Official OPPO BDP-105 Owner's Thread - Page 91

Done searches but find conflicting opinions on this question within AVS (Imagine that!) and really no direct answers to it.

The question is simply, will I see an noticeable improvement in picture quality with the 105 vs the PS3 I'm using now? Details... I have the the PS3 HDMIed into a Denon 4520. Then the 4520 to my JVC 55 Projector (4K capable) feeding a 136" Carada screen.

I intend to HDMI the 105 output directly to the projector to eliminate the Denon in the Video path, Then use the second HDMI output from the 105 to the Denon for audio.

The PS3 is doing an admirable job, but if the 105 will really improve the PQ, I'll likely go there.

Pretty sure I'll get a resounding "yes" on this, but I've been surprised and enlightened before from the community when I thought something was a slam-dunk. Put a lot of trust in this group.

For Blu-ray: no. For DVD: maybe.

-Bill

Thank you for the help. I'll give it a go, hold thumbs.......

If you are planning on using HDMI for audio, go for the 103.

For audio on movies, yes. I'm planning to use the onboard DAC in the 105 for music. I'm thinking the 105 DACs are superior for music compared to the 4520. I didn't want to complicate my question too much but since you brought it up...

Would the 103 DACs be better than the 4520 internal DACs?

Are the 103 DACs much of a downgrade from the 105s?

I'm feeding B&W 904 Nautilus speakers bi-amped from the 4520.

Did you mean B&W 804 Nautilus speakers perhaps? Do you plan to use the Audyssey XT32 that the 4520 offers when listening to music? If so, there's no point in worrying about the analog outputs.
Edited by gsr - 1/12/13 at 2:51pm

It is a Motorola DVR. I was hoping to use the Oppo without a processor. It just sounds fantastic connected directly to my D-Sonic (500W per channel x 3, 250W per channel x 2) amp then out to Martin Logan in-walls! The D/A conversion in the 105 just sounds right for both music and movies. I have not yet burned the player and the amp in yet and it already sounds better than my all (high dollar) McIntosh system!! Looks like I may have to rethink this. Perhaps temporarily incorporating a lower cost processor w/ 3D pass-thru until Oppo's next firmware upgrade. Are you using the AVM50 D/A conversion in your system or the Oppo? Thank you again for all your help! It's nice to know exactly what's going on.... Tom

Finally received my oppo 105, which is also my first dac. So basically i am trying to do a dac(oppo) / avr setup. My setup sony kdl-55nx720(hdtv), oppo 105, marantz sr5006 avr (for center and surrounds), adcom gfa-555II (for fronts). Using oppo hdmi out to avr (7.1 speaker setup) to take advantage of audussey for movies. For analog playback is where i am having some setup issues.

1) is there a difference in sound quality between using the rca stereo outs versus the 7.1 ch out from the oppo 105. I will be using oppo analog out for cd, sacd playback.
2) assuming there is no difference. i have started setting up using the oppo 7.1 analog out to feed into my marantz sr5006 avr 7.1 inputs. with this setup am i doing something wrong because i am able to get stereo 2 channel output thru my lf and rf, but no subwoofer?? how do i get the subwoofer to sound in analog music playback?
3) also is there a way using the oppo to play the music in analog and still have a video signal sent to the tv so i can still see the onscreen oppo playback menus? do i have this issue because on the oppo i have set audio playback hdmi off instead of auto(i setup hdmi audio to off because i wasnt sure if the analog signal had precedence over the hdmi signal)? what is the proper way to setup?

stupid questions:
a) sacd is the recording in 2 channel or 5?
b) oppo 105 can upconvert to 4k does that mean is can do 4k playback when 4k tvs are out?
c) has anyone tried oppo 7.1 out for movies? seems like audussey should have the advantage for movies..so far i am liking what i am hearing from oppo analog.

yes - the stereo outs should sound better - and I find it fairly easy to hear. You can, if you don't require a second audio zone or down-mixed stereo out, substitute the higher quality Stereo Out for the multichannel FL/FR.
The Subwoofer out to your Marantz will only play when you select the 7.1 inputs (direct) on the Marantz. In that case you will only get Oppo subwoofer output if your FL/FR on the Oppo are set to Small - otherwise you get full bandwidth to the FL/FR and no sub on stereo sources.
If the "source" you select on the Marantz is receiving HDMI video from the Oppo, you can still select the Marantz 7.1 analog direct inputs (set Oppo HDMI audio to On or Off - doesn't matter) and get the Oppo menus. If you send audio to a Marantz "source" like the CD inputs, they you get no Oppo menus since those type sources on the Marantz have no associated video input - best to use the Blu-ray and/or DVD inputs on the Marantz for the Oppo - I use both and have them set differently so I can switch from 7.1 analog to HDMI/Audyssey processed easily.
Depends on the SACD - in general an SACD can have 5.1 DSD, 2.0 DSD, and also a CD layer for CD audio. The Oppo lets you toggle between 5.1 and stereo with one of the buttons (see the manual) and for the CD layer, you have to stop playback and change the setting in the Oppo.

It's a matter of preference - for serious listening l'm liking the Oppo analog outs and for recreational. For when seating positions may not be ideal - like a party - I'm liking Audyssey processing....so far.
Edited by stevepow - 1/12/13 at 12:28pm

Yes, 804s. Really should proof-read better. And yes, I will want to use the XT32 so I would not be able to utilize the DACs for music in the 105, right? Hadn't thought of that. Sounds like I should go for the 103 UNLESS someone suggests the video is superior in the 105 to justify the price difference. Sorta back to question #1 and the tide seems to be turning toward the 103.

Try this Gill.

Styln

I'm pretty sure the AVR-4520 can re-digitize stereo analog inputs and then apply Audyssey, but it can't re-digitize the 7.1 Ext In inputs, so you wouldn't be able to use the multichannel outputs on the Oppo and XT32 at the same time. But re-digitizing the signal to use XT32 doesn't make any sense - it makes more sense to send audio over HDMI to the 4520.

For video, the 103 and 105 are identical. The 105 only makes sense if you need the extra features - headphone output, toslink / coaxial digital inputs, USB DAC input, or the better analog outputs.

SACD has used various combinations. Many are stereo but some have been 3.0, 5.1, 5.0 and 4.0. It mostly depends on the source. Some of the 5.0 and 4.0 ones have used masters from the old quad audio days. Some 3.0 SACD were sourced from the original 3-channel stereo masters that Mercury and RCA used for classical recordings in the early days of stereo recording.

Try a few files in FLAC. Since flac is lossless they will sound the same as WAV, but be considerably smaller. This will require less networking bandwidth, which can be a problem with wireless.

That said, hard wired networking is the way to go if at all possible.

Styln

Just received my Oppo 105 today.

A tip for anyone using a QNAP NAS

You can mount a blu-ray ISO file directly on the NAS under Shared Folders -> ISO shared folders, just call the share AVCHD.

Browse to the AVCHD share from the Oppo and voila you have Full BD menu support.

I am using a Black Friday special computer monitor with a DVI to HDMI ocnverter. As long as the monitor supports HDCP it should work.

Styln

No problem, Tom. It took me a couple days of internet research to figure out what was going on... glad I could help.

I'm using the Oppo's DAC's for music (both disc and for Async USB music).

I realize that this is a bit off topic but just wanted to follow up on a conversation we were having a few days ago regarding Monoprice RedMere HDMI cables. Someone said something to the effect that at the price they charge, it was worth it to at least give it a try and that's what I did............ with a large degree of skepticism(snake oil etc.) Well today my cables arrived and after installing them I put on my favorite disc for checking out video, Avatar, a movie I've seen WAY too many times and am quite familiar with every aspect. I was quite surprised to find that indeed there was a slight improvement with black levels and contrast being most noteworthy. There is now a definite 3D effect that was not noticed before. I'm sitting there watching this muttering to myself "how can this be? It's all just 101010 being passed through the cable and there should NOT be this improvement I'm watching before me." Remember, I was the skeptic checking these cables out only because they are priced so inexpensively.

I'm at a loss to understand why and what it is that is going on but my eyes ain't lyin to me.

In my best Arte Johnson of Laugh In fame......."Berry Intalesting...... I tink!"

^ Placebo™ brand pills! Accept no substitutes!
--Bob

You should drop the Red Mere cable guys a line and ask them how it is possible.

My first day with the Oppo 105 today.

I spent a few hours listening to some hi-res Flac files today and comparing them to the same files played on my Slim Devices Transporter whilst the sound is impressive I'm hearing more detail from the Transporter, the instruments and vocals just sound more accurate. Maybe I'm just being a bit biased or maybe not. The Transporter has been my primary audio source now for about 4 years.

Torqdog,

I really don't doubt that you can see differences. How long it the cable you are using?

I was using a Marantz BD7003 until the new Oppo arrived (four years old). The 105 provides a much better picture. There is no doubt there. Search my user name for a review.

On a side note, I'd planned to see what kind of difference I could discern between my Blue Jeans cable I've been using for the last three years and the stock cable that comes with the 105. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. It will be interesting to find out. BTW, I've read all the arguments in this thread regarding HDMI cables. Evenso, I actually put a Redmere cable on my Amazon wish list a week ago. So I do beleive your experience.

I wish I could agree but there is more there than what could possibly be produced by a placebo effect. I think that next I will pop in my Spears and Munsill disc and see if there is any noticable difference on those various callibration windows. After that, I'll switch back and forth, old to new and back again.

As I stated, I'm at a loss to understand why there is this difference I'm witnessing. It just shouldn't be happening.

Well no, not really. Placebo effect is quite powerful. And so is expectation.

You need to test them double-blind, or at least single-blind. Methinks you will be unable to tell the difference (assuming your previous cables weren't complete junk).

You already know the answer. If the new cables are producing a better looking picture, then the OLD cables MUST be screwing up.
--Bob

Yeah, I completely agree. But the old cables seemed to be working just fine as far as I could tell. The picture looked great.

As you and others have stated, if the cables, new and old are doing their job of pasing the 101010 information, theoretically i should not be seeing what I'm seeing. I'm going back out now for further analization of my new found "mystery".

I had no expectation as I was quite skeptical.

Double blind or single blind is next to impossible as I am the only one who can change stuff behind the "rack".

Oh come on--invite some buddy over, offer him/her beers to swap cables, and see if you can tell the difference.

quote name="Bullitt5094" url="/t/1439524/official-oppo-bdp-105-owners-thread/2730#post_22820752"]
Yes, 804s. Really should proof-read better. And yes, I will want to use the XT32 so I would not be able to utilize the DACs for music in the 105, right? Hadn't thought of that. Sounds like I should go for the 103 UNLESS someone suggests the video is superior in the 105 to justify the price difference. Sorta back to question #1 and the tide seems to be turning toward the 103.[/quote]

Seems like the 103 will be best suited for my configuration. If I didn't want to use the XT32 equalization on stereo, then I could utilize the benefit of the superior DACs in the 105 and it would be the better choice.

Thanks for the input members. Again, you've helped me sort-out what would be the best path. I really appreciate that!

Torqdog, how long is the Redmere cable you are using?