Both have put a lot of thought into their offerings. Ric is probably the tweakier of the two. I know for sure that Scott's return policy is quite generous. You don't like, you send them back, NQA. Ric is not quite so forgiving as I recall. I would opt for Scott's units as they're a better value. Scott's thoughts on levels are interesting in that he advocates a 4dB jump between settings that he says are not as far apart as one might imagine. He does offer units with finer steps if that's important. He tells it like it is and an gives honest opinion without the blather. [And not that Ric doesn't.] I have only heard Ric's, but I think I'd first deal with a fellow upstate New Yorker. Excellent web page and advice from Scott. Ric's is also good, with excellent tips and tweaks. Ric has a depth of experience that is undeniable. You can learn a lot just from his Oppo player page.
And don't forget the usual caveats relative to passive operation, i.e., short cabling and optimal impedance matching. Good luck.
And don't forget the usual caveats relative to passive operation, i.e., short cabling and optimal impedance matching. Good luck.