Some advice on Blue Ray Players please

[Ian986]

Hi all,

I have been wanting to update my Panasonic BD60 for a newer player, but I have been holding off until 4k stuff comes out as I want to future proof my system

I will mainly use it for watching blu ray movies, however I do fancy having the ability to play sacd as I purchased DVD audio player many years ago,and sacd won the battle and allways seemed more choice and better artists on sacd. I don't really listen to cd tend to play from iPhone via USB port on Onkyo TXNR809 but might be nice if can get a better sound from cd,

I have just seen the Oppo bdp-103eu which looks pretty good and not as expensive as I thought at £499 but also just saw the Sony 790 goes up to 4k as well I also think that I should look at the Panasonic 500 but don't think has ability to play sacd or go up to 4K

Please give me your opinions and advice

Just so you know i am running Onkyo TXNR 809 power ring MA Apex and Samsung 40 6600 led TV

Thanks

Ian

 

[bigboss]

Here are my thoughts:

1) The Oppo is a better option for DVD upscaling and audio performance. My next upgrade when my BD60 dies will be an Oppo.

2) Sony S790 will play blu ray films equally well, & is a very good DVD upscaler. More importantly, it's significantly cheaper than the Oppo.

3) The Oppo 103 now features an MHL input, to connect your iPhone directly & play media off it & simultaneously charging it.

Demo & compare them prior to purchase.

 

[Ian986]

Thanks for the advice big boss. Do you think that there will be much performance difference on blu ray over my bd60 I don't really watch DVD now

Thanks again Ian

 

[bigboss]

Thanks for the advice big boss. Do you think that there will be much performance difference on blu ray over my bd60 I don't really watch DVD now

Based on my experience, no. That's why I'll change my blu ray player only after my current one breaks down. I'll probably go for the Oppo mainly for the extra features it offers.

 

[John Duncan]

I think it kind of depends on your display. I've seen only subtle differences (on BD) between £100 and £800 players, but that's on a 32" screen and YMMV wildly. Where they have differed markedly, however, is in their abilities at upscaling and playing music via analogue, so if those are important to you (I'm surmising that they are not) then its worth considering an upgrade.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

I also think that I should look at the Panasonic 500 but don't think has ability to play sacd or go up to 4K

I've not seen, in about four reviews of the Panasonic DMP BDT-500, any mention of 4K video upscaling, so I can only presume that it doesn't do it. And it definitely doesn't play SACDs.

but that's on a 32" screen and YMMV wildly.

Er, what is YMMV please?

 

[Ian986]

I listen to most music from my I phone plugged in to front panel via USB However I am wanting to to try something better hence sacd and DVD audio Why are all blu ray music discs live? Is it just me or would people not prefer high quality music instead of crowd screaming

 

[bigboss]

Er, what is YMMV please?

Google is your friend.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=YMMV

 

[Ian986]

I called around a few Oppo dealers today have sold out of 103 should be getting more in 2 weeks ish

one dealer said that I would not get the best out of the blu ray player unless I used RCA leads is this true?

 

[bigboss]

I called around a few Oppo dealers today have sold out of 103 should be getting more in 2 weeks ish

one dealer said that I would not get the best out of the blu ray player unless I used RCA leads is this true?

Non sense. Which dealer was it?

 

[bigboss]

RCA leads is only capable of outputting 1080i pictures, not full 1080p. HDMI is optimised for delivering full HD audio & video.

 

[Ian986]

Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick LOL maybe he was talking about digital leads but you need 6 I think ?

 

[Ian986]

I had the day off today so went and visited a few hifi shops to see what I could find out no one local sells Oppo went to local SSV which tried to sell me the Sony which I was also thinking about but did not tell them that and try to say what was the back up on Oppo like if you had a problem and that the Sony would be a big improvement over my BD60 did offer a demo another day though

Went up to Richersounds after and asked the same question they said keep my BD60 as would not be much different apart from disk loading speed and I can use to listen to SACD! It also occurred to me that upscaling to 4k is not actually 4 k a bit like having a DVD player that up scales to 1080 but if you play a blu ray at 1080 looks much better! Am I right with this way of thinking ?

I think I will properly just keep my BD60 for a while or if I do change just change for 790 as is only £200 so won't be such a loss when finally does change to full 4K

 

[bigboss]

I had the day off today so went and visited a few hifi shops to see what I could find out no one local sells Oppo went to local SSV which tried to sell me the Sony which I was also thinking about but did not tell them that and try to say what was the back up on Oppo like if you had a problem and that the Sony would be a big improvement over my BD60 did offer a demo another day though

Oppo's customer service is usually quite efficient. I haven't heard anyone complain about them. In fact, the strong customer support was one of the main reasons for Oppo's popularity.

Went up to Richersounds after and asked the same question they said keep my BD60 as would not be much different apart from disk loading speed and I can use to listen to SACD!

Wow! Kudos to RS for giving a good advice without putting profit before them! :clap:

You may get a superior DVD upscaling though. That's one weak area for the BD60.

It also occurred to me that upscaling to 4k is not actually 4 k a bit like having a DVD player that up scales to 1080 but if you play a blu ray at 1080 looks much better! Am I right with this way of thinking ?

Probably you're right here. I don't know if you can cram 4K movies onto a blu ray disc.

I think I will properly just keep my BD60 for a while or if I do change just change for 790 as is only £200 so won't be such a loss when finally does change to full 4K

Sensible plan! :cheers:

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick LOL maybe he was talking about digital leads but you need 6 I think ?

The number six makes me think that maybe the dealer was talking about leads for 5.1 multichannel analogue outputs, something like three pairs of these? http://www.richersounds.com/product/hifi-interconnects/cambridge-audio/aud500-1m/camb-aud500-1m

They would carry audio only, of course.

no one local sells Oppo

If the people whom you visited were not on this list

http://www.oppo-bluray.co.uk/where-to-buy/ (scroll down for the UK dealers) then no!

I think I will properly just keep my BD60 for a while or if I do change just change for 790 as is only £200 so won't be such a loss when finally does change to full 4K

Ain't nothing at all wrong with the BD60, there can't be, bigboss has one! And the only reason why I went for the BD80 (now in my bedroom) rather than the BD60 was because the BD80 has 5.1 analogue outputs and both coaxial and optical outