Oppo 83 transport and DAC

The older Oppo players have jitter issues. Get a digital signal reclocker that reduces the jitter before sending the signal to an external DAC. Just my 2 cents.

Oppo A3 is more suitable for you. It is more convenient to use. 

Hi

I just thought I'd throw this out there. I currently use a stock Oppo BDP-83 as a transport to an older external DAC (McCormack DAC-1). It is connected via a Monoprice Toslink cable with the premium metal connector. When I get back to my listening position I then set the Oppo BDP-83 to Pure Audio. To me and my surprise this set-up sounds better than the stock 2 channel analog section of the BDP-83. The music just sounds more alive and detailed with the music coming from the DAC-1 rather than the Oppo.

I would have loved to have tried the upgrade to the Oppo BDP-83SE but at the time it was out of my reach money wise.

I think Oppo will be offering new BD players soon so I'll keep an eye out for that.

Just buy the oppo bdp-83SE (special edition), or have oppo upgrade your 83 to the SE. It's rated Class A in Stereophile's Recommended Components.
P.S., I'm not sure if Oppo upgrades. Nu-Force will and then some!

Ykk: I think you are a bit confused. The DAC chip inside any player provides an analog signal to the analog output stage, where it is amplified enough to provide enough voltage to drive a preamp's input section. Outboard DACs may or may not use different DAC chips than the Oppo, but it is the design of the output stage that has a big impact on sound quality. Well-regarded outboard DACs not only have high quality DAC chips, but also have well designed analog output stages (and power supplies, etc.). When you output a digital signal from the Oppo, you bypass both the Oppo's internal DAC chips and the Oppo's analog output stage.

Even with the best, SOTA DAC chips, an analog output stage designed to come in under a certain price point or that is just poorly designed will not sound as good as an even cheaper DAC chip that is used in a well-designed high end DAC with a good analog output stage.

I have an Oppo which I use primarily for BluRay movies and concerts as well as SACD and DVD Audio. Unmodded the Video is superb and the Audio is OK. Once modded the Audio and Video are both superb. I rarely use it for listening to CDs as all my CDs are ripped to FLACs on my PC. I use a Logitech Duet feeding an Altman DAC to listen to CD music. So much more convenient and sounds almost as good as a good CD player. If you get your Oppo's analog section modded by the likes of Modwright, RAM or Asi-Tek, it is unlikely that you will improve the sound by piping the digital output to an external DAC.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. But now I am a bit confused on one issue, that if I need to upgrade the audio quality of my OPPO 83, the area needs improvement is not 83's DAC, but its analog section? If it is analog section, then mod the analog section is the answer; if it is DAC, then adding external DAC will greatly help. So, what is the weakest part of OPPO 83?

I don't mind spending $1K on used DAC, if OPPO 83 can be improved by DAC.

I have very few SACDs, so I am thinking of enjoying more of CDs, titles that I don't have on my LPs.

I really like the CIA VDA-2. It's a great little DAC. It will also handle high bit rate PCM (up to 24 bit, 192 kHz). CIA offers a trial period (30 days,less 10%).

FYI, there are a number of Blu-Ray music discs featuring hi-rez sound. Chris Botti is great in 24 bit, 2 ch.,PCM! With a separate DAC for 2 channel listening you're free to use multiple sources (cable TV, etc.).

I already had one Blu-Ray player die after two years use. I picked up a JVC (great player!) for $250. If I had sunk alot of money in one player, and had it to die, I would have been peeved. That's just my view on the subject.

Of course, if you listen to alot of SACD, or prefer one-box, you might want to upgrade your unit. The analog section is probably the weakest link.

Modwright does some nice work and is offering various upgrades to your unit.

There is nothing wrong with the DACS in the OPPO. What lets it down is the Analog section. Get the Analog section modded by one of the modders out there and you will have a superb player. No need for an external DAC.

Take a look at the Citypulse 7.2X ($469).I use this unit with a 981 and a Z-Systems RDP-1,with good results.

Any of the DACs you listed should work fine with the Oppo. Each will sound slightly different as they are all different designs. You might do some research in the archives on DACs as there are many threads on the subject. I use an Oppo 983H as a transport and it does a fine job, though I'm sure there are superior transports. If your DAC is one that addresses jitter, or if you put a dejitter device, like Empirical's Pacecar, between your Oppo and DAC, you should be cooking with gas. Of those you listed, I've only heard four. Of those my favorite is the Havana. The Cal Sigma is a bit long in the tooth. The Benchmark is a perennial darling, but I've never warmed up to it myself. It does claim to address jitter very effectively though, and I have heard it sounding better than I could get it to sound, at various shows. A few more for your short list: Bel Canto DAC3, April Music Stello, Red Wine Audio Isabellina, Modwright Transporter (also a wireless server). A good DAC would almost certainly improve on the Oppo analog output, which is reportedly just very good, but not as good as it gets (as is that on my 983H). You should probably establish a target budget and do your research from there. Plenty of good choices out there to choose from. Good luck.