Oppo BDP-83 Special Edition - Sabre 32 DAC

I actually placed my order on 12/08/09, but didn't ship the unit out until 12/22/09. They did turn it around fast. I can't wait to hear it.

vc69 wrote: »

Cool. I hope that solves the problem. My SE should be delivered today. I am stoked. Are you experiencing any break-in improvement or is it too soon to tell?

I haven't spent anymore time with it in 2 channel last weekend...too busy. I'm assuming the sub problems were amp related, so I doubt if that's a break-in issue. From the start you'll notice the difference, don't worry. As far as improving with break-in, that's probably a combination of some pathways settling in with both the machine and your brain...as you get familiar you pickup more detail and hear more improvement. Have fun with yours and report back.

Daggum FedEx did not deliver it yesterday. I got it this morning and am staring it down, waiting for 6:00pm so I can get outta here and hook it up.

vmaxer wrote: »

Tracking mine shows it should deliver tomorrow, but requires a signature. This is going to be an issue, since I am at work during the day. Hopefully I can get him to call my cell when he gets there and meet him somewhere on his route?? I have had to do this before.

Well, mine delivered:D

I will have to wait until later this evening to connect it and try it out:(

Any updates from others that have received theirs

vc69 wrote: »

Well...

I was going to do a more comprehensive write up later.

Initial impressions are very, very good. I will say that it took a couple or three hours of use before the initial edge smoothed out. I was a little wary at first blush but my concern faded with use. I looped a redbook cd overnight and will give it another listen tonite.

Having said that, I listened for about 5 hours last night and never suffered any fatigue. The soundstage is improved and the background is much darker to my memory than the standard player. DSD is definitely better with the SE. "Gaucho", which I wasn't particularly pleased with on the old player sounded much better to me on the SE. I haven't spun any DVD-A yet.

Overall, this is a marked improvement and I am very satisfied.

Bare in mind, this is all 2ch analog. I don't do much critical listening to MCH music.

More to come....

Thanks for the info and by all means please do a follow-up after more testing. I'm not very good at writing up reviews. I am also in the early stages experience-wise. Better for me to mostly listen at this point.

I don't listen to much multi channel music at all. I do play a lot of DVD concerts and usually do that in 2 channel as well. Some SACD also, but again usually in 2 channel.

I do use my OPPO to decode the new audio formats in Blurays since the Sunfire TGP 5 will not decode them:(

vc69 wrote: »

Well...

I was going to do a more comprehensive write up later.

Initial impressions are very, very good. I will say that it took a couple or three hours of use before the initial edge smoothed out. I was a little wary at first blush but my concern faded with use. I looped a redbook cd overnight and will give it another listen tonite.

Having said that, I listened for about 5 hours last night and never suffered any fatigue. The soundstage is improved and the background is much darker to my memory than the standard player. DSD is definitely better with the SE. "Gaucho", which I wasn't particularly pleased with on the old player sounded much better to me on the SE. I haven't spun any DVD-A yet.

Overall, this is a marked improvement and I am very satisfied.

Bare in mind, this is all 2ch analog. I don't do much critical listening to MCH music.

More to come....

I spent a couple of hours in 2 channel on Monday night playing Redbook CDs, Alan Parsons Gaudi, Supertramp Crime of the Century and Steely Dan Aja. I've probably got 20-25 hours total on it. The interior detail on fundamental notes is pretty stark. Before I'd hear the note or riff, the instrument and it would be good. Now I hear that plus the nuance from that particular recording session, whether it be fingering, fuzz or filtering. Also detail buried in cords is brought forward so that ensemble playing sounds like there are more instruments contributing than before. Lead vocals seem to be brought forward and background vocals recessed...meaning imaging is placing the background singers behind the lead on stage (at least on the AP disk...SDs singers were setup slightly different). All in all, SDAs have always made studio recordings sound live. Now they sound "liver".

vc69, I heard an edge to vocals initially too...now it's smooth as silk.

New official firmware release.

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-83/bdp-83-firmware-48-1224.aspx

vc69 wrote: »

Then why are you posting in this thread?




I have a feeling, given the info you have provided both here and at AVS, that you will not figure it out. If you are within the 30 day return window, I would recommend returning the player.

Agreed I think that if you are having this hard of a time setting up your player perhaps it's best to simply move on. My oppinion is that either one of three things are occuring here, either the player is defective in some manner or that the operator is too dense to figure it out or last, that like in some other threads the poster has an agenda of their own and by running down the abilities of an audio/video item others will see this and shy away from that product.

Just my 2 cents.

REGARDS SNOW

vc69 wrote: »

I'm taking the afternoon and tomorrow off to go home and listen to this player. I spent about 4 more hours with it last night and I am loving it more and more. This thing is absolutely stunning with regard to the image and detail I am hearing. I haven't owned any high-end players, but I have heard a few. This player is on par with best I have ever heard. In my system, to my ears, it is absolutely amazing. I am a very happy owner.

Good to hear positive statements. Is there anyone in your area that has a highend CD or SACD player that you could get together with to compare this player against theirs?



