Oppo-95 or Sony XA5400ES

If I had to, I would choose the Oppo but really you should not choose either. Take a look at this thread...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1384105

I rip using the Playstation 3 method. I then convert the DSD to .flac with zero compression to store, add metadata and stream. The sound is bit perfect. The result is that I stream as pcm. My processor converts DSD to pcm anyway to apply room correction prior to playing.

If you don't want to rip, get a 95. I can't speak to the sony, but the 95 is very good. Oppo customer service is next to none.

I imported the Sony to Canada for under a grand (shipping and taxes included) and am VERY impressed with it. That was before Kal's latest review. As I got it cheaper than the Oppo here I have no intention to change. For 2CH I personally favour direct DSD to analogue decoding, which both players can do. Kal might want to clarify but I think he still keeps the Sony.

kind of vague? Please provide detail

I went round-and-round trying to decide which players to replace my current players? I have been using Denon DVD-3930CI universal, Denon DVD-3800BDCI BluRay/CD player and Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD. I have extensive CD, SACD, DVD-A, SD-DVD and BD collection.

I played all SACD's and DVD-A's in the DVD-3930CI, this Denon is such a beautiful sounding player, but I'm ready to move on.

I really love the picture and sound quality produced from the Elite BDP-05FD, especially for SD-DVD's, andof course BD sources. Exeptional CD sound quality. But I'm ready to move on.

I really love the picture and sound quality produced from the DVD-3800BDCI as well. But I'm ready to move on.

So, instead, I purchased, both, the Sony SCD-XA5400ES and the Oppo BDP-95. I'd say a very good deal considering I got both players for like under $2100.00 total. I paid retail for, both, the DVD-3930CI ($1500.00) and the DVD-3800BDCI ($1999.95) years back.

Anyway I'm slowly setting things up right now. I'm using a Marantz AV7005 processor, Parasound Halo A51amp, Monitor Audio GS-Series speakers.

yeah, tough decision, that's why I figured "why don't I just get both players?", since the Sony has been offered so much lower recently (brand-new). This way I can sort of use them "purposely" and provide some longevity.

I will play mostly music sources of course in the SCD-XA5400ES (SACD's and CD's). While the BDP-95 would be used (primarily) for SD-DVD's, BD's, HDCD's and DVD-A's.

I will post my sound character observations once I'm able to sample things decently.

Better yet, get neither... rip all of your media (it's digital anyway), get one streamer for a LOT cheaper and enjoy everything from your remote without ever changing your media.

yep, I will ultimately have both sources- ie. ripped digital archive and players. Actually I really love having everything in one file system.

However, I have an extensive library that I refuse to let go of, too much money and affort spent to amass over the years. And until I have a solid NAS that's backed-up I won't let go of the original sources (although I may just pack them away in boxes).

I still have all of my originals packed up as a backup "just in case". It is much easier to have all ripped with navigation by cover art and metadata. Don't let them go, just get a streamer with a drive transport included and rip away... you will never look back.

I have an extensive WindowsMedia archive that I've been using on a daily basis. These files are'nt the highest resolution but not bad. However I still would like to extract SACD and DVD-A files. Also want to get into FLAC.

Hey WestCoastD, wait to you hear those files through the Oppo95! I kid you not those Ess sabre Dac's even make mp3's sound okay, which had me dumb founded at first As for DsD playbck its steallar and of course I'm still looking forward to your comments on the comparison against the 5400. The only thing I miss about My Denon 5900 and Pioneer 51fd are there good looks and mass but the 95 looks like the new stealth fighter sitting on the top shelf where it now rules the rack

Rip your SACD and DVD-A to Flac and rerip your wma files if you want, otherwise just keep them as wma and stream away.

very cool, thanks! Now I'm excited.

I'm also in-progress setting-up a 2nd living room (more simple) system comprised of a Denon AVR-2112CI receiver, Oppo BDP-93, Energy RC-Series speakers (RC-30 fronts RC-LCR center), Atlanta Scientific Explorer STB, and a new Samsung UN40D6420 40 inch LED TV. The BDP-93 looks pretty cool (I think). Have'nt powered-up yet, can't wait. These new Denon receivers are very cool, amazing amount of features in these unit's now (for cheap price)

My little bedroom system has Scientific Atlanta 8300 DVR STB directly connected to a Samsung UN32D6000 32 inch LED TV, an NAD C162/C272 2ch pre-amp/125W per-chan amp combo, Energy Veritas V5.1 fronts, and an Oppo BDP-83. More of a simple 2-channel system.

I'm working on integrating etherNET switches into each system so as I can access my network from each set-up to stream music files mostly.

Since you already have cable TV connections everywhere, you can use MoCA adapters instead of Ethernet network. That way you do not need additional wiring, and still get speed close to direct network connection. Verizon FIOS uses the same technology for whole house DVR service.

