Firmware Update Activates Dolby Vision for Oppo 4K Blu-Ray Players

[Makeroflostsouls]

It seems to be that the appeal of these devices is literally everything else they can do beyond playing discs- their primary function.

And they're talking up the DAC, on their Blu-ray player? How many people don't use a receiver for this stuff?

I can understand wanting flexibility, but putting expensive DACs in the Blu-ray player doesn't make much sense; to me, the devices job is:

1. Read the disc
2. Dump that data to a digital output

...and that's it. Putting more functionality in it only makes (moderate) sense if you're deleting other parts of the system, i.e., going straight from Blu-ray player to discrete amp(s).

Reason for the dac is because this plays a lot more then just Blu-ray. Yes if your just using it for a Blu-ray player the dac isn't a big deal. Now if your using it to play CDs, sacd, dvd-a, flac and what not you will be out putting it analog to your receiver so you can use the oppo dac. Which is really the main reason people loved these in the first place because they play everything. Reason I bought my Marantz receiver over getting another Yamaha was because it has mulit channel analog inputs and Yamaha has done away with them even on there high end models. If your just watching blu-rays with 4k. My damn Xbox one S does a good job of it now that it can actually bitstream to my revicer like it should have been able to from the start. Everything is 1s and 0s now days so player to player for movies your not really going to see or hear any difference. But when your trying to do music with analog sky's the limit on how much you want to spend on stuff. Was in a guys house the other day with 250k in his 2 channel setup.( Didn't get to listen to it was very disappointed)

 

[Nenu]

I can understand wanting flexibility, but putting expensive DACs in the Blu-ray player doesn't make much sense; to me, the devices job is:

1. Read the disc
2. Dump that data to a digital output

...and that's it. Putting more functionality in it only makes (moderate) sense if you're deleting other parts of the system, i.e., going straight from Blu-ray player to discrete amp(s).

I dont know of any receiver that has as high quality analogue output as the 205.
Especially not 7.1

With the last generation there were receivers that used Sabre32 DAC chips but they cost a lot.
It was cheaper and better quality to get an Oppo connected directly to power amps.
This is the route I took upgrading from an Onkyo 875 receiver.
The difference was marked and I got a free Blu Ray/SACD/DVDA player plus all the ways I could think of to connect digital audio/video.

I'm not seeing the issue.

ps forgot to add I use mine for surround gaming audio as well.
There nothing like hearing positional audio this clearly.

 

[Skylinestar]

I remember thinking "Hmm with this new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray thing going on I'll wait till it all settles down and then decide!"

12 years later, I'm still waiting. I don't think I'm the only one.

My PC's Bluray drive is under-used . Mainly using my Sony BD player with my projector.

 

[Skylinestar]

It seems to be that the appeal of these devices is literally everything else they can do beyond playing discs- their primary function.

And they're talking up the DAC, on their Blu-ray player? How many people don't use a receiver for this stuff?

Folks who use the built-in DAC don't use a receiver for this stuff. XLR output to a $$$$$$ power amp.

 

[IdiotInCharge]

So it's basically a really expensive media player that also plays Blu-ray movies (nicely)?

 

[Nenu]

So it's basically a really expensive media player that also plays Blu-ray movies (nicely)?

Yes.
But a very high end media player.
If you arent into this level of audio quality there isnt much point considering it.
The cheaper version is worth a look, it also has a very good DAC, has all the other features and video of the same quality.

 

[Nenu]

Folks who use the built-in DAC don't use a receiver for this stuff. XLR output to a $$$$$$ power amp.

Yep, although you can get extremely high quality amps without megabucks.
ie I use Emotiva XPA amps. They exceed their own specs under review and they were already high.

 

[Sufu]

You slightly missed the point. Lots of points.

This is a glorified $1300 media player that does the same thing Plex does. I can use an HTPC to playback all of my rips and also upscale any 1080p blu-rays. It is honestly not any better than a combo of a $300 blu-ray player and a decent receiver, or a dedicated HTPC and just ripping your discs to your NAS. Hell, even the nvidia shield tv can act as your HTPC, minus the upscaling.

All of those options are a better deal than this thing.

 

[Nenu]

This is a glorified $1300 media player that does the same thing Plex does. I can use an HTPC to playback all of my rips and also upscale any 1080p blu-rays. It is honestly not any better than a combo of a $300 blu-ray player and a decent receiver, or a dedicated HTPC and just ripping your discs to your NAS. Hell, even the nvidia shield tv can act as your HTPC, minus the upscaling.

All of those options are a better deal than this thing.

Plex isnt a DAC.
If you dont understand what a high end DAC is about, this is the wrong thread.
Its not my job to educate you when you are fighting,
If you ask, I will help.

 

[Sufu]

Plex isnt a DAC.
If you dont understand what a high end DAC is about, this is the wrong thread.
Its not my job to educate you when you are fighting,
If you ask, I will help.

