Cambridge Audio 752BD Now on Richer Sounds site

[abacus]

http://www.richersounds.com/product/blu-ray/cambridge-audio/azur-752bd/camb-752bd-blk

Priced at £799.95

which is £200 cheaper than the Oppo 105, so it will be interesting to see how they compare.

Bill

 

[bigboss]

At 20% cheaper than the Oppo, I think CA will have the upper hand.

Oppos now seem a little overpriced as compared to the competition. In the US, Oppo 105 is $1199, & £999 in the UK. Going by that same logic, Oppo 103 should've been £399, and not £499, as it's $499 in the US.

 

[Feral]

I notice that this model has media streaming for NAS. I couldn't justify buying this for my existing set up as a stand alone BD player but how do you think it would function as a media player as opposed the SM6? I couldn't see anything around gapless payback or an app.

I was considering the SM6 but wondering if i could use the BD752 hdmi into my home cinema and run the analogue outputs into the CA640 and stereo speakers.

Feral

 

[Dan Turner]

I have the 751 BD and it sounds extremely good streaming high-res FLAC and it's exceptional streaming HD or SD video, however the interface is rather rudimentary and it's can be very laborious to scroll through a big library. I'm not sure if the 752 has an updated interface, but definitely try before you buy! I know i wouldn't be happy using the 751 as my main music streaming source - the interface just isn't designed for it.

 

[abacus]

According to the video on their website, there is suposed to be an App for it, but they dont say on what platform.

Best thing is to email them and ask.

Bill

 

[Feral]

Thanks Guys

 

[manicm]

According to the video on their website, there is suposed to be an App for it, but they dont say on what platform.

Best thing is to email them and ask.

Bill

I wouldn't hold my breath. As it's based on the same platform as the Oppo 105, and neither company have made any app announcements, all bets are currently off.

It's the biggest disappointment I have with my 751BD, as I just don't want to switch the telly on to listen to music, which I often do on weekends late at night.

I still maintain, if you want to do serious streaming, get a dedicated streamer, but the features of the 752BD/105 are great for parties when guests can use their phones, usb sticks etc to quickly play their music, and thus a large display makes sense.

 

[jog3004]

Has anyone taken the plunge & bought one yet? I'm in a dilemma of what to buy to replace my excellant but ageing denon bd 3800 & this & the oppo 105 are the main runners.

 

[manicm]

Has anyone taken the plunge & bought one yet? I'm in a dilemma of what to buy to replace my excellant but ageing denon bd 3800 & this & the oppo 105 are the main runners.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Until makers provide universal disc players with decent mobile apps, forget about using them for streaming, unless you need the advanced connectivity the new platform of the 105/752 offers.

So unless you want 3D, I'd say stick with your Denon.

 

[duaplex]

I can feel the gravitational pull of a demo I would be tempted by this and as BB has said it has the upper hand.

 

[jog3004]

Duaplex, please give into your temptation & let gravity pull, then post your views on here particularly as you've demoed the oppo as well.

 

[Ian986]

Well it is reviewed in the latest mag read it tonight only 4 stars

 

[bigboss]

Well it is reviewed in the latest mag read it tonight only 4 stars

4 stars is "very good". Why do you say "only"?

 

[abacus]

Interestingly there was no mention of the video and scalar being no better than cheaper players, which considering it uses the same chip as the Oppo 103/5 (Where this was commented on) seems to indicate that either the Oppo 103 was faulty or What Hi Fi reviewing procedure is not consistent.

Bill

 

[strapped for cash]

Interestingly there was no mention of the video and scalar being no better than cheaper players, which considering it uses the same chip as the Oppo 103/5 (Where this was commented on) seems to indicate that either the Oppo 103 was faulty or What Hi Fi reviewing procedure is not consistent.

Bill

Can we go any further with this? I'm pretty sure every forumite has stated their opinion on the Oppo review. It's fine to disagree with the star rating, but it's not going change, however aggrieved you might feel.

If you access the review tomorrow, the Oppo won't have been upgraded to five stars in response to online backlash.

 

[abacus]

Interestingly there was no mention of the video and scalar being no better than cheaper players, which considering it uses the same chip as the Oppo 103/5 (Where this was commented on) seems to indicate that either the Oppo 103 was faulty or What Hi Fi reviewing procedure is not consistent.

Bill

Can we go any further with this? I'm pretty sure every forumite has stated their opinion on the Oppo review. It's fine to disagree with the star rating, but it's not going change, however aggrieved you might feel.

If you access the review tomorrow, the Oppo won't have been upgraded to five stars in response to online backlash.

I’m a subscriber so get the magazine before it goes on the shelves, so I have read it.

Also I was making an observation between the 2 reviews, (That they use the same video chip) not expecting anything would change on previous reviews.

Bill

 

[strapped for cash]

I’m a subscriber so get the magazine before it goes on the shelves, so I have read it.

Also I was making an observation between the 2 reviews, (That they use the same video chip) not expecting anything would change on previous reviews.

Bill

Which is fair enough. I subscribe too and I read the CA review yesterday. I agree that on paper there's a discrepancy, though WHF may have awarded a four star rating because the CA is available for £200 less than the Oppo.

I was questioning where raking over the ashes of the Oppo review once more gets us? It's already the subject of one of the longest threads in forum history and we're acutely aware of how angered many were by the Oppo's rating.

 

[CJ1045]

I use the Plugplayer app to stream my flac music to the Oppo via its network connection. The Oppo automatically plays it (no nead to switch sources). Works a treat. Not gapless though if that is important to you. I have streamed mutlichannel flac too which work perfectly as well.

CJ

 

[pete321]

which is £200 cheaper than the Oppo 105, so it will be interesting to see how they compare.

I think I'm right in saying that the extra £200 for the Oppo buys you a USB asynchrous DAC which is not an option with the CA? Not an issue if you have no need for it, but in my system connected to my PC and J River MC, the Sabre DAC in the Oppo is starting to sound quite special. A USB DAC of this quality would probably set you back a large part of the price of the 105, e.g. the Audiolab M-DAC uses the Sabre 9018. If you can use a good DAC for other sources in your set-up, it might make the extra £200 well worth it.

I've only had the 105 for almost a week and it's still burning in, but the USB DAC is beginning to really impress. It'll play all frequencies up to 192khz and there's talk of DSD capability in a firmware update. This is a big omission from the CA player in my opinion, although they do make their own standalone DACs, so perhaps understandable.

 

[strapped for cash]

See, this is what I thought would happen. A thread about a CA BDP is fast becoming an outlet for the Oppo fan club.

I didn't criticise the Oppo, but people are already getting defensive, asserting that they've got the best universal player, and explaining precisely why. There's already a dedicated thread where the Oppo appreciation society can cut loose.

 

[pete321]

Interestingly there was no mention of the video and scalar being no better than cheaper players, which considering it uses the same chip as the Oppo 103/5 (Where this was commented on) seems to indicate that either the Oppo 103 was faulty or What Hi Fi reviewing procedure is not consistent.

Bill

Since I sold my Yamaha Z7, I'd been missing the upscaling/de-interlacing of Sky TV. Plugging the HDMI output from Sky into the Oppo shows the Marvell scaler does a great job. Sky TV is so much sharper, it needed 2 or 3 days to settle down, the picture was slightly too red at first, but now colours are neutral. The picture is pin sharp and there's a 3 dimensionality to images, no reason to suspect the 752BD will be any different.

 

[pete321]

See, this is what I thought would happen. A thread about a CA BDP is fast becoming an outlet for the Oppo fan club.

I didn't criticise the Oppo, but people are already getting defensive, asserting that they've got the best universal player, and explaining precisely why. There's already a dedicated thread where the Oppo appreciation society can cut loose.

Abacus started the thread asking how the 2 would compare, so it's likely you're going to see comments about the Oppo and CA.

My opinion is they will be pretty similar in most respects, apart from the addition of a USB DAC with the 105, which if you need it makes the extra £200 worthwile, if not go for the cheaper CA.

 

[pete321]

I was questioning where raking over the ashes of the Oppo review once more gets us?

Has the Oppo 105 been reviewed yet by What Hifi?

 

[strapped for cash]

I was questioning where raking over the ashes of the Oppo review once more gets us?

Has the Oppo 105 been reviewed yet by What Hifi?

You're right, WHF reviewed the 103. And the original poster asked a comparative question.

I got carried away in my criticism, as I've rarely seen more fiercely voiced opinions than Oppo enthusiasts following the WHF 103 review.

Beyond that, I was concerned this thread would turn into an Oppo love-in, despite being primarily about the launch of the CA 752.