Oppo BDP-105 "Sound Quality" Check Thread for Audiophiles - Page 4

It all depends on your preferences, the aim of your set up and what your system consists of. I have not heard the BDP-51FD but would still dare to say it is a huge improvement in SQ - if your ears and the rest of your system is up for the task :-).

Having owned a 51fd I sold it and purchased an Oppo 95 and the jump in fidelity was not small but considerable. I now own the 105 and its a worthy successor to the 95:)

Great.
One more question- should I use the oppo DAc and run audio on analog- or send audio HDMI and let my Rotel 1550 handle it?
Thanks

thats kind of up to you and you can try it both ways to see which you like better ( I don't know the DAC specs of the Rotel though - Im guessing the oppo will sound better) but there's not much point in the 105 if you use HDMI. You can use the 103 and save money - unless you're also looking at the external DAC capability too.
Edited by tme110 - 1/24/13 at 8:31am

If you can swing it do both the potential system gain is a two for one. I recently installed a Marantz 8801 pre/pro along with my 105 and having the option of switching between the two is priceless. Reason? to this day after 500hrs of burn in on both its difficult to choose so why choose I can have both;). If you feel the Rotel is up to the task of keeping up with the 105 do both as there will be differences! if the 105 don't do it for ya, then get the 103 and bitstream away!

yes, it does more for one thing. I owned the Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD (which I recently sold), a really nice player, great analog sound quality for, both, 2ch (CD playback) and movie surround, combined with great video quality (BluRay and DVD). But the picture and sound quality is superb on the BDP-105.

If comparing strictly the 2ch analog performance, would you say its a close call between the two players? Assuming the 105 is superior, which of the following would you say best describes the difference:

A) Dramatic
B) Significant
C) Noticeable
D) Marginal
E) Splitting hairs

The above link was posted in the 105 thread and I thought that considering that the main focus of the review was the audio performance of the 105, it belonged here as well. I'll also include my post response as I have been longing for some unbiased opinions on the differences.


Edited by Torqdog - 1/24/13 at 9:42pm

I am still on hold but the review was interesting. Makes sense that the 105 and the 95 should sound pretty much the same since they are using the same Sabre dacs. The one thing that I am curious most about since I already have Rhapsody, which I mainly use with my android phone and my Bose headphones when I am at the gym. According to Rhapsody they do high resolution streaming. Has anyone tried streaming Rhapsody to the 105 and how is the sound quality? I pay a monthly fee for Rhapsody and was wondering are there any other similar services out there?

Have you done any comparisons of the 105 versus the analog and digital (Audyssey XT32) DACs of your 8801? I read frequently from owners of the 8801 (or Denon 4520) that most owners use the 105 DACs for analog playback for music, and 8801/4520 for movie playback.

I have and believe it or not the 8801 is so good via hdmi for music or movies, I use both but a slight nudge to the 95 for 2ch;) but for multi/ch sacd large scale classical the 8801/Audyssey has indeed rivaled my preference for 2/ch sacd playback and leaves my jaw on the floor at times. The 8801 handles all sources with kid gloves and treats them very well and I could have easily lived with it and say a 103 having never heard the 105 and would have known none the better. this is well after 500+ hrs on both units. They are a very deadly combo fighting it out for my attention!

That is very interesting to hear your observation. I am not shocked to hear your observations about Audyssey playback for movie soundtracks, but a little surprised regarding SACD playback. I guess this is credit to the 32bit DACs in your 8801. I take it you don't use your 8801 for processing any video, right? Are you running a secondary HDMI cable for audio playback to your 8801?

Correct I use hdmi 1 from the 105 direct to the display and hdmi 2 from the 105 to the 8801 for 2/ch, bitstreaming dsd and movies , my HD dvr cable box direct to the display with an optical cable to the 8801, I do use the 8801's monitor hdmi out for onscreen display when needed.

Guys, I know this might be a stupid question but please allow me to ask it.

Is there no bass management for the dedicated analogue stereo outputs?

My subwoofer will refuse to sing.

If I set it the crossover directly to 80 hz will that affect the Oppos bass management for multichannel analogue audio?

Help is much appreciated, feel a little lost over here.

Thanks!

The Oppo does have a few bass management controls like trim and level adjustments. Make sure your crossover knob on your sub isn't defeating the settings in your 105.

What size setting do you have your individual speakers set to in the oppo speaker management?

AW: Oppo BDP-105 "Sound Quality" Check Thread for Audiophiles

They are set to small.

Gesendet von meinem GT-I9300 mit Tapatalk 2

The Dedicated Stereo Analog outputs (both the XLR and the RCA jacks) can be configured two ways:

1) The default choice, Stereo Signal DOWN MIX STEREO, configures those outputs to operate independently of any of the Speaker Configuration settings. So, for example, there is no Crossover processing because the Subwoofer output is part of the multi-channel Analog output set and so there would be no place for that steered bass to go.

2) The alternate choice, Stereo Signal FRONT LEFT/RIGHT, configures the Dedicated Stereo Analog outputs for use IN PLACE OF the normal Left Front / Right Front outputs of the multi-channel Analog set. Set this way, the Dedicated L/R outputs respond to ALL the settings that would normally apply to Left Front / Right Front of the multi-channel set. So Large/Small and Crossover frequency applies, and steered bass gets mixed into the Subwoofer output of the multi-channel Analog set.

Be aware that there are two restrictions to this:

1) If you are playing an SACD with DSD-Direct-to-Analog Conversion in effect, then no audio processing is possible. This includes no Crossover processing and no down-mixing. The DSD digital audio stream bypasses all processing and goes straight to the DACs. Use SACD Output PCM instead if you need processing.

