Oppo 105 D vs. DAC-transport combination.

@audioconnection what is the output impedance via the balanced and unbalanced outputs for the Ayre Codex? That specification is not provided in Ayre product literature. 

“ I think you may be surprised at the dynamic range of vinyl. You may find its range far exceeds digital.”

+1 uberwaltz 

The main reason I bought a 105 maybe 4 years ago was to simplify my system, and I have ~ 50 SCADs/DD-As (and growing) . I upgraded from a Parasound P3 to a P5 pre/ dac. I tried the P5 dac using a toslink and after significant break- in, I did not notice much of an improvement

About a year ago I installed an aftermarket wiring loom- silver wires to the power supply board connected to a Rhodium IEC. That was a big improvement. Later, I replaced the OEM power supply with a Linear Power Module, another big leap.

I sold the P5 the using the 105 direct to my amps: OK at best on redbook. I came across a Hattor Passive Pre XLR which was a huge improvement, though an impedance mismatch with my amps. I bought a Audio Alchemy stereo amp, but it too was a mismatch, so I bought a AA DDP-1 (DAC/PRE, but just for the preamp. Finally, the music was coming to life. 

For grins I decided to try the DDP-1 DAC using the same WireWorld Toslinkk cable: WOW

Next up was to dust off my decade+ old Pioneer PD 65 CD player, inverted platter with a Musical Concepts Stage 3 mod which included an outboard power supply: Amazing

So, the 105 now idles until I want to spin high rez discs        

I found an adapter that accommodates a three pronged plug into two prongs on Amazon.
We’ll se if that makes a difference.

Uberwaltz, 

Where do you buy the materials?

Dweller,
Good idea.
But I lost the original cord when we had a fire in the music room.

@mahler123.
 I think you may be surprised at the dynamic range of vinyl. You may find its range far exceeds digital.

OP
You may want to consider making your own power cord for this combo.
Pretty sure you can buy a 2 pin female plug.

Just a thought

@rvpiano - Assuming your equipment is 115V and you live near a class-x (international) airport, purchase a converter at the small electronic stores they usually have. My best shot...

1graber2,

I’m pretty sure you have something there.
Interesting situation with the Cyrus.  I ordered it from an English store. The power cord included had a European outlet end so I couldn’t plug it into the wall. To make matters worse, the other end, the end that connects to the transport, has only two prong holes instead of the normal three.
As a solution I substituted a regular three hole plug and plugged two of the holes into the transport. The unit worked.
As you mention it, It dawns on me now that this could very well be the problem.  
The dilemma is, where do you get a two hole cable with an American outlet plug?
Anybody have a suggestion?

Oppos are certainly terrific values for all they have to offer, 

But IMO it does many things pretty good, but nothing great. 
Someone above said the 105 is much better than the Oppo 95 which I base my experience on. 

As RV Piano has talked about, why the Cyrus transport not doing well? Not sure about the internals, but the first I do when I buy a piece of equipment is to replace the stock cord. 

I'm always amazed how much better the sound can get with a good entry level "audiophile" cord. I wouldn't spend more than $100 on the power cable, new or used. but lots out there to choose from ...

@melm 
stick and stones....Just out of curiosity, what is the “quality of the musical experience “ that you missed with the Oppo compared with vinyl?  I will assume that it isn’t the joy of cleaning dust bunnies from your stylus, or the tactile pleasure of hearing the walls of the Lp groove being shredded by the sewing needle attached to the cartridge.  Is it the limited dynamic range of lp playback compared to digital that floats your boat?  Personally, if I want to listen to Music with restricted dynamic range, I opt for MP3, because at least it’s quieter.  But hey, enjoy.
@noble100 
Thank you for the kind words...at least you perceived that I was attempting to be humorous.  And I agree with you that the gift of music emerging from a silent background is something to be treasured.  Vinyl aficionados apparently prefer some of the background noise inherent to lp replay, and isn’t it great that we listeners are able to choose for ourselves which option we prefer?
@rvpiano Don’t be shocked that the Oppo bested Cyrus ( a product that I have no direct experience with).  Oppos are well engineered machines, and just because another product is more expensive doesn’t make it better. Oppos have been known to be terrific values 

Sorry for so many posts in a row, but I made a discovery.
After finding that Tidal sounded better through the Gumby, I did as mahler123 had suggested and hooked up the Oppo with the Gumby.  I A-B ed the two setups and, Voila, the Oppo/Gumby combo sounded better than the Oppo by itself.
It’s hard to believe the Cyrus transport is inferior to the Oppo transport, especially considering the cost.
 I’m sending the unit back to them to check it out.  It just doesn’t make sense.

If you hear a lot of noise with clean records, you probably need a new turntable/cartridge setup. My records generally play with little or no background noise.

CDs through the Oppo though sound better than the same CD performances through Tidal.

Interestingly, when I stream Tidal through the Gumby DAC, it sounds a lot better than streaming through the Oppo, even though the opposite is true with CDs.

     Mahler123 stated:
"@melm Sorry the Oppo 105 didn’t come close to sounding like your vinyl.  Perhaps if Oppo had figured out a way to compress their dynamic range, add speed instability and most importantly simulate the sound of frying bacon superimposed on the music, then they would still be making players."

    I don't believe mahler123 deserves to be called 'an ignorant fool' for his insightful and quite humorous comment. 
     Listening to music emanating from a dead quiet background is a  quality that I would think and hope we all can appreciate as a significant contributor to excellent sound quality in our systems.
     
