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Best Blu-Ray ANALOG Output - Under $1000?

I am ready to buy a Blu-Ray player and am hoping to get a good CD playing boost in the package (currently I use a consumer-level Sony DVD as a transport with optical digital output to my NAD T770 which utilizes Burr-Brown 18 Bit DACs).

I know the Denon DVD-1800BD is a $500 player that utilizes twin 24Bit Burr-Brown DACs. Some of Sony's players (the new BDP-S360 as an example) also advertize as utilizing 24Bit Audio DAC (how many, what type??).

The Oppo option sounds like it could be a home-run...as it would be great to add SACD capability as well...but when will it be released??

Please offer-up your opinions on any of the above or other hidden gems...Sony ES, etc. My priorities are great analog sound output 1st, up-to-date sound processing (seemingly changes weekly) second, SACD capability third, and internet streaming capability fourth (not required but would be nice).

Thanks for your help folks!

Mark
mwilliford

Showing 6 responses by jimmy3993

jimmy3993
141 posts
 
Mark
I don't have much exp with sacd.but I have a few around.
Are you curious about sacd via hdmi, having the oppo convert to analog or both?

All I have done so far is let the stereo dacs run for a few days.it sounds pretty good on red book. I still prefer my benchmark dac but the oppo is quite listenable already.
jimmy3993
141 posts
 
I got my oppo yesterday.
Letting it run in a bit. Will post thoughts.
Another feature that it offers is a pair of usb inputs. I can get uncompressed files from a flash drive into the oppo and out to my benchmark dac (I have the old one without usb input).
All in all, a pretty nift feature set but it will need to run a while. And I suspect that I will have to run in the stereo and multi ch analog outs seperatly.
jimmy3993
141 posts
 
The dacs are:
D/AC: Two-channel Cirrus CS4398 DAC for Discrete Stereo; Eight-channel CS4382A DAC for Multi-Channel Analog.

I will confess to not knowing what to make of that.

Impressions right out of the box: Redbook via the analog stereo output is listenable but lean relative to the digital output from the player to a benchmark dac1. But I will try and run it for a week as full time as I can and report back.
jimmy3993
141 posts
 
Mwilliford -
Gotcha.
I think that there are some professional reviews forthcoming from people with better ears and much more experience than me.
-but-
I was not blown away by the analog outs on any format. To me, the player's nich is that it does everything. And does it well FOR THE PRICE. Meaning, if you are shopping for a $400 SACD player it is worth a listen but if you are trying to get $2k worth of sacd for $400 I think that you might be dissapointed.
I will be keeping mine for blu ray (worth the price for that alone if you are into Blu ray), and it's capabilities as a transport both for redbook to a benchmark dac and for dvda/sacd via hdmi.
jimmy3993
141 posts
 
Kenobi -
That was what I meant by "better ears and more experience"...

The really ironic thing for me about that review is tha tI was considering trying a DV-60. Maybe Dr. Gaw would let his go cheap.

The OP asked about best blu ray analog output under $1k. My vote is for the oppo on that basis certainly.

And in all honesty, its sound is still changing in my system so I should really just withhold comment till it runds in for a few more weeks. But then I would have to go back to work...
jimmy3993
141 posts
 
Audiotomb-
Have you messed with the myriad of adjustable settings on the oppo for picture?
I tried using the calibration disk that came with it and after about 5 minutes decided that I was just not a videophile...
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