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Just Got My Oppo 205!

So - I wanted an Oppo 105 for about 3 years and when I heard they were closing it down, I popped for the 205 through Amazon. Got one of the last ones. I’ve owned some very good CD players - Naim CD5x with flatcap, Naim CDX2 with Supercap, Doge6, Lector and my current EAR Acute. So how does the Oppo compare you might ask. Well, it is new and I expect some improvement, but my first impression is - flat, sterile, uninvolving, compressed and basically lacking in musical texture. I’m just being honest and letting you know that this thing is no great shakes and certainly nothing to lust after, IMO. I happened to need a new DVD player anyway and, as I said, I have no doubt it will improve, but these are my honest first impressions that I’m sharing with you just in case you think you need to run out and buy one. Of course, I may (and I hope) I will be surprised at a vast degree of improvement with break in, but somehow I doubt it will ever improve to the level where I sell my EAR. All that said, I remember having an old Oppo 981 I think it was, that did a very credible job with SACD, so I’m thinking that the 205 will come around. I’ll let you know.
chayro

Showing 6 responses by chayro

chayro OP
3,020 posts
 
I absolutely agree with the fact that burn in may well improve things significantly.  Just giving my first impressions.  But I remember my Esoteric X-05 experience.  I kept it 6 months and it never really improved.  So we'll see.  But I think it's important to pass this on right now, as there is a feeding frenzy for Oppo, so just lettin' you know.  
chayro OP
3,020 posts
 
I wouldn't say intimately familiar, but I'm pretty experienced with this stuff.  I know there is a dynamic range compression feature, which I know I turned off.  I really think it needs some break in.  As I said, I just put this up due to the recent surge in interest in Oppo and I don't want people shooting themselves if they can't get one.  
chayro OP
3,020 posts
 
@ptss - no, I didn't buy the 205 as an audio upgrade.  After my Oppo 981 broke, I was using a $30 DVD player someone gave me and I needed a decent player.  Plus, I wanted very much to play my SACDs and DADs, which I couldn't do on the Acute.  Tell the truth, the 981 did a very good job with hi-res, so I expected the 205 to do a better than very good job with it.  Maybe it will.  I also like the built-in headphone amp, so I can do some casual listening with no fuss.  Video?  It has video?
chayro OP
3,020 posts
 
So - I've had the Oppo for about 10 days and I really haven't done any vigorous burn in on it.  Ran the Purist disc through a few times and let some SACDs play just to break in whatever parts play the SACDs that may be separate from CD.  I have to say - not bad at all.  The headphone jack sounds very good with SACD and my Grado 1000 phones and I listened through the system last night with a Boston Chamber Orchestra SACD and again, not bad at all.  I haven't really compared it AB with my EAR Acute because I'm not a big A/B test geek, but I will once the 205 gets some more miles on it.  But again, at least with SACD, very listenable.  Had no desire to get up and turn it off, which is always a plus.  I think if Oppo does another run, it's worth getting if you're so inclined. 
chayro OP
3,020 posts
 
So I've had the Oppo for about 5 weeks and I've really come to like it.  I even got one of the last pairs of the PM3 headphones because I wanted a pair of closed-backs.  I have to say, I really enjoy the simplicity of just plugging a headphone into the Oppo and listening.  I don't think it's reached it's full potential, but it's very ok for some late listening.  The phones are really good too, even compared to my Grado GS1000s.  
So I'm just saying this because you may want to pick one up if they do another round, but you need to be realistic about the sonics.  It's good for what it is, if that helps any.  
chayro OP
3,020 posts
 
I found that it sounded significantly better after being on for a few hours.  I was hoping to leave it on all the time, but it gets a bit warmer than I am comfortable with for a 24-hr/day thing.  The Oppo PM3 phones sounded very good through the headphone jack, which is really what I was looking for, as opposed to having to fire up an 845 tube amp for an hour before listening. 
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