Tim

Shardone
 Have you done a direct comparison?
Meter reader has nothing to do with its performance
Its op amps in the Benchmark Vs discrete devices in the Ayre
 If you listen you will switch I promise you its ugly but truth
 Listen to RCA Heifetz/Munch Boston/ violin hardest thing to do and the Ayre's finesse will be obvious with overtones all intact and you will thank me.
Best ,
 JohnnyR

@audioconnection

The Ayre Codex has only 19 bit resolution vs the DAC 3 21 bits. The Ayre Codex has 3rd harmonic distortion at (-60 dB) 0.1% at full output and 2nd and 5th harmonic is typically at -75 dB.

For sure the Ayre Codex will sound different - such high 3rd harmonic distortion will likely give it a more euphonic sound similar to a tube amp.

I don’t doubt some people will much prefer the Ayre Codex to the DAC 3. Ayre make excellent products. In comparison the Ayre may sound more rich and musical and the DAC 3 more lean or thin.

mahler123,

I had originally used the Oppo as transport to the Gumby ( and to my previous Theta DAC) prior to buying the Cyrus.
The Cyrus-Gumby combination sounded better.  
I just never expected the Oppo alone to sound best!

Johnny,

(((Isn’t the Ayre Codex primarily a headphone amp?)))

No, its also one of the Best Dacs we have heard for under 5 K period
USB input and Optical. a discrete analog balanced output stage
I would suggest you hear it.
JohnnyR

@melm 
sorry the Oppo 105 didn’t come close to sounding like your vinyl.  Perhaps if Oppo had figured out a way to compress their dynamic range, add speed instability and most importantly simulate the sound of frying bacon superimposed on the music, then they would still be making players

OP
Have you tried using the Oppo as a transport for the Gumby?  How did that sound compared to to the Oppo by itself?  If you have already mentioned this I apologize but I didn’t see it.
@audioengr   
I don’t follow your reasoning.  The OP wasn’t complaining about the Oppo.  He preferred it to the Cyrus/Schiit combo.  How will reducing jitter in his preferred component change this perception?

dweller— Thanks for the response.

 Doesn’t sound as though there’s a big difference yet.

Of course you now have 4K video!

@rvpiano - There were many reasons for buying the 205. As it is still breaking in, won't make judgements yet. The 205 does sound great out-of-the-box. It's just that the 105 always sounded a little "in your face", a tad harsh with redbook CDs (which is why I often used a Rega DAC). SACD sounded fantastic, however. The 105 just started to sound its best in the last few months. I will say that the 205 makes quite a bit of noise when playing MQA CDs (I have only one). It sounds like a PC burning a CD at 3X speed. Don't know if it makes the same noise streaming. 

Dweller,

Are you saying you liked the 105 more than the 205?
Important! because I’m seriously considering getting the 205.

I recently sold my Oppo 105 after my 205 arrived. I swear within the last six months the 105 was sounding SO GOOD! Could it take five years to break in?

ICs are Morrow Toslink between the Cyrus and the DAC, Morrow MA4 out of the DAC to the preamp, MA 3 between the Oppo and the preamp (RCA’s).
Stock power cords on both Cyrus and Oppo.
Morrow MA 4 power cord between preamp (Currently Emotiva XSP1, while my Conrad-Johnson PV11 is out for repair,) and Nuforce (Reference 9 V3) mono-block amps.
I have the Oppo 95.  The 105 is light years better.

@ OP,
something seems to be wrong with this situation:
What ICs are you using? AES or SPDIF or Toslink out of the Oppo?
What power cords are you using? Did you A/B the Oppo vs the Cyrus/Schiit with the SAME ICs ? the SAME Power Cords?

Same question for the Cyrus/Schiit combo. 

Unless Oppo has made gargantuan changes to the transport of the 105 over the 95. I had the Oppo 95, the transport on it was mediocre at best. 

There's a lot of high priced crap out there.

I have an Oppo 105 and didn't play it very much as it didn't come close to my vinyl.

I ran the Oppo into an LKS and the improvement was amazing. 

Better still when I ripped my CDs and SACDs and play them through a laptop directly to the DAC.  I consider it on par with my vinyl . . . not the same, but as good.

The Oppo still serves well for video-audio combo.

Johnny,

Isn’t the Ayre Codex primarily a headphone amp?

Greetings Shardone
 I strongly disagree
 I have 3 customers that brought in their Benchmark DACs
The Ayre Codex easily outperformed the above.
one fellow in disbelief brought his 600 dollar power cord with him and insisted it would make the difference, The stock cord on the Ayre Codex
was still obvious that it outperformed the Benchmark.
An AQ thunder Power cord and Ayre Codex together are very special.
 Best,
  JohnnyR

Benchmark sounds great, but I would have to come up with the two grand.
I was already considering the Oppo 205.  They’re supposedly coming out with a new run this month.  I’ve long been on the waiting list to buy.

Not surprising as the Oppo is excellent. To best the 105 you probably should try Stereophile Class A+ DACs or the 205 from Oppo.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/recommended-components-2018-edition-digital-processors

The Benchmark DAC 3 is about 40% less than the next most expensive and 1/10 the cost of the most expensive one. Keep your Cyrus transport as Benchmark will take any digital input without fuss (I haven’t found any cable or any input or any reclocker to improve the sound out of the box with stock cable and connects). Benchmark is popular with classical listeners.

Cyrus transport.  Schiit Gumby DAC.

Name the DAC/Transport or your post isn’t of much value