Probably not a typical post here, but just wanted to briefly share my first impressions of the new Oppo 205 together with the Devialet 250 pro.
I have the 205 connected via stereo xlr to my trinnov st-2 and then via rca cinch to the line-in of the Devialet. All multi-channel content is down-mixed to stereo via the dedicated DAC in the Oppo.
Having previously owned an Oppo 103, I must say that two things distinctly differentiate the 205 from it's predecessors:
1) Build Quality - The 205 is rock solid. Weighing in at approx 12 kilos, there is no flexing or plastic. It is definately built to keep vibrations to a minimum and is top notch.
2) SQ (stereo) - Regardless if downmixed Dolby Atmos, DVD Audio, SACD, or Redbook, the sound is full bodied and enjoyable. The dynamic range is also very impressive. Undoubtly the best universal player I have heard in 2 channel mode to date.
As you can probably guess, I am really enjoying the Oppo and can only recommend it if you are considering a 4K UHD Blu-ray player together with a Stereo / 2.1 system.
BB
I agree with most of what you said except that I feel that it sounds better through the digital output (spdif) of the Oppo into a reclocker than AES/EBU into the Devialet. In my system:
Oppo 203 to Mutec MC-3 usb (reclocking) to Devialet. I find this way better than analogue to the Devialet despite using very expensive analogue cables. In your case D-A-D-A conversion, in my system D(-D)-A Maybe you should try it this way too. The disadvantage is that I can't play SACDs at all and Blue-rays will be downconverted to 48kHz. Not a huge issue as very few go above this sampling rate anyway.
Picture quality is out of this world.
I have my Oppo's analogue outputs connected directly to my D, and the digital outputs connected to the Mutec and on to the D via AES/EBU, so that I can choose my output to suit whether I'm listening to/watching BluRay, DVD, SACD or CD. I too feel that the digital output sounds superior to the analogue.
Really appreciate the comments.
I must admit that I am also still playing around with the various signal paths, but the limitation on the SACD output via digital and the "fullness" of the sound via Analog still has me leaning it that direction. I am guessing that my ST-2 is an influencing factor in my perception.
The various possibilities one has in connectivety with the 205 is another big plus of the device in my opinion and of course fully agree that the picture quality is extremely good.
A while back I was changing some stuff around in my hifi rack and tried connecting my Pioneer BDP-450 Blu Ray (Universal) player via the Mutec MC3+USB. I figured that via the Mutec it's performance should be very similar to mR into the Mutec. Just 1's and 0's etc. I was very wrong, playing identical 16/44.1 material streamed via the mR versus played via CD on the Pioneer the difference was substantial, with the Pioneer showing SQ deficits in all areas.
I must admit I like the look of the Oppo 205, I did think about buying one until I remembered that it would be a bit pointless as I do not have a 4K TV! (I have a 'last of the good ones' 2013 Panasonic Plasma that I do not want to replace)
Anyway, it would be interesting to get an idea of how the Oppo performs via the Mutec vs the mR just with redbook material, if you ever have the time or inclination to try that is. One point to add, with SACD the Pioneer outputs at 24/88.2, so it's a shame the SQ isn't better. The Pioneer is about four levels down in terms of price and quality versus the Oppo though, so expecting top notch SQ from the Pioneer was a bit optimistic.
(25-May-2017, 18:30)Confused Wrote: [ -> ]A while back I was changing some stuff around in my hifi rack and tried connecting my Pioneer BDP-450 Blu Ray (Universal) player via the Mutec MC3+USB. I figured that via the Mutec it's performance should be very similar to mR into the Mutec. Just 1's and 0's etc. I was very wrong, playing identical 16/44.1 material streamed via the mR versus played via CD on the Pioneer the difference was substantial, with the Pioneer showing SQ deficits in all areas.
I must admit I like the look of the Oppo 205, I did think about buying one until I remembered that it would be a bit pointless as I do not have a 4K TV! (I have a 'last of the good ones' 2013 Panasonic Plasma that I do not want to replace)
Anyway, it would be interesting to get an idea of how the Oppo performs via the Mutec vs the mR just with redbook material, if you ever have the time or inclination to try that is. One point to add, with SACD the Pioneer outputs at 24/88.2, so it's a shame the SQ isn't better. The Pioneer is about four levels down in terms of price and quality versus the Oppo though, so expecting top notch SQ from the Pioneer was a bit optimistic.