That's what the receiver is for.

 

[Nenu]

That's what the receiver is for.

Name the receiver that compares with the Oppo 205 for sound quality.

 

[mope54]

That's what the receiver is for.

There are no "receivers" on the market with this level of audio quality. That may not be important to you, but you are comparing a "receiver" to a completely different level of components (pre/pro > amps) with discrete audio paths.

A pre-pro with balanced analog outputs will run you well over $3,000. This is a separate issue from the actual DACs, which will increase the cost considerably.

Lastly, I've pointed out several times that the solution you (and others) point to will not result in 7.1 analog output. Yes, you can stream or somehow get bluray from your PC into a receiver but in order to get *that* signal into discrete amps it's going to cost you thousands of dollars. If you are looking at an $800 dollar "receiver" you're playing in a different pool from those of us with separates altogether. Whether you consider the price premium worth it is subjective, but there are objective differences between receivers and separates that can't be ignored to form that opinion.

 

[Sufu]

Name the receiver that compares with the Oppo 205 for sound quality.

Anthem MRX 720 or 1120 or a Rotel Receiver or a Marantz receiver - I can go on. If you want something that is just for music listening, then I don't see how Oppo is the end all device just because it has XLR outputs and a high quality DAC. I'd expect that dedicated SACD player would be superior in that regard. Even better if you use a good dedicated amp to drive your high end speakers.

There are no "receivers" on the market with this level of audio quality. That may not be important to you, but you are comparing a "receiver" to a completely different level of components (pre/pro > amps) with discrete audio paths.

A pre-pro with balanced analog outputs will run you well over $3,000. This is a separate issue from the actual DACs, which will increase the cost considerably.

Lastly, I've pointed out several times that the solution you (and others) point to will not result in 7.1 analog output. Yes, you can stream or somehow get bluray from your PC into a receiver but in order to get *that* signal into discrete amps it's going to cost you thousands of dollars. If you are looking at an $800 dollar "receiver" you're playing in a different pool from those of us with separates altogether. Whether you consider the price premium worth it is subjective, but there are objective differences between receivers and separates that can't be ignored to form that opinion.

If you use the $1300 Oppo as a blu-ray player for Movie listening, you are burning money away when all you need is a cheap blu-ray player that can bitstream out audio. You don't need to spend "thousands of dollars" on a decent receiver; yes that $500 receiver is NOT going to compete with the audio quality from the Oppo I'd bet, but I'm pretty sure at the $1000 and higher price range, you can get something to give it a run for the money in a home theater setup, and still have money for a dedicated blu-ray player.

If you are an audiophile, I'd highly doubt you would be running your high end electrostatic speakers (or any other high end speaker with balanced inputs) directly off your oppo. But my point is that this device you are looking at is supposed to be a high end blu-ray player, and for this type of format, you want a dedicated receiver so you can do 7.1 or 7.1.4 Atmos to your home theater - HT being the key here.

 

[Meeho]

I'm still waiting on proof the sound quality is any better than from a $100 sound card or a $300 receiver.

 

[mope54]

Anthem MRX 720 or 1120 or a Rotel Receiver or a Marantz receiver - I can go on. If you want something that is just for music listening, then I don't see how Oppo is the end all device just because it has XLR outputs and a high quality DAC. I'd expect that dedicated SACD player would be superior in that regard. Even better if you use a good dedicated amp to drive your high end speakers.



If you use the $1300 Oppo as a blu-ray player for Movie listening, you are burning money away when all you need is a cheap blu-ray player that can bitstream out audio. You don't need to spend "thousands of dollars" on a decent receiver; yes that $500 receiver is NOT going to compete with the audio quality from the Oppo I'd bet, but I'm pretty sure at the $1000 and higher price range, you can get something to give it a run for the money in a home theater setup, and still have money for a dedicated blu-ray player.

If you are an audiophile, I'd highly doubt you would be running your high end electrostatic speakers (or any other high end speaker with balanced inputs) directly off your oppo. But my point is that this device you are looking at is supposed to be a high end blu-ray player, and for this type of format, you want a dedicated receiver so you can do 7.1 or 7.1.4 Atmos to your home theater - HT being the key here.

This post merely confirms you don't quite understand what you are comparing to one another.

You listed Marantz receivers that don't have balanced outputs. Then you told me I should use a bluray player that has bitstream out...out to what? What are you talking about? No one listens to movies straight from an Oppo into a speaker...that's not even possible unless you are talking about some amped-speakers with RCA plugs hanging off the back of them!

I have no idea what you think you are talking about but it's not the gear we are talking about. Now, if you do want to listen to 2 channel music from the Oppo it actually has a very well regarded headphone output but whatever that's neither here nor there.

