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Oppo 105 with DIY LPM is a giant killer (no dac needed)

Responding to the many "which dac?" question threads and making the following basic comment over and over,  I felt I should post a separate thread for it


Over the decades I have owned a lot of transport dac combos as well as cd players that could serve double duty  as a transport to which I connected various outboard dacs. Being very interested in SACDs and DVD-As, I bought a new Oppo 105 ~ 8 years ago, strictly to play them. So both were in the system at all times as I toggled between red book and hi-rez formats



The reviewers consistent knock on the 105 was the power supply. Several years ago I was using a Pioneer PD65 with Musical Concepts mod that included an outboard power supply. I upgraded the dacs, but eventually used it as a transport. Finally, the PD 65 laser died and was no longer made. So, while I researched a replacement I used my unmoded 105 for redbook too. After a lot of searching, I settled on a Marantz HD CD -1 for redbook playback. It had very good reviews and had most of the outs needed to use it as a transport, if/when needed. My preamp was a Audio Alchemy DDP1 ($1995), at that time sans PS 5 outboard PS ($695), which is a HUGE improvement over the DDP-1 without it. Go figure: LOL).



Many months later, I stumbled across Linear Power Supplies on Ebay for various Oppo cd players. I had no idea that upgraded Linear Power Modules existed, let alone that they were simple DIY screw in replacements for the OEM ps, let alone that there was a  number of companies making them. One company offers a number of LPMs at various price points from ~ $200-$500 (sorry I don't recall which one) provides super easy to follow photos. Also available are upgraded IECs with silver tails that connect to either the stock or upgraded LPMs. Like many of you, I was hesitant to dive in with both feet, but started by replacing the OEM IEC and a jumper to bypass the 110/220 switch. There were lots of choices, but settled on the Furutech Rhodium EIC with pure silver tail that snaps on the old or new board, and a jumper to bypass the 110/220 switch.I was so shocked at what that alone did, I bought a ~ $250 LPM . Later, I learned it sounds even better without the metal cover, which I then did. If you're concerned about dust getting into it, I bought a cheap air conditioning filter for my amp, but my 105 is pretty isolated


The result was so amazing I decided to bypass my DDP-1, which now had the outboard PS. IMHO, it was every bit as good as having the $2700 highly reviewed AA in the system, and likely better as I eliminated a power cord and a cable, both of which can affect the sound. In this case Less is More


For ~ $400 you will be amazed


hth
tweak1

Showing 2 responses by melm

melm
1,057 posts
 
At the moment I use my Oppo 105 only to play videos and as a go-between my computer and a TV. It makes a great digital renderer by the way and I was using it as one for DLNA before I got something better. CDs and SACDs are copied to a hard disk.

I agree that power supply is important. The external DAC I use has two 50 watt transformers and 13 groups of rectification.

But power supply is not all there is to sound quality. Among other things are more precise clocks at the DAC chip and at inputs, and improved analog stages which should probably include discrete rather than IC components. Also more effective shielding of components from the power supply.

If you want to take digital to a higher level, it is more complicated than you have made it.

IMO far more effective, and cost effective, to use an external dac than to modify an Oppo. It also preserves its resale value.
melm
1,057 posts
 
"However, there is still a "digital glare" present when using the Oppo strictly as a transport to send digital output to an external DAC."

In my own experience, and with my own external DAC, I have proven this not to be true.  Or to put it another way, the "glare," probably produced by jitter, is taken care of in some good measure by the better clock in the DAC.  Not to mention the "transistor glare" of an inexpensively constructed IC analog section.

In any event, playing disks is not the way to get the best sound out of digital files.  So putting another $400 or so into a power supply to run an Oppo transport is not the way to go for the highest quality sound.  (I say this with a caveat as there are multi kilobuck players that I have not experienced and have no need for.)

Just one person's opinion.
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