppo successfully.
     
  19. Kal Rubinson

    Kal Rubinson Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    You might look at this: Okto Research
     
  20. stereoptic

    stereoptic Anaglyphic GORT Staff

    Location:
    NY
    Looks promising! Right around $1k and does multichannel.
     
  21. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    What does sounding ¨musical¨ even means ?
     
    zed and scobb like this.
  22. Robsonschoice

    Robsonschoice Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ipswich UK
    I would say the same as artists describe paintings as flat or 3D, Colourful or drab, etc etc. The Oppo sounded to me more like a flat and uninteresting version of what was being played. Just my thoughts.
     
    The Pinhead, Art K and scobb like this.
  23. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    The Oppo 205 certainly cuts it for music as it has one of the best Dacs available to date. For CD playback the transport is actually the weak link. Sounds great as a DAC using the CXC as transport. Just use it as a player for SACD and DVDA.
     
  24. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    Thanx; been seeing ¨musical¨ used to described sound but never figures what people meant. To me, if it plays music, it sounds ¨musical¨ , in a bad or good way. I'd use ¨natural¨ , but hey, it's just me.
     
    zed likes this.
  25. Robsonschoice

    Robsonschoice Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ipswich UK
    I'd agree with that....:) we are on the same wavelength there !!
     
    The Pinhead likes this.

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