This is what we are talking about, which you seem to either not care about or not know:
connecting

to

Neither of the Anthems you listed have balanced outputs. The Marantz AV7005 has balanced outputs but I don't know how the quality rates compared to the Oppo and dedicated amps. It retailed for $1500. If you use that receiver you're paying for amps that you won't use, however, and it's massive. The Rotel RSP-1582 is closest in features to Oppo (again, without reviewing audio quality--just comparing paper specs) but it's $3,500. It's also massive probably due to the screen on the front, but at least it's a separate processor rather than a receiver.

Again, I don't know why you're comparing receivers to separates. They're completely different market segments. The Rotel RSP-1582 indicates the market segment we are referring to, the receivers you listed are not something that would integrate into our systems.

I'm still waiting on proof the sound quality is any better than from a $100 sound card or a $300 receiver.

There are objective measurements that one can compare, but in terms of sounding "better" that's a completely subjective metric that is up to the individual. As I previously stated, whether one recognizes or appreciates features like a balanced analog path is one thing but comparing an Oppo to components that don't include the same feature set is disingenuous.

Even Oppo recognizes this and that's why they offer the $500 dollar model without the audio features of the $1,300 dollar model. There is a bullet list of features the $800 dollars buys you, whether you choose to educate yourself on what they are and whether you need/want them is entirely up to you. To somewhat answer your question, however, when I had an HTPC I use an audio card to feed the Oppo that then went to my amp. I could have (and did) connect my audio card to my amps without balanced interconnects, but there wasn't any way to output 7.1 from the HTPC because of copy protection. As far as I know, that's still the case now. If you don't know that, then you haven't tried to output 7.1 in analog from a computer or you know something I haven't been able to figure out. If it's the latter, please post how you are able to output 7.1 analog because I can easily sell my 105D for close to what I paid for it.

 

[Nenu]

Anthem MRX 720 or 1120 or a Rotel Receiver or a Marantz receiver - I can go on. If you want something that is just for music listening, then I don't see how Oppo is the end all device just because it has XLR outputs and a high quality DAC. I'd expect that dedicated SACD player would be superior in that regard. Even better if you use a good dedicated amp to drive your high end speakers.



If you use the $1300 Oppo as a blu-ray player for Movie listening, you are burning money away when all you need is a cheap blu-ray player that can bitstream out audio. You don't need to spend "thousands of dollars" on a decent receiver; yes that $500 receiver is NOT going to compete with the audio quality from the Oppo I'd bet, but I'm pretty sure at the $1000 and higher price range, you can get something to give it a run for the money in a home theater setup, and still have money for a dedicated blu-ray player.

If you are an audiophile, I'd highly doubt you would be running your high end electrostatic speakers (or any other high end speaker with balanced inputs) directly off your oppo. But my point is that this device you are looking at is supposed to be a high end blu-ray player, and for this type of format, you want a dedicated receiver so you can do 7.1 or 7.1.4 Atmos to your home theater - HT being the key here.

This thread isnt for you.

 

[nilepez]

Anthem MRX 720 or 1120 or a Rotel Receiver or a Marantz receiver - I can go on. If you want something that is just for music listening, then I don't see how Oppo is the end all device just because it has XLR outputs and a high quality DAC. I'd expect that dedicated SACD player would be superior in that regard. Even better if you use a good dedicated amp to drive your high end speakers.



If you use the $1300 Oppo as a blu-ray player for Movie listening, you are burning money away when all you need is a cheap blu-ray player that can bitstream out audio. You don't need to spend "thousands of dollars" on a decent receiver; yes that $500 receiver is NOT going to compete with the audio quality from the Oppo I'd bet, but I'm pretty sure at the $1000 and higher price range, you can get something to give it a run for the money in a home theater setup, and still have money for a dedicated blu-ray player.

If you are an audiophile, I'd highly doubt you would be running your high end electrostatic speakers (or any other high end speaker with balanced inputs) directly off your oppo. But my point is that this device you are looking at is supposed to be a high end blu-ray player, and for this type of format, you want a dedicated receiver so you can do 7.1 or 7.1.4 Atmos to your home theater - HT being the key here.

Sufu, do you understand that the 1300 oppo is almost always the cheapest piece of equipment in the theater?

You wouldn't buy the oppo (neither would I), but maybe if I was building 15 or $20,000 system, I would.

 

[jnemesh]

Agreed, it's BetaMax vs VHS or HDDVD vs BR all over again. With this in mind though, when I bought a 4K TV last November, I made sure it supports both formats.

Never hurts to have support for it, but I wouldnt discriminate against sets that don't support it.

 

[jnemesh]

Yes, but are those people spending a grand on a player? My guess is not many.

More than you would think!

 

[nilepez]

More than you would think!

If people are spending a grand on a 1300 player for a soundbar, then they're stupid. That player should hands down be the cheapest piece of equipment in your system. With a soundbar, buy a 300 dollar player and call it a day.