REGARDS SNOW

Ron Temple wrote: »

snow, see Face's post # 75, there's a review from a guy on audioaficianado.com that compares the SE to a high end player. As expected, it comes close. The least that can be said about this upgrade is that it gives you a big slice of high end at a marginal price, plus you get a stellar blu-ray. Hell, you've got modders adding $3gs worth of upgrades on this platform if you really want to trick it out.

Thanks for the info, It was a very informative read. It appears that as I have been thinking that as technology in chips increase that it is more important to have the cutting edge chips even with a cheaper looking perhaps not as well made player than something made even a few years ago at a much higher price and better fit and finish.



REGARDS SNOW

Things have definitely settled down. Much like Ron said, the vocals have lost their edge and in general upper mids are smooth and detailed. I believe the upgrade is indeed worthy and for anyone thinking of purchasing the SE, worth the price tag.

To say that I use this player primarily for music is an understatement. I initially purchased it as a UDP because my old Pioneer DV-578A was showing it's age and frankly had quit loading DVD's. It seemed like a great value based on the fact that it played everything and I had recently purchased a LCD panel, receiver and new Polk Monitor 50's, and wanted an excellent source to take advantage of the new gear. Thus began a journey...

I found myself listening to it frequently and wanting more. The 50's were not cutting it for me so I did some inquiring at AVS in a thread Ron Temple frequented. He suggested looking for some older Polks and his advice was taken to heart. I ended up with a set of minty LS90's and a CS350LS and relegated the 50's to rear surround duty, where they serve quite nicely.

I have an extensive music collection and found myself rediscovering it with the Oppo as the catalyst. I needed some power and a pre-amp. Again, following Ron's advice, I found a TFM-35x and scored it on Ebay. Realizing where I was heading, a friend of mine, who currently spends most of his time on the road with several bands as a FOH system tech, offered to ship me his VTL tube pre-amp which had been sitting in storage along with a couple of other goodies (a Rega Planet CDP, awesome Cardas and Transparent cables) to play with. Well, the higher up the food chain I went, the better the Oppo performed and the more I listened to music. But the more I wished the Oppo was a little less "harsh". Having had the Rega, I wanted the smooth silky mids and low end but the detail of the Oppo. Mind you, I would always return to the Oppo as my preference. The Rega was just too dark, not enough detail, and the image was 2 dimensional. Smooth yes, but not what I was looking for. The Oppo was far more detailed with a much wider and taller stage. Just a tad edgy. I tried several IC's and finally settled on some Transparent 100's for the Oppo. In fact, I love the Cardas but I cannot afford the cables my friend loaned me and he is willing to part with the Transparent sets so they became my "wire loom" as Max and RT1 would put it. But I digress...

When Oppo offered the the SE upgrade I did some reading and thinking. Investing another $300 in the upgrade at Christmas time is not easy on my budget, and I would have close to $900 (shipping and an extended warranty from my first purchase) in the thing. Maybe I should just look for a dedicated SACD/CD player. But, the Oppo is worthy, I already have it and reports were coming in and they were very positive. So I took the plunge. Almost at the same time Ron did.

So there is the story of how I arrived at the place I am now. The SE is the centerpiece of a very music centric HT setup and plays the solitary role as digital source for my two-channel rig. I am a happy camper. I realize that there are excellent players out there, many of which I will never hear, much less own. But I have heard some nice rigs. I am not left wanting with my current setup. No doubt there will be upgrades and replacements. That's just how we are. I am no different. But this is a very musical player and I have good enough gear to be able to tell. Subtle detail and nuances are readily revealed. That is the hallmark for me. I have to be able to actually hear the differences in cable, equipment and mixes or I am not happy with my rig. Well, I am there.

The SE is a new level for me. I have been quite surprised at the difference the upgrade made. I think Ron summed it up well in saying:
"The interior detail on fundamental notes is pretty stark. Before I'd hear the note or riff, the instrument and it would be good. Now I hear that plus the nuance from that particular recording session, whether it be fingering, fuzz or filtering. Also detail buried in cords is brought forward so that ensemble playing sounds like there are more instruments contributing than before. Lead vocals seem to be brought forward and background vocals recessed..."

That too is my experience. Greater detail, wider stage with depth and height and excellent balance. Bottom end is solid and not over emphasized, or perhaps a better way to put it is the top end is not over emphasized. I always feel as though the Rega is either emphasizing low frequency content or rolling off highs. Detail is lost. Not so the SE. The damn thing just sounds "accurate". It's honestly an amazing value. I cannot imagine besting it for less money and possibly for quite a bit more. In comparing it to the Rega Planet, it is a no contest. The Oppo is a hands down winner. The fact that it is a stellar video source just adds icing to the cake.

Hope that wasn't too long winded. Context is important and I hope I gave you guys an idea about how this player fits into my system, the budget it fits and ears it pleases.

Very nice write up. Thank you.

vc69 wrote: »

I'm taking the afternoon and tomorrow off to go home and listen to this player. I spent about 4 more hours with it last night and I am loving it more and more. This thing is absolutely stunning with regard to the image and detail I am hearing. I haven't owned any high-end players, but I have heard a few. This player is on par with best I have ever heard. In my system, to my ears, it is absolutely amazing. I am a very happy owner.

Hello VC69, any updates from your additional time with the player??