My conclusion is that the Oppo’s BDP-83Se’s superior analog board is worth the investment, even if you may need to introduce an additional conversion step, if you observe to following caveats:
- Your room needs to be treated.
- Your system’s DAC or DACs must be equal to or better than the Oppo’s.
- Your system must have flexible, nonintrusive calibration capability.
- Your system should be calibrated manually, not automatically.
- Your system must be capable of resolving both dramatic and subtle improvements in sound quality.
I found the Oppo’s analog output to be superb. It immediately improved each of the three systems in their analog bypass modes. It evidenced the most astonishing improvement in conjunction with the additional A/D/A step in the Synthesis® system. Even in this instance, a better signal in means a better signal out, additional processing notwithstanding.