I replaced my Pioneer Kuro 5090 that was way better than most of the tv
that is around today with a LG B6 OLED that was the first tv that I found that was better at a price I could live with.......
Octaviars - stop it! Too much temptation!
Although this is drifting off topic a little, it is perhaps interesting that we have similar taste in both amplifiers and TV's. There must be some connection. I have to say that I wish there was a Devialet style upgrade scheme for TV's, these things really do loose money! Plus, I too would go for OLED next, no doubt about it. I have two Panasonic plasmas, and would happily upgrade if the now quite old one became faulty. No sign of that though, the thing appears to be indestructible.
The new Oppo looks really interesting and a very solid piece of kit. If it's good with bluray (as I'm sure it is) and can play CD's and SACD's well and quietly without the audible whirr of the mechanism it could mean I could reduce two boxes to one!
My current Denon player is quite good with video but makes a horrible racket when playing a bluray and it's no where near as good as my Esoteric SACD player with audio discs as you might expect. So I would be very interested to hear how people think the Oppo stacks up via digital out and with mechanical noise.
Oppo have obviously put a lot of effort into the analogue outputs with this model and my concern is I would never use them. Is the 203 version a better bet if you are just going to output via HDMI (to AV receiver - 7:1) and digital coax (to Devialet - Stereo)?
(25-May-2017, 20:51)Harry. Wrote: [ -> ]The new Oppo looks really interesting and a very solid piece of kit. If it's good with bluray (as I'm sure it is) and can play CD's and SACD's well and quietly without the audible whirr of the mechanism it could mean I could reduce two boxes to one!
My current Denon player is quite good with video but makes a horrible racket when playing a bluray and it's no where near as good as my Esoteric SACD player with audio discs as you might expect. So I would be very interested to hear how people think the Oppo stacks up via digital out and with mechanical noise.
Oppo have obviously put a lot of effort into the analogue outputs with this model and my concern is I would never use them. Is the 203 version a better bet if you are just going to output via HDMI (to AV receiver - 7:1) and digital coax (to Devialet - Stereo)?
My first post here and it isn't about Devialet :-(
I have an Oppo 105 and an Oppo 203. The distinction between the 103 and 105 was analogue output, video and digital output were identical for both models. That seems to be pretty much the case with the 203 and the 205 apart from the fact that the 205 has some change which reduces jitter on digital audio output over HDMI but apparently the difference in extremely small and there seems to be some doubt that it would be audible in practice. The only other difference is that the 205 supports a wider range of inputs if you want to use it as a DAC but with a Devialet you aren't going to be wanting to use it as a DAC.
So, if you're only going to use the HDMI and digital coax there's going to be no difference between the 203 and the 205 apart from that HDMI jitter reduction feature which you probably wouldn't notice in real life situations. If you aren't going to use analogue output the general advice has always been to get the *03 model rather than the *05 model because for video and digital audio outputs are identical though I guess that's now "essentially identical" with the 205's new jitter reduction feature.
(25-May-2017, 20:43)Confused Wrote: [ -> ]Octaviars - stop it! Too much temptation!
Although this is drifting off topic a little, it is perhaps interesting that we have similar taste in both amplifiers and TV's. There must be some connection. I have to say that I wish there was a Devialet style upgrade scheme for TV's, these things really do loose money! Plus, I too would go for OLED next, no doubt about it. I have two Panasonic plasmas, and would happily upgrade if the now quite old one became faulty. No sign of that though, the thing appears to be indestructible.
Haha...
Well my Kuro lasted nearly 10 years but right after Christmas it started to behave strange turning it self of and some code came up that suggested there was some problem in the PSU and after some time googeling this it was clear that this was known problem. Right about that time one of the larger electronics stores here in Sweden had lowered the price on the LG B6 and the guy that I bought my Kuro from 10 years ago told me to get the LG as it was the first TV he tested that he thought was better than the Kuro G9 in this price range.
Well back to the Oppo, anyone seen if there are coming UDP205 in silver?