Oppo replacement recommendations?

[ubertrout]

I include burned DVD-A in my definition of "Universal player". This is an entirely legal disc format.

So, under the WIPO Copyright Treaty burning a DVD-A ISO from a commercial disc isn't legal, even if you own that disc. In the UK it would be the 2003 copyright regs: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2498/regulation/24/made

I appreciate the insistence that it should be allowed, and I understand that you can technically author a DVD-A disc yourself, which I recall you've mentioned doing in the past But given that the vast majority of such discs are technically infringing, this doesn't strike me as being a winning argument. And frankly, you're just going to exasperate yourself demanding it.

 

[izackary]

Audio Science Review tests of the DACs in current Arcam AVRs showed pretty poor results. Arcam took notice and said "ah, we have it configured wrong" and claim to have fixed it in a firmware updare. But ASR have not re-tested, so we really have no idea where the current Arcam AVRs stand with current firmware. As the owner of an Arcam AVR31 I'm interested, though it sounds fantastic and test results wouldn't change my view of that.

The poor DAC results were especially peculiar after reading the analog section measured very well.

 

[mandrix]

So, under the WIPO Copyright Treaty burning a DVD-A ISO from a commercial disc isn't legal, even if you own that disc. In the UK it would be the 2003 copyright regs: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2498/regulation/24/made

I appreciate the insistence that it should be allowed, and I understand that you can technically author a DVD-A disc yourself, which I recall you've mentioned doing in the past But given that the vast majority of such discs are technically infringing, this doesn't strike me as being a winning argument. And frankly, you're just going to exasperate yourself demanding it.

Well all the legalities aside, I fail to see how burning and playing a disc of one's own authoring is a sea change different from ripping a commercial disc to .iso and playing it in any number of software players.
I've authored a fair number of DVDA discs and always burn to an -RW disc and test it out. After that I just play it either with the Oppo off my network or with a software player.
I have several players that will play either burned DVDA or SACD.

But yeah, I agree, no sense beating a dead horse. But I still find it hilarious that old Sony players, with Sony being the kings of content control, will rip SACD.
That must really chap their backside.

 

[shokhead]

Well all the legalities aside, I fail to see how burning and playing a disc of one's own authoring is a sea change different from ripping a commercial disc to .iso and playing it in any number of software players.
I've authored a fair number of DVDA discs and always burn to an -RW disc and test it out. After that I just play it either with the Oppo off my network or with a software player.
I have several players that will play either burned DVDA or SACD.

But yeah, I agree, no sense beating a dead horse. But I still find it hilarious that old Sony players, with Sony being the kings of content control, will rip SACD.
That must really chap their backside.

Bet it's a bit more then chaps their backside! LOL

 

[Owen Smith]

So, under the WIPO Copyright Treaty burning a DVD-A ISO from a commercial disc isn't legal, even if you own that disc. In the UK it would be the 2003 copyright regs: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/2498/regulation/24/made

I appreciate the insistence that it should be allowed, and I understand that you can technically author a DVD-A disc yourself, which I recall you've mentioned doing in the past But given that the vast majority of such discs are technically infringing, this doesn't strike me as being a winning argument. And frankly, you're just going to exasperate yourself demanding it.

I never said anything about copying commercial DVD-As, I'm talking about authoring and blowing a DVD-A yourself. These days I'd use blu ray or just play a multi channel FLAC, but that doesn't change all the burned DVD-As I already have. A similar argument can be made for authoring and burning your own SACDs but that really is flogging a dead horse, technically no law has been broken but so many players never played SACD-R and so little consumer gear can record in DSD it's a pointless argument.

Anyway, my Oppos (2 x 203, 1 x 95) all play burned DVD-As and for the one burned SACD I have my Oppo 95 will play it. If I lost burned SACD playback I'd throw that disc away, but burned DVD-A playback is a must for me. I still don't know if the Magnetars support it.

 

[Owen Smith]

The poor DAC results were especially peculiar after reading the analog section measured very well.

Indeed, which means Arcam saying they had the DAC misconfigured makes sense. I'm inclined to believe Arcam on that until I see evidence to the contrary. These are ESS DACs, they have options for internal resampling which as ASR said should eliminate the problem if used.

 

[Owen Smith]

But I still find it hilarious that old Sony players, with Sony being the kings of content control, will rip SACD.
That must really chap their backside.

Serves them right, miserable gits.

 

[mandrix]

I never said anything about copying commercial DVD-As, I'm talking about authoring and blowing a DVD-A yourself. These days I'd use blu ray or just play a multi channel FLAC, but that doesn't change all the burned DVD-As I already have. A similar argument can be made for authoring and burning your own SACDs but that really is flogging a dead horse, technically no law has been broken but so many players never played SACD-R and so little consumer gear can record in DSD it's a pointless argument.

Anyway, my Oppos (2 x 203, 1 x 95) all play burned DVD-As and for the one burned SACD I have my Oppo 95 will play it. If I lost burned SACD playback I'd throw that disc away, but burned DVD-A playback is a must for me. I still don't know if the Magnetars support it.

I hear you. While many of mine have been old OOP Quad rips, I find DVDA a suitable vehicle for playback. As for authoring SACD, I do so few that every time I get into it I have to sort of figure it out all over again. I have not used any DSD sources, I use Saracon for resampling and the Phillips encoder to compress.
Sound wise this way I hear no difference and simple DVDA is easier to author for a "quick and dirty" disc.

