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Has the Oppo carried the AV industry?

I looked through my last Widescreen Review magazine the other day (March issue), and I came accross the latest Oppo Bluray player review -didn't read it. In fact, I refuse to read yet another all-universe, all-everything, "the end-all-be-all", "greatest thing since sliced bread", "MUST HAVE", "there is none better", "will revolutionize your home theaters picture and sound quality, to world class levels" article, about the mythical Oppo player!!!..can't do it..WON'T DO IT! NO!!!
Over the last 13 years, I probably honestly read two (maybe three) entire Oppo Universal disc player reviews -start to finish -and other articles discussing Oppo mods and upgrades, articles/discussion that REFER to an Oppo player, as part of some reference system, and inevitably, I find that the Oppo reviews will JUST WON'T GO AWAY, APPARENTLY! They're like bunnies! They keep producing more of their kind, whether you want them to or not!
Lol -I'm just simply amazed by how much attention and press that a lowely disc player has obviously gotten over the years! Surely, owning an Oppo player must bee a system transforming experience! ..a "must have" item, no less. I must have missed out..cause I never owned one. In fact, never really cared to own one! I've been dazled by how good the quality of video processing has been in all the plain-Jane disc players, flat pannel display's, and even high end video projectors I've owned continue to supply me wiht! But, apparently, every one else bought the Oppo. Cause I surely, honesly, can't remember a year that's gone by in the past decade, where I don't rememer NOT reading somwhere about an Oppo player!
It's really felt, to me, like home entertainment AV products, and home theater in general, have been on a "demand" slide over the past decade! 7.1 and 1080p, Bluray, etc, have all been around long anough now, that it's kind of a "been there, had that" kind of feeling I get when I think about this hobby anymore. I guess life and priorities has weened me away from being a die-hard enthusiest now-a-days. And yet, I can't get the Oppo topic out of my thoughts, whenever I look at my gear!..and I don't think the hobby is going to let me forget much about it neither. lol!
Anyone else get the oppinion that this product surely has been single most important product in the AV industry, these past 10+ years?! Because it's certainly been the most talked about brand/topic I can remember reading about, if nothing else.
I really do think they'll be making Oppo's for the next 100 years, period! -even if they'll do 4k upscaling, 4k/8k future exact pixel mapping, wifi-HD streaming, toast your bread and make you breakfast, whatever! I'm thinking that these Oppo's just must have been so good, that no serious enthusiest, whatever-phile, or system owner should have ever considered "going without!"...otherwise, they missed out!?
Well anyway, anyone here who's used the Oppo think that the product has been a make-or-break, indespensible, product that really made all the differnence to the picture quality they achieved, or the sonic experience they got using these things? (I'm tickled pink by the digital AV processing advances I've gotten just upgrading processor and displays, year after year) I just want to somehow hear that I really missed out all these years, and the only important consideration I should have made was BUYING the Oppo! Cause at the very least, I'm not totaly convinced that Apple and Oppo aren't the same company, ..secretly.
100 more years of Oppo players?..servers?? -probably
avgoround
sonicbeauty
324 posts
 
Schubert, I have owned both machines.
Owned the Cambridge and held on to it while I waited months for the silver edition Oppo 105 to arrive.

When it did arrive, I did some meticulous comparisons.
It's all subjective of course but here are my reasons for getting rid of the Cambridge and going with the Oppo.

1. I liked the sound of the Sabre DAC better in the Oppo. The Oppo sound is not necessarily better, just different to my ears.

2. I liked (and currently use) the XLR outputs.

3. It is a stunning design with a clean faceplate and looks and feels like a high end audio component, where the Cambridge looks like a common home-theatre DVD player. Looks count in my book. Controls and operation are smooth.

4. I found the transport to be QUIETER at close range, actually, you cannot heart the OPPO spinning at all.

5. Love the remote and actually bought a second original one for only 12 bucks.

Not knocking the Camby, again, sound is a matter of taste. So are looks.

They may be made in part at the same plant, but let me tell you, those two machines are not alike at all.

Cheers everyone!
schubert
7,386 posts
 
Of course, even DAC selected is major.
finsup
289 posts
 
Keep in mind the perspective here is based on the question "is an Oppo worth the extra few hundred bucks over an el cheapo player. Since this decision made is typically in the context of a "modest" system, I can see how in some cases the answer is no.

For a vast number of prospective Oppo buyers, the question is hte exact opposite, i.e. "can I get away with using an El Cheapo Oppo in my high end system, and forgo the megabucks player"? A very high number of "high-end" users appear to be concluding YES, which is testimony to the quality of the player.
Edorr

+2 on these comments

So, as opposed to paying $1000 for an ALL-IN-ONE, could I do even better results using $350 deal on a used trasport, $500 high performance dedicated DAC, and a $150 top Sony Bluplayer with SACD? How far better accross the board is my $1000 Oppo investment?
Avgoround

Maybe better, maybe not. One other thing that should be mentioned is that your setup introduces 3 boxes plus cabling which after adding the costs of the ICs is probably more expensive than the Oppo one-box solution. For some, the convenience there, in addition to the experiences as shared by many others above, makes it hard to ignore. And deserves the praise it gets.

And, Avgoround, would you mind putting in paragraph breaks in your posts? It makes it easier to read. Thanks.
noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 
Schubert,

Yes, my friend has a Cambridge universal and it's very obvious comparing the back panel of this to the Oppo 105 that they're almost identical. The front panels are not even close to identical but both look very nice and perform great.

I think there are a few other brands that utilize the Oppo's video and audio tech in their high priced, nicely recased units. I know that Oppo Digital is a U.S. registered company based in Mountain View, Calif. I think this company is just a 'front' for the Chinese Oppo company but am not totally clear on the relationship.

I'd prefer to buy American but I don't think there is a universal player built here that is anywhere near the quality and affordability of the 105. I'm thrilled with the performance of this beauty in all areas: video, 2 channel audio, ease of connectivity with my laptop, JRMC and a NAS for hi-rez computer audio. I'm hooking it up direct from the Oppo's 'Dedicated Stereo' outputs to my main amp via xlr cables for stereo and direct from the Oppo's 'Analog 7.1' outputs to my surround amps via rca cables.

The Oppo even has a feature I wasn't aware of until after setup: it automatically plays back in either stereo or multi-ch depending on inputted signal. This is enabled simply by configuring one setting in the 'Setup' menu. So, my VTL 2.5 preamp and Parasound AV2500 processor were no longer necessary since the 105 functions as both a very good preamp and a very good surround processor. I have a buyer for both components and I'll be selling them both for about the price of the 105 ($1,200). This, in effect, enabled me to make a major upgrade to my system sound wise, as well as enabling me to begin using hi-rez computer files, and I gained a first class bluray/SACD/DVD-A player to boot all for no cost. I am completely pleased with this versatile and high quality machine. It even retains its resale market value. Best component I've bought thus far.

Don't hesitate if you're considering buying an Oppo 103 or 105,
Tim



Thanks,
Tim
notec
407 posts
 
Oppo's are way OVER-RATED! They are all hype. The BDP-103 is junk IMO. Flakey and nothing special
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