I own the Sony SCD-XA5400ES, but I tried to buy the Oppo BDP-95 due to its ability to play SACD in 5.1. I could not stand the sound of the Oppo using its analog outs because I felt the midrange and highs were a little wooly sounding, and I could not hear that last octave from the notes at high frequency from the Oppo. The Sony had sweeter more opened midrange and high frequency than the Oppo. You can see my comments on the Sony vs. the Oppo BDP-95 on the 95 thread on this site. The comments were posted in the month of August 2011. my recommendation is to get the Sony if you are needing it only for 2 channel SACD.

Keep in mind you only had your Oppo 95 for less than 2 weeks and had insufficient burn in time! I also experienced this so called woolly sound during the first 50-75hrs or so. A fully settled 95 has super sweet extended highs and an analog since of "Air".

I kept it 3 weeks, but what you are saying is fundamentally true. I did, however, keep the Oppo running for about 100 hours and the sonic traits were fundamentally the same. I still need a player that will play all the surround formats like the Oppo BDP-95, but with the sonic signature of the Sony for the price of the Oppo.

interesting, thanks for the heads-up on MoCA adapters. I've never heard of this technology. Funny, I went into Best Buy today looking for a NetGear MAC1001 Coax-EtherNET adapter, no one had ever heard of such a device? I may just order one on-line.

This is interesting. In a fall edition of Stereophile magazine, the Oppo was compared to the Sony, and the Oppo came out ahead. They were both considered fine players, but the Oppo just had superior sound. No doubt what your other components are would have an impact too.

IIRC, the reviewer Kal Rubinson only compared the multichannel audio quality using HDMI outputs of both players. He didn't compare the stereo analogue output.

I bought an Oppo 95 last year, mainly as a Blu-ray and audio file player, but also to potentially replace my old Sony SCD-XA777ES player for SACD playback.

However, I found the Sony to sound more transparent an detailed with SACDs (stereo). With classical orchestral recordings, it was clearly superior, although I could have lived with the Oppo sound too. In the end, I decided to keep using the Sony and replaced the Oppo 95 with a 93 because of the fan noise. I only use the digital output, connected to an Electrocompaniet DAC.

Not true.
http://www.stereophile.com/content/m...nd-50-page-2-0

I was going to respond that he did compare the stereo output, hope I got it right Kal!

One thing to consider with the Oppo 95, is the selection of cables and placement. I would like to think most would treat a top flight source as such! Given the modest price of the 95, It would be a mistake to treat it less than a 5k source, this approach can help extract a superior sound.The universal ability to drop the 95 in a modest setup and gain a substantial sound reprodution increase speaks well of its capabilities, cool thing is its right at home in hi end systems as well.Personally since purchsaing the 95 my attention went into over drive on getting the best out of it with the rest of my gear( new rack and xlr cables) I also tried different footers from Herbies and Blk Diamond Racing but liked the sound of the stock feet the best. The 95 gives you the good sound in of the equation the rest is up to you

I used blue truth cables from bettercables.com which is their best cables. As you know, I just simply did not like the sonic signiture of the Oppo BDP-95 compared with the Sony SCD-XA-5400ES. The sound of the Oppo reminded me of the sound I heard from some Klispsh Horn speakers back in the mid '70s. They had a very limited frequency response and were about -3db @ 17Hz. The highs seemed truncated just like the Oppo but, it had a full, woolly sounding mid range that I attributed to the horn designed for the Klisphs. Maybe the mids and high frequency sound from the Sony is "coloration" and unnatural. I don't know. I just know that I prefer the Sony sound for both movies and music from both the SCD-XA5400ES and the BDP-S5000ES over the Oppo BDP-95. Its just my personal preference. Different ears may have a different preference. My amp is a Class A amp, the First Watt Aleph J, and my speakers are the Infinity Composition Preludes P-FR.

Nice setup As I said I prefered the sound of my Anthem avm 20 for cd playback( using an Kimber Illuminations cable) and Denon 5900 for sacd the Pioneer 51fd for bluray both analog outs, but that lasted 60 hrs against the 95, along with careful a/b comparisons I couldn't get away from the superior soundstaging of the 95, well into 400hrs it hit me with bite to the brass and great tonality and a low end extended tight and powerfull, beyond that what I never expected was air. My cables are AQ Columbia rca/xlr to the Anthem and Morrow Audio's MA3 xlr to an Halo A21 all power cords are Ps audio's Perfectwave cables AC3 AC5,AC10 and AC12 and 2 dedicated 20 amp lines, sources are on a Power port premier receptical with a Quintet the A21 is on an inwall Soloist Premier conditioner, Three 4 inch bass traps in corners and first reflection points treated as well as front wall with AST acoustic pannels Speakers are Boston Acoustics E100 speakers.