 

[gbaby183]

The DAC in the 205 is an excellent one and returned some of the best measurements tested at Audio Science Review. So it is possible that using the 205s DAC and analog outs you might get a better sounding result. Most of the AVR's we tested did not return DAC results near the 205s.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-of-oppo-udp-205-uhd-player.3660/#post-87675
OTOH, the 105 revealed some problems that couldn't be backed up with testing of a second unit.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...urements-of-oppo-bdp-105-blu-ray-player.2421/
Recent AVRs have shown big improvements over the last couple years. Funny how things seem to improve when someone is actually watching the cook.
So using a 205 in a system that can utilize the analog outs appears to be a good one but almost no AVR's offer analog in any more and in these days of Atmos, etc; this is all pretty much obsolete tech.

Remember, I was referring to a processor rather than an AVR.

 

[modwerks]

I just bit at $250 and have an unboxed X800M2 now in the closet. Plan is to use it in maybe 5-10 years, and sell my current X800M2 assuming it's still working and didn't die before I could swap/resell. Depends on how the market for media players looks, I may run my current X800M2 until it dies if there's no cheap replacement options at that time.

Also grabbed the Sony STR-DH590 from Best Buy, perfect 1:1 swap with my aging Pioneer 5.1 amp. The Pioneer still works, will throw it up on eBay and get maybe $100 from it. It's more than paid for itself. Dumping used gear before it dies, and can still get some resale from it, seems like a no brainer.

Hi all, I own the Sony X800M2. Bought this after my first generation died.
I just picked up a Panasonic dmp- bd84p-k.
Not sure about burned discs yet, but it plays all formats: Blu ray, DVD (A), CD and SACD!
$80!...

 

[Sal1950]

Not sure about burned discs yet, but it plays all formats: Blu ray, DVD (A), CD and SACD!
$80!...

With the death of the optical media market, it sure is going to be a buyers market for used decks.

 

[boxhead]

Hi all, I own the Sony X800M2. Bought this after my first generation died.
I just picked up a Panasonic dmp- bd84p-k.
Not sure about burned discs yet, but it plays all formats: Blu ray, DVD (A), CD and SACD!
$80!...

Are you sure that it plays DVD-A and SACD? I saw this in the manual:

∫ Types of discs that cannot be
played in this unit
Any other disc that is not specifically
supported or previously described.
≥ DVD-RAM
≥ Super Audio CD
≥ Photo CD
≥ DVD-Audio
≥ Video CD and Super Video CD
≥ HD DVD
≥ 4K Video content is not supported

 

[modwerks]

Are you sure that it plays DVD-A and SACD? I saw this in the manual:

∫ Types of discs that cannot be
played in this unit
Any other disc that is not specifically
supported or previously described.
≥ DVD-RAM
≥ Super Audio CD
≥ Photo CD
≥ DVD-Audio
≥ Video CD and Super Video CD
≥ HD DVD
≥ 4K Video content is not supported

Yup. Just tried it...

 

[modwerks]

With the death of the optical media market, it sure is going to be a buyers market for used decks.

Bought this through Amazon, new...

 

[modwerks]

Yup. Just tried it...

It also supports DSD thru the USB drive input..

 

[Horbus]

Yup. Just tried it...

I don't know any new or lately sold BR-Player from Panasonic capable of playing all those formats (doesn't mean they may not exist) even in the "High End" range. This would be a no brainer then. Did you try SHM SACD or other non Hybrid SACD's? Hybrid SACD's have a CD layer which will be played as CD then. Also did you try a real DVD-A from around the early 2000's, I mean a dedicated one, not a DVD (Video) which contains audio signals only as you get nowadays? Because these are in the Video format and of course will be played by it then.
Also Panasonic would have marketed these features. Very strange but at this price I'll sure get me one!

 

[Owen Smith]

With the death of the optical media market, it sure is going to be a buyers market for used decks.

Apart from Oppos which remain expensive second hand.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Are you sure that it plays DVD-A and SACD? I saw this in the manual:
Types of discs that cannot be played in this unit. Any other disc that is not specifically supported or previously described.
≥ DVD-RAM ≥ Super Audio CD ≥ Photo CD ≥ DVD-Audio ≥ Video CD and Super Video CD ≥ HD DVD ≥ 4K Video content is not supported

Yup. Just tried it...

No it doesn't...

Panasonic gave me an DMP-BD84P-K to test years ago. It can however play the CD layer of 'store bought' SACD's and the DVD-V segments of 'store bought' DVD-Audio discs. Plus it didn't offer any networking capabilities!

 

[Sal1950]

No it doesn't...

Panasonic gave me an DMP-BD84P-K to test years ago. It can however play the CD layer of 'store bought' SACD's and the DVD-V segments of 'store bought' DVD-Audio discs. Plus it didn't offer any networking capabilities!

I think you guys got talking about Sony and Panny's mix up.

 

[PolkSDA]

With the death of the optical media market, it sure is going to be a buyers market for used decks.

1. What death? Physical media is not ceasing to be released. There's been FUD circulating over the last several months regarding a Sony announcement, but that had to do with CD-R, DVD-R, and BD-R *burnable* media, not physical music and movie releases.

2. This may hold true for rank-and-file players, but tends not to be the case for audiophile and/or higher-end devices. If there is indeed a phaseout, that will trigger higher prices on the secondary market, not lower (See Oppo).