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Thread: DVD/CD Player Recommendation?

  1. #1
    Senior Member JBLAddict's Avatar
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    DVD/CD Player Recommendation?

    there was a good thread with seawolf among others that I wanted to jump into covering the merits of a Yamaha and Oppo line, but is unfortunately "closed"

    The last component I have to upgrade is a 10-yr old Sony 5disc CD/DVD changer with Dolby Digital and dts. Looking for better audio on standard CDs, the latest movie encodings, SACD, as well as BlueRay, and DVD-audio.

    Q1: how do the decoders/DAC of the player interact or not become redundant with those on my HK-AVR354? would the fine DAC of the Oppo for example be reprocessed by the AVR? I never quite understood how the interaction between the source and receiver actually works wrt to the conversion from digital to analog--is my current Sony sending a digital signal through the optical cable (no HDMI on this model), bypassing it's own decoder, and the AVR is doing all the decoding to analog?

    Q2: I believe SACD requires analog outs to the AVR in order to use only the players DAC, from what I read, do I have this correct? and what then about the other multichannel movie formats like, how does an HDMI or digital connection from player to AVR affect those? What I want is one HDMI connection from player to AVR, but not sure if this negates the processing of an expensive CD-DVD unit.

    thanks much for any advice!
    Performance Series 5.1/1990s L1.L5.L7/L100A
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  2. #2
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    OK I'll help with the Q1/Q2 - I haven't gone to Blueray yet, but with my older (non-bluray) Oppo, it does DTS, Dolby, DVD-A, and SACD, as well as HDCD and Dvix decoding. It basically works the same way with the older HK AVR 335 as it does with my current HK AVR 7300.

    I initially had just the optical link between it and my HK - but found you have to run multiple connections between the Disc player and the AVR to get all of the functionality. My older OPPO does 5.1, not the 7.1 of some units - so you run 6 discreet RCA cables to the "6 Direct" ports on the receiver - thats for the SACD and DVD-A signals.
    Movie audio come across on the optical link, and I let the receiver determine if its Dolby or DTS.
    Standard stereo CDs go through a discreet left/right pair of RCA cables - so the OPPO DAC is doing the decoding.

    Video is just an HDMI cable direct to the TV - my receiver is pre-HDMI, but the TV has HDMI in, as well as component.


    Does that help?




    Quote Originally Posted by JBLAddict View Post
    The last component I have to upgrade is a 10-yr old Sony 5disc CD/DVD changer with Dolby Digital and dts. Looking for better audio on standard CDs, the latest movie encodings, SACD, as well as BlueRay, and DVD-audio.

    Q1: how do the decoders/DAC of the player interact or not become redundant with those on my HK-AVR354? would the fine DAC of the Oppo for example be reprocessed by the AVR? I never quite understood how the interaction between the source and receiver actually works wrt to the conversion from digital to analog--is my current Sony sending a digital signal through the optical cable (no HDMI on this model), bypassing it's own decoder, and the AVR is doing all the decoding to analog?

    Q2: I believe SACD requires analog outs to the AVR in order to use only the players DAC, from what I read, do I have this correct? and what then about the other multichannel movie formats like, how does an HDMI or digital connection from player to AVR affect those? What I want is one HDMI connection from player to AVR, but not sure if this negates the processing of an expensive CD-DVD unit.

    thanks much for any advice!
    2ch: WiiM Pro; Topping E30 II DAC; Oppo, Acurus RL-11, Acurus A200, JBL Dynamics Project - Offline: L212-TwinStack, VonSchweikert VR-4
    7: TIVO, Oppo BDP103D, B&K, 2pr UREI 809A, TF600, JBL B460

  3. #3
    Punch
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    I have a McIntosh MVP-871.....amazing unit. $1600 pre-owned, as new condition from Audio Classics. Speak with Frank....he can answer any questions.

  4. #4
    Senior Member JBLAddict's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    OK I'll help with the Q1/Q2 - I haven't gone to Blueray yet, but with my older (non-bluray) Oppo, it does DTS, Dolby, DVD-A, and SACD, as well as HDCD and Dvix decoding. It basically works the same way with the older HK AVR 335 as it does with my current HK AVR 7300.

    I initially had just the optical link between it and my HK - but found you have to run multiple connections between the Disc player and the AVR to get all of the functionality. My older OPPO does 5.1, not the 7.1 of some units - so you run 6 discreet RCA cables to the "6 Direct" ports on the receiver - thats for the SACD and DVD-A signals.
    Movie audio come across on the optical link, and I let the receiver determine if its Dolby or DTS.
    Standard stereo CDs go through a discreet left/right pair of RCA cables - so the OPPO DAC is doing the decoding.

    Video is just an HDMI cable direct to the TV - my receiver is pre-HDMI, but the TV has HDMI in, as well as component.


