Oppo UDP-205 Announced

No relation at all to the seller, but I just saw a 205 with Modwright tube output stage and outboard power supply for $3200. Good price for all that you are getting.

Oppo 205 w/ Mod Wright Truth Mod Tube Upgrade

 

I thought all multi-region Blu-ray solutions were physical mods on the 103, which I don't believe are affected by normal firmware updates. However, I do know a few Oppo updates have removed certain capabilities you can't get back. The biggest being the option to read ISO files directly off a usb drive.

 

Wasn't that the 93/95 models? The 103/105 early firmware would do DVD-R SACD playback iirc.

Thanks for posting correct terminology. Zone is confusing when referring to multi-region...

 

Yes they send it modded that way to Argentina. Perusing the forums, I've read plenty of horror stories about firmwares making Oppos loose capabilities, like a guy with hundreds of SACDS not being able to play them anymore. So no connecting to the internet for me. Anyway I just play Redbook, the odd file from a stick, and DVDs I've yet to get my first BD title. Pity about the Media Control app; would love to have that on my phone.

BTW; do CDs sound exactly the same as when ripped to flac and played from the stick ? Heard the USB as its own DAC chip, which may cause differences in sound and volume ?

 

USB output will sound different because it uses the dac that is receiving it. USB input from drive will sound the same as CD.

 

I think you're correct. The 103 had SACD-R capability before Oppo removed it.

 

Much rather have the ripping "feature"...

 

Which one is that ? It has 3. I use the frontal one.

 

All of them.

 

Almost bought this, but missed out. Great deal for sure.

 

Why?

 

Because I've never owned a ModWright modified Oppo player and the price was excellent.

 

IF you were to mod your 205, what's the best bang for the buck?

 

That was a good deal and it sold fast. I heard a ModRight modified 95 a number of years ago. It sounded very nice. I remember feeling tempted at the time.

Were I not so happy with my DS DAC, that I would have been tempted by that unit as well.

 

The 205 was available when I inquired but someone that contacted the seller earlier got it. The reviews of the ModWright 205 that I've read have all been very positive.

 

Are you asking which mod company is best? Or the least expensive?

 

Personally I think that there are better options available today than modifying an Oppo. I'd rather buy one of the better Marantz SACD players before modifying a Oppo today.

 

They do sound good! But I personally dislike having tubes sticking out of the top of the unit and of having an external power supply. I would not get one of these over an SA-10. YMMV.

 

I wonder how the Modwright 205 compares to the McIntosh MVP901 player. I believe the Mac does everything the Oppo does. The McIntosh costs about $5000 retail, and the Modwright comes in about $4,000 retail with the works. At least, the McIntosh will have service for many years.

I have a 205, and I will get the modwright mod. I just don't know how soon. If I didn't have the 205, I'd probable go for the McIntosh 901.

 

I like the tubes sticking out. Once the power supply is installed there is nothing to it but a toggle switch.

 

Well this post makes me feel good . I recently bought a Marantz SA-10 and it does sound excellent. Listening to Patricia Barber's Modern Cool MFSL SACD and it sounds outstanding!

That'd be a good comparison. I've never owned any McIntosh gear but they have excellent sounding and great looking gear.

 

Different strokes. I'm glad that this look works for you. I personally dislike the recent trend towards having tubes stick out of the top of preamps, DACs, and CD players. This approach just looks tacky to me. With the exception of power-amps, I always want for my tubes to be inside of my units, not outside. Although I totally understand that there is literally nowhere to fit a set of tubes inside of an Oppo. So I do understand Dan's design decision here.

Regardless, there is no doubt that those ModRight units sound great!

 

Don't forget, when replacing the tubes it is easy if I don't have to pull the top off with the many screws.

 

True. But I normally leave the screws out of the lids on anything which I am running for equal convenience.

 

Is there a phone # to Oppo support I can call? I know I called them in the past. My remote for my 205 isn't working. I've changed the batteries, but it just seems to be suddenly dead. Player still works with the buttons on the front panel. I've tried moving the channel selector to the other positions and tried holding 0 + Enter with the player on and disc tray open as the manual suggests, but nothing. Before I buy another remote I just wanted to know if there was some other way to determine it just went bad, which seems odd. The remote for my 105 still works great on that player.

Only thing odd about the remote for my 205 was it seemed like the motion sensitive backlight feature kept re-activating itself about once a month or so and I would have to turn it off. But other than that I noticed no issues and it worked perfectly until yesterday.