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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
chayro OP
2,983 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.  
everest_audio
285 posts
 
The Oppo needs time, but if it's anything like the 105, it still isn't going to be some sort of giant killer from its analogue outs. For me, I've always used a lower player as a transport with a DAC. For quite a while now, I've been using the 103 with a DAC for watching concerts, etc. Works very well.
looserowels
3 posts
 

My apologies up front if you are intimately familiar with how to set up your 205 but it took me a while to understand the different ways to set mine up for my application. Once I got the setup correct, the difference in sound was immediately apparent - and for the better.

Perhaps explain your components and connections and someone may be able to confirm your settings for the best setup.

Regards.......

chayro OP
2,983 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.  
jb0194
476 posts
 
The 205 is a $1299 multi-featured, “Swiss army knife”, universal disc player. I bought one last week with expectations based upon the aforementioned facts. 2 channel audio is not competitive with the $10k CDT/DAC combo I downsized from - not hardly. But well worth the price I paid given the ever shrinking choices for such products in its price range.
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