    Does that help?
    thanks Heather. I think I understand correctly that the player requires SACD and DVD-A output with RCA cables exclusively?

    but for all other digital formats (Dolby Digital, Dolby True HD, Dolby stereo), if I have a digital connection from the player to the AVR (HDMI, optical) does that by default bypass the player's DAC?
    Performance Series 5.1/1990s L1.L5.L7/L100A
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  5. #5
    Moderator hjames's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JBLAddict View Post
    thanks Heather. I think I understand correctly that the player requires SACD and DVD-A output with RCA cables exclusively?

    but for all other digital formats (Dolby Digital, Dolby True HD, Dolby stereo), if I have a digital connection from the player to the AVR (HDMI, optical) does that by default bypass the player's DAC?
    Sure - any of the specialized movie/TV sources are handled pretty well by the HK receiver - feed the raw stream out of the DVD player and let the receiver handle it.

    On my HK I set the audio source for each source Optical 1/2/3, Analog 1/2/3 etc ... with such selectivity, you can check and see which work best for you, right?
    2ch: WiiM Pro; Topping E30 II DAC; Oppo, Acurus RL-11, Acurus A200, JBL Dynamics Project - Offline: L212-TwinStack, VonSchweikert VR-4
    7: TIVO, Oppo BDP103D, B&K, 2pr UREI 809A, TF600, JBL B460

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    Senior Member JBLAddict's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hjames View Post
    On my HK I set the audio source for each source Optical 1/2/3, Analog 1/2/3 etc ... with such selectivity, you can check and see which work best for you, right?
    right, I can use multiple inputs on the AVR from multiple outputs of a single source.

    Just wondering, generally speaking, if a source's digital output is used, does that always bypass the source's DAC and revert to that of the receiver/pre-pro?
    Performance Series 5.1/1990s L1.L5.L7/L100A
    http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/ac...cuses_tube_amp

  7. #7
    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    "new" OPPO BDP-80 does BD,DVD,CD,SACD,USB for $289

    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

  8. #8
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    re: "Just wondering, generally speaking, if a source's digital output is used, does that always bypass the source's DAC and revert to that of the receiver/pre-pro?"


    Yes, the optical or coaxial digital output is passed directly from the disc to the player's digital audio output. The receiver or processor decodes the Dolby Digital or DTS bitstream, applies the bass management and time delays, converts the signal to analog and outputs it to the amps or speakers.

  9. #9
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    I've been beta testing that one for about 7 months. Analog audio outputs are near identical to the previous Oppo flagship DVD player, the 983. Apart from Blu-Ray capabilities, it's very similar to the previous 980 DVD player. Slightly better DVD upscaling. A VERY solid alternative to the more expensive BDP-83 model unless analog audio quality is your main concern. Although to be honest, 75% of the HT systems out there can't resolve the differences.

    It becomes available tomorrow.

  10. #10
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve0616 View Post
    Yes, the optical or coaxial digital output is passed directly from the disc to the player's digital audio output. The receiver or processor decodes the Dolby Digital or DTS bitstream, applies the bass management and time delays, converts the signal to analog and outputs it to the amps or speakers.
    Actually, some players do mess with CD audio even on the digital outs. DVD bitstreams are untouched.

  11. #11
    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdgrimes View Post
    It becomes available tomorrow.
    Any chance we'll be offered an SE version of that one???
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

  12. #12
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    Any chance we'll be offered an SE version of that one???
    No. The analog section is actually quite good compared to others of considerably higher price. It's not as clear as the dedicated stereo outs on the BDP-83, but not much is except the SE edition and some VERY expensive alternatives. Shucks, you can spend $3500 on the new Lexicon and get a standard BDP-83 inside, not even the SE!

    The new Cambridge Azur 650BD is actually built on the Oppo BDP-80 chassis. We don't yet know what mods they might have made, if any.

    http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/set_te...ry.php?PID=492

  13. #13
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdgrimes View Post
    I've been beta testing that one for about 7 months. Analog audio outputs are near identical to the previous Oppo flagship DVD player, the 983. Apart from Blu-Ray capabilities, it's very similar to the previous 980 DVD player. Slightly better DVD upscaling. A VERY solid alternative to the more expensive BDP-83 model unless analog audio quality is your main concern. Although to be honest, 75% of the HT systems out there can't resolve the differences.
    Are you kidding?

    Probably 90% of HT systems are theater in the box crap fests.

    I have played with the Lexicon/Oppo... it is a very nice piece with excellent video, I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone with a very large display or projection system.


    Widget

  14. #14
    Senior Member rdgrimes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    Are you kidding?

    Probably 90% of HT systems are theater in the box crap fests.

    I have played with the Lexicon/Oppo... it is a very nice piece with excellent video, I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone with a very large display or projection system.


    Widget
    So you'd recommend that someone spend $3500 for a Lexicon polished aluminum face plate? For $500 they can get the Oppo with black aluminum. Same hardware inside. For $900 they can get the Oppo SE with considerably better analog boards than the Lexicon has.

  15. #15
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdgrimes View Post
    So you'd recommend that someone spend $3500 for a Lexicon polished aluminum face plate?
    For the person who wants exemplary dealer service, a product backed by a 4 billion dollar company, likes silver, and can afford it, yes.

    Would I suggest you or I buy the Lexicon over the Oppo? Of course not.


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