How good is the DAC in the Oppo 105?

[George55]

I've been reading a lot of very positive reviews of the Oppo 105 and it's DAC. If you believe even half the press, it sounds like it's almost rendered stand-alone sub £1,000 DACs obsolete?!!!

Has anyone really compared the Oppo DAC to the best sub £1,000 DACs?

 

[nopiano]

I've haven't compared, but I agree with your deduction.

I think of the 105 more a like a DAC with a not great streaming function (poor interface) and a handy disc drive attached. All the bluray stuff is a bonus!

The reasons probably include:-

1. hifi buyers are more gullible

2. Oppo probably sell them by the container load, whereas many DACs are from cottage industries

3. there are only a few decent decoding chips anyway, and apart from the multi-thousand pound items that are hand-built from needlessly luxurious components, most are just permutations on a theme with different boxes

A hi fi mag isn't going to rush out a review confirming your suspicioins when legion small manufacturers are relying on the DAC bubble. An occasional contributor here sells used Linn DS but has an Oppo 105 in his system...

 

[George55]

I've haven't compared, but I agree with your deduction.

I think of the 105 more a like a DAC with a not great streaming function (poor interface) and a handy disc drive attached. All the bluray stuff is a bonus!

The reasons probably include:-

1. hifi buyers are more gullible

2. Oppo probably sell them by the container load, whereas many DACs are from cottage industries

3. there are only a few decent decoding chips anyway, and apart from the multi-thousand pound items that are hand-built from needlessly luxurious components, most are just permutations on a theme with different boxes

A hi fi mag isn't going to rush out a review confirming your suspicioins when legion small manufacturers are relying on the DAC bubble. An occasional contributor here sells used Linn DS but has an Oppo 105 in his system...

I think there seems to be agreement that the Oppo is an excellent blu-ray player and great for all things home theatre related.

I'm just curious what people think of the Oppo 105 as a DAC as compared to an Audiolab M-Dac or a Rega DAC etc?

 

[Native_bon]

I've been reading a lot of very positive reviews of the Oppo 105 and it's DAC. If you believe even half the press, it sounds like it's almost rendered stand-alone sub £1,000 DACs obsolete?!!!

Has anyone really compared the Oppo DAC to the best sub £1,000 DACs?

I have compared it with my Audio lab M-dac..

The oppo is cleaner sounding than the M-dac... but at the same time less in your face kind of sound.. On the other hand the M-dac is a little bit warmer sounding but not as detail as the oppo. But when i use the oppo with the M-dac i get a better result when using the rega Dac.. I really bought mine as a transport fisrt cause of very low jiter.. And also blueray & 3d movies. Sound Quality really did step up from when i was using my old rega planet cdp as transport.. I also got a solid state drive connected to one of the oppo105's usb input with very good results.

There is so much out there now its just so confusing what to get... What I like you may not, always use your ears or in this case your eyes as well.

 

[George55]

I've been reading a lot of very positive reviews of the Oppo 105 and it's DAC. If you believe even half the press, it sounds like it's almost rendered stand-alone sub £1,000 DACs obsolete?!!!

Has anyone really compared the Oppo DAC to the best sub £1,000 DACs?

I have compared it with my Audio lab M-dac..

The oppo is cleaner sounding than the M-dac... but at the same time less in your face kind of sound.. On the other hand the M-dac is a little bit warmer sounding but not as detail as the oppo. But when i use the oppo with the M-dac i get a better result when using the rega Dac.. I really bought mine as a transport fisrt cause of very low jiter.. And also blueray & 3d movies. Sound Quality really did step up from when i was using my old rega planet cdp as transport.. I also got a solid state drive connected to one of the oppo105's usb input with very good results.

There is so much out there now its just so confusing what to get... What I like you may not, always use your ears or in this case your eyes as well.

Interesting. So even though you have the Oppo 105, you still run it through a separate DAC? Presumably you prefer the sound through the m-dac than just straight from the Oppo and its built in dacs?

You're right though - so much press, so many reviews, so many models!!! You could drive yourself mad with it all!!!

 

[Native_bon]

If am listening to R&B or soul I use the M-dac,but when listening to Jazz, world or New age I use the oppo... Am getting my Regulated linear PSU mains upgrage for my M-dac tomorrow so will see how that with improve SQ. But all in all I thing the oppo is Exllecent value for money & versatile as well.

 

[Darren Yeo]

Hey guys,

Just a quick question. I'm just about to get a Audiolab 8200p power amp to power a pair of Kep R500 and was actually contemplating to get either M-Dac combo or Oppo 105.

The question is, can the Oppo 105 actually be used as a preamp/ control volume?

 

[Dave_]

Hey guys,

Just a quick question. I'm just about to get a Audiolab 8200p power amp to power a pair of Kep R500 and was actually contemplating to get either M-Dac combo or Oppo 105.

The question is, can the Oppo 105 actually be used as a preamp/ control volume?

Yes.

 

[GSB]

Wouldn't advise using the 105 as a pre amp tho,sound performance will probably be excellent but the volume control is not in the same league as my intergrated.