Farewell to OPPO Digital

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by SamS, Apr 2, 2018.

  1. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    If you are charging £7000 (price of MAC in UK) I doubt the cost of assembling a fairly low volume item in USA or UK v China is that significant unless you want to squeeze out the last drop of profit. Looking at the upgrade instructions for Opp 203 the actual assembly time isn't going to add a lot until your talking much larger volumes than Macintosh sell. There are a lot of products on the market that are made in China to max profit. For instance I don't see Rega prices are higher than other Uk electronics brands that are now made in Taiwan. The imported stuff isn't a bargain so their not manufacturing offshore to keep prices down. Products are priced to compete in a certain target sector. In my view with exceptions like Oppo prices have escalated in spite of Chinese production other than at the bottom feeder level.
     
    The Beave and BrettyD like this.
  2. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    The only problem is that Oppo universal players went belly up.
     
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  3. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    If they went 'belly up' there wouldn't be an orderly rundown. Why they are ceasing production still isn't clear but probably lack of demand as well as the brand being less prominent than the big boys. I suspect there is also a problem that the middle market has disappeared (at least for blu ray). The mass market won't pay Oppo prices while a small well healed minority still exist that can support very expensive specialist brands.
     
    The Beave likes this.
  4. The Beave

    The Beave My Wife Is My Life! And don’t I forget it!

    For the McIntosh, yes, but not for the OPPO. I might not be wording my post right so please let me try again.
    The OPPO 205 is Sonically transparent. It neither changes the characteristics of the digital audio signal in any significant manner nor does it add any signature of its own to the digital signal.
    The only way the McIntosh could 'sound' better is if it were NOT sonically transparent by them tweaking their circuitry to alter the sound of the deck, and then someone liking that deviation from transparency.

    Which is fine, I don't mind that at all, but scientifically, one a device achieves audio transparency, that's IT. Your down to the synergy of the total system and the mastering of the discs or signal you feed it.
    For me, I'm hearing things in discs like Mono Stones, Mono Beatles, discs that I've literally listened to thousands of times, that were never audible to me on my past decks. Pretty amazing seeing a lot of those albums are far from audiophile quality.

    And I swear the new cooling fan I got on the right side of the hood has changed everything to sounding like it's 3D!
    It's so real that after listening to a Stones Song where Mick Spat out the lyrics, I had to get a rag and wipe his spit offa my face!!!!

    :D:crazy::whistle::wave:

    Well maybe that's exaggerating things a bit.........:winkgrin:
    But I do dig the fan.
    Beave

     
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  5. The Beave

    The Beave My Wife Is My Life! And don’t I forget it!

    He's not an amateur hack tullman. He knows his stuff and has the experience and numbers to prove it.
    He's also a member here so be careful on who you insult.
    Beave
     
  6. Tullman

    Tullman Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    I apologize for the insult, but I do not consider any of his measurements worthwhile.
     
  7. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    The point about manufacturing goods offshore is not to pass reduced costs on to the customer, but to increase the profit share on the bottom line for the company. It mans that your £2000 player is still £2000 after offshoring, but the company's bottom line is improved.

    Wages in China are also on the rise, for several years now, so the benefits of reduced costs become less appealing as wage parity gets closer. No bad thing, I think, as skills at home are otherwise lost.

    How Much Does It Cost to Manufacture Overseas Versus at Home?
     
  8. mitchius

    mitchius Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jamison Pa
    I was basing my info on a review of the current McIntosh MVP901 $5500 and a review I read of it.
    Mitch
     
  9. Actually, it is that much. Skilled US manufacturing labor could be paid around $60,000/year or higher, not counting the cost of health insurance, 401k, and other benefits. Industrial labor cost in China is probably 1/3 that.
     
  10. That’s what I believe, with the exception that Oppo Digital has essentially gone “belly up.” Also, the well-heeled audiophiles WERE purchasing Oppo players, but that market just wasn’t large enough to sustain Oppo’s business model, IMHO. Plus, the spectacular customer support, extensive testing, and top notch technical development were all very pricey.
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2018
  11. The Beave

    The Beave My Wife Is My Life! And don’t I forget it!

    Well here is a sobering thought.
    Using the post a few pages back about OPPO'S business model, the 205 lists for $1300.
    Allowing OPPO DIGITAL in Menlo park a 100% markup, they wholesale it to them for $650.
    And they, in China, get their 100% markup, that leaves the manufacturing cost of the 205 at $325.00.
    So, the actual cost to build a 205 in China is $325.

    And this fits with what happened with EMOTIVA 6years ago when they retired their Sherbourn line, the Pre 1 I bought for $169, listed for $899.
    The home theater receiver my friend bought for $540 listed for $3599!.
    Food for thought........
    Beave
     
  12. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    The Sherbourn/Emotiva story is totally different than the Oppo story. Emotiva bought Sherbourn thinking they could go upscale and found out quickly that it was a mistake. High priced outdated designs and technology. I bought one of the Sherbourn amps and sold it as it was not really that impressive.
     
  13. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend Thread Starter

    Location:
    Texas
    The MVP901 is based on the same MediaTek platform as the OPPO BDT-101CI, which doesn’t do native 4K, either. The functionality/features of these two players is therefore very similar.
     
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  14. formu_la

    formu_la I'm not a robot

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    60k on a consumer electronics assembly line? Impossible. And it is not really a "skilled" labor. Of course if you talking automotive union labor, you are correct, but it is not the case here.
     
  15. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    Certainly doesn't in hifi and I can't think of many who've cut prices. Most maintain or increase in line with costs over time.
     
  16. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    It's a run to the bottom. Increase prices = less sales = increase prices to compensate for lower sales. Amps that cost £500 in the 90's now £2K. That's almost high end.
     
    Brother_Rael likes this.
  17. Google “skilled labor salary surveys” and you will see that $60,000/year is accurate. I would consider assembly of electronic products to be skilled labor.
     
  18. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    The popular amps from the 1990s (say) that spring to mind - Pioneer A400, Arcam Alpha 5 & 6, Marantz PM44-SE, PM66-KI, Kenwood KA3020-SE, Audiolab 8000A, to name a few, all came in at the £250-£500 mark.

    These days, some of the names might have changed, but you'll still find Marantz (PM6006 (£300?), Arcam (A29 - £550/600?), Audiolab now clock in around the £900 mark, but their 8000A was £500 back in the early 90s.

    Modern wallet friendly amps are cracking VFM I think - you have to look long and hard to get a bad one. They're rigged out well and most come with ample connectivity for contemporary sources. Granted, it's harder to put together a Laskys special for £299 (or even £99!), at new prices, but that was over 30 years ago, and these days, there are so many options for great audio that you'be able to turn in a great system for reasonable money. Retailers in the UK like Lintone and Moorgate, amongst others, often have great deals on that are well worth investigating (got my Quads from Lintone and I'd be hard pressed to part with them for a while yet).
     
  19. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Nobody doing assembly would get that. I would be surprised if they could get much more than £20k here in the UK. Highly skilled IT jobs (specialist stuff) can get £60K+ apparently. 'Skilled Labour' covers a lot of things but an average of $60,000 is way too high.
     
  20. formu_la

    formu_la I'm not a robot

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I don't need to Google it as I am involved with this kind of production. It is not skilled labor. Any diligent grade 8 can do it with minimal training.
     
  21. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Guys can we get back on the topic of Oppo and not what is and what is not skilled labor. That type of back and forth can go on for quite awhile. Thanks :).
     
  22. Agreed!
     
    Bill Mac likes this.
  23. Partyslammer

    Partyslammer Lord Of The New Church

    Has there only been one production run and notification of 205’s few day availability since June?
     
  24. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I'm 99% sure the answer to your question is "Yes." I was part of the June notifications, which was the first offering, and I haven't heard of a 2nd set of notifications since then.
     
  25. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    133 pages in on the death of Oppo and we're getting tetchy about not enough Oppo Bill...? ;)
     
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