Oppo UDP-203 for music

insider9

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Is anyone using one? Any experiences at all? Music playback via analogue outputs is all I'm concerned about at it's said to have about 95% of UDP-205 sound quality. Not so much bothered about operations as would use it with Roon or as a DAC.
 

Blacksabbath25

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insider9 said:
Is anyone using one? Any experiences at all? Music playback via analogue outputs is all I'm concerned about at it's said to have about 95% of UDP-205 sound quality. Not so much bothered about operations as would use it with Roon or as a DAC.
I’ve got a Oppo 203 but never tried it for music as I have mine connected by hdmi connection so if I tried it would be going though my Yamaha Rx1070
 
insider9 said:
Do you mind if we compare it against your CD player? I've read/seen a lot of good about Oppo's capabilities.

If it's better than the 105eu through its analogue outs then it's very good indeed.

The 105 is brilliant as a CD or SACD player as well as all other inputs. If you can find one going cheap it could save you a bob or two
 

insider9

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According to a review I've seen it is and 95% of sound of its more expensive sibling. That's at CD quality. Not sure they compared it to 105 but I know they've been know to be good sounding.

For £649 seems an amazing value and could easily be a better purchase than a similarly priced DAC. Having a streamer and transport as a bonus. Not to mention it could be a Roon endpoint.
 

Blacksabbath25

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Yep I i do not mind I have some spare RCAs kicking around

the Oppo 205 uses a different onboard Dac to the 203 and the Oppo has balanced XLR inputs but do not think there really that much in it not that I’ve tested both together because as you no the Oppo 205 is very expensive .
 
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I did the analogue outputs on the Oppo with my Pioneer amp and had a listen to see what all the fuss was about and quite liked it. It wasn’t as good as the sound of the amp on its own but it wasn’t bad. Just disconnected this morning as I found it too much grief in the end switching between the different settings. It was a one time listen only for me but that was down to my amp.
 

insider9

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Yes, 205 cost over twice as much. This is the review I've seen and the guy was quite complimentary about sound quality via analogue outputs of both. But differences weren't that big in his opinion.

https://youtu.be/61UrYg9t25Y

Skip to 21:26 for audio quality.
 

ellisdj

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They do great Sub reviews and setup videos for multple subwoofers but I dont agree with half of the rest of what they say but thats how it goes in this business :)
 
insider9 said:
According to a review I've seen it is and 95% of sound of its more expensive sibling. That's at CD quality. Not sure they compared it to 105 but I know they've been know to be good sounding.

For £649 seems an amazing value and could easily be a better purchase than a similarly priced DAC. Having a streamer and transport as a bonus. Not to mention it could be a Roon endpoint.

Was that sound review done over the analogue outs or via the Hdmi interface I wonder.

Edit: Apologies just seen post #7
 

insider9

Well-known member
Al ears said:
insider9 said:
According to a review I've seen it is and 95% of sound of its more expensive sibling. That's at CD quality. Not sure they compared it to 105 but I know they've been know to be good sounding.

For £649 seems an amazing value and could easily be a better purchase than a similarly priced DAC. Having a streamer and transport as a bonus. Not to mention it could be a Roon endpoint.

Was that sound review done over the analogue outs or via the Hdmi interface I wonder.
It was via analogue, levels matched, tracks synced and blind. Even reviewer's wife took part *shok*

No veils have been lifted ;)
 
If the 205 is only about 5% better than a 203, that’s a tad worrying. If the 205 is like the 105, it has a dedicated two channel output section, away from the multi-channel output, and if I recall correctly, it’s pretty much a dual mono type affair. The 105 used Sabre DACs, whereas the 103 used something much cheaper. I found the 105 quite similar to an Audiolab 8200CD. There really should be a bigger difference in audio quality - picture quality is supposed to be the same, so why would anyone buy a 205 if the audio is only a tad better? Something wrong with that review...
 

insider9

Well-known member
davidf said:
I found the 105 quite similar to an Audiolab 8200CD. There really should be a bigger difference in audio quality - picture quality is supposed to be the same, so why would anyone buy a 205 if the audio is only a tad better? Something wrong with that review...

Perhaps, I don't know how reliable they are. Measurements indicate a far bigger difference and so does build. Could it just be that 203 is so good that the difference to 205 appears small. 203 appeals in terms of price. If I was to go for 205 I'd rather grab Chord Qutest.

In regards to Audiolab comparison assuming you could only have one which one would you pick, David?
 
davidf said:
If the 205 is only about 5% better than a 203, that’s a tad worrying. If the 205 is like the 105, it has a dedicated two channel output section, away from the multi-channel output, and if I recall correctly, it’s pretty much a dual mono type affair. The 105 used Sabre DACs, whereas the 103 used something much cheaper. I found the 105 quite similar to an Audiolab 8200CD. There really should be a bigger difference in audio quality - picture quality is supposed to be the same, so why would anyone buy a 205 if the audio is only a tad better? Something wrong with that review...

I pondered the same issues when I bought the 105 over the 103. I wanted best for video as well as sonic ability. The main input into the 205 is to get the best through an AV system. If stereo is your sole importance buy the 203, I very much doubt you will hear any difference but you will see a big difference in your bank balance. ;-)

Having said that, the improvement over the 105 is going to be pretty much indistinguishable.
 
insider9 said:
In regards to Audiolab comparison assuming you could only have one which one would you pick, David?
If for just CD playback, the Audiolab, as you wouldn’t rally buy something as complex as a 105 to do just one job (unless that was to play Blu-ray Discs, as it was intended). It was a close comparison, but the 8200CD just won out. Someone with SACD and DVD-A discs might sacrifice that extra quality in order to play these other formats.

The main thing going for the 105 over the 103 was a headphone socket, it’s dedicated two channel output, and it’s audio quality.
 

insider9

Well-known member
davidf said:
insider9 said:
In regards to Audiolab comparison assuming you could only have one which one would you pick, David?
If for just CD playback, the Audiolab, as you wouldn’t rally buy something as complex as a 105 to do just one job (unless that was to play Blu-ray Discs, as it was intended). It was a close comparison, but the 8200CD just won out. Someone with SACD and DVD-A discs might sacrifice that extra quality in order to play these other formats.

The main thing going for the 105 over the 103 was a headphone socket, it’s dedicated two channel output, and it’s audio quality.

Ok, thanks David. Lots to ponder :)
 

Blacksabbath25

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I hate to say this insider but been trying the Oppo 203 against my Yamaha cd2100 which the Yamaha cost 3 times what the Oppo 203 did when I brought the Yamaha CD player .

the Oppo comes very close to the Yamaha but my problem is I am using the Yamaha balanced XLR inputs and on the Oppo I am using RCAs the differences I’ve found between the 2 players is I feel the sound stage is coming across bigger and a little bit more detail on the Yamaha then the Oppo but the Oppo sounds a bit more fuller but soundstage I feel is smaller on the Oppo player.

2 factors are both players using different DACs and 2 different methods of connection but it’s very hard to keep flicking from balanced to RCA input which is a split second between inputs .

but I will keep the Oppo connected to my Yamaha A-S2100 ready for when come and visit as I still can use the balanced input for the Yamaha CD player and the normal cd input for the Oppo .

but I am quite surprised to be honest
 

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