2) If you are using the Asynchronous USB DAC stereo digital audio input, then no audio processing is possible, again because the 2.0 LPCM digital audio input stream goes straight to the DACs. If you need processing, play your media files using another form of input -- e.g., put them on a hard drive attached to a regular USB port and browse for them using the file browser in the OPPO.
--Bob

Thanks for the detailed reply Bob!

Strangely when I set the dedicated stereo output to L/R the subwoofer will
also not play.

Is there a sonic difference between the dedicated stereo output and the multichannel
output?

I played a CD over the multichannel output with no DTS 6 processing and it sounded great WITH the subwoofer playing too.

Now I wonder what's best here.

Really the whole original point of the xx5 series players was the dedicated stereo output with the seperate/dedicated/ better built DAC and analog circuitry than the multichannel outs. So yes, there should be a sonic difference.

And we are hearing in some cases it is not obvious or marginal at best.

I think one of the attractions of the 105 is the extra features/improvements as I sway about buying a 105 and read that the 95 might be just as good in terms of sonics I then look at the newer features on the 105 and think....you know what I'd rather pay the bit extra and get the newer features.

Listening to Clapton Unplugged right now and the only difference I hear is because of the
subwoofer playing on multichannel.

Well, what does Bob say to this?

This all sounds very promising. I am currently running a Harman Kardon AVR 635 out to a europower ep1500 feeding magnepan 1.6's in a two channel setup using a SVS PC13 ultra and PC12-nsd for the low end. Blue ray and cd duties are being performed by a PS3.

I would like to slim down the components a bit, perhaps getting rid of the HK and PS3 as I don't play games on it and it's an early model that runs ridiculously hot. The BDP-105 looks as if it might be the answer, what do you guys think of linking the BDP-105 to the EP1500 using XLR cables and just plugging the SVS's into the SW out?

Wire the Dedicated Stereo Analog L/R outputs (either XLR or RCA) and also the Subwoofer output from the multi-channel Analog set.

Set Stereo Signal FRONT LEFT/RIGHT.

Set Speaker Configuration > Left Front & Right Front to SMALL

Set a suitable Crossover frequency.

Stereo content playback (e.g. CDs) will result in bass steered to the Subwoofer output just as if you were using the multi-channel Analog outputs normally (i.e,. without also using the Dedicated Stereo Analog outputs).

Use a calibration disc to adjust the volume on the Subwoofer. Since speakers are set to Small, the Subwoofer will need +15dB boost external to the player to match the player's RCA outputs and +21dB boost to match the XLR outputs.

NOTE: If in playing around with the settings you happen to set Speaker Configuration > Down Mix to STEREO, then, as a side effect, the Subwoofer output will ALSO automatically be changed to OFF-- i.e., you'll have a 2.0 output configuration instead of 2.1. If you want the Sub as well, simply go back around to it and turn it back ON after selecting that Down Mix STEREO choice.
--Bob

Hi decooney ...
Thanks for your nice thread .

I was planning to use the Oppo 105 as a pre/pro directly to an Anthem Mca-30 . Is this possible ? what connections ? what sound quality would I expect out of this combo for different modes (DTS , DD , Stereo music listening) ........ ?

I have just tried my new 105 in a + 100.00 USD system just to hear it's full capability. Once there we played it side by side with a MSB Platinum 4+. I did not believe that Oppo would come close in any respect - but I wanted to find out were the biggest differences are to be found (i.e. what you are paying x10 to get). It was very educating.
Were Oppo was at its closest was when comparing sound character - they were vere similar. It was not darker, not brighter. Especially true with voices.
The biggest differences are in timing, separation of instruments. Here the MSB excelled. Especially with "complicated" pieces you could hear the individual strings of a guitar f ex. With the Oppo it was just one sound - the guitar.
And the XLR outputs of the Oppo was a big step up compared to the RCA.

I did prefer the Sony ES, but the more I listen to digital through the Bryston SP3, the more it is sounding better than the Sony.

Bob, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought a calibration disc will not work using the analog outputs. That you must use the internal test tones, except if you're using the HDMI to AVR.

Which electrical parameters - of power amps - would one have to consider when connecting a 105 directly to them?

- Input impedance; is there a minimum? Is higher always better? I understand the 105's output impedance is 100 Ohms.
- dB gain?
- Input sensitivity?
- How much different are the above between the XLR and RCA outputs?


The reason I ask is:

- I want to know what electrical parameters will give the best range of levels (from barely audible, to louder-than-needed), without sacrificing dynamics or an inaudible noise floor.
- I've read that even when the 105 is at volume level "1," some say their system plays too loud.
- I want to know, will you lose dynamic range when reducing levels digitally? For example, will there still be 24 bits of dynamic range at volume level 1-10?
- It seems gain controls on each channel could be mandatory for some power amps - mainly to reduce the gain. How much adjustability is needed?

Sorry for cross-posting, but there are at least 2 threads on this specific subject.

Nope, a calibration disc works just fine so long as you are careful not to set things up in a way that confuses the result.

For example, if you are trying to set up a 2.1 speaker system via Analog you would typically use, say, the 5.1 LPCM test track from AIX Audio Calibration, Blu-ray. But to do that you need to temporarily set the down-mix in the player to 5.1, and enable output to the Center and Side Surround jacks (even though they are not wired). This is to keep the player from thinking it has to do a down-mix from 5.1 to 2.1 while you are doing the test -- which would result in "down mix attenuation".

And if you have LF/RF set to Small (so that there is bass steering to the Sub according to the Crossover frequency), then the precise level setting depends upon how well chosen your Crossover happens to be. So you may need to go around a few times as you adjust the Sub volume, and perhaps also adjust the choice of Crossover. You might even want to temporarily set LF/RF to Large to disable Crossover processing and compare the resulting level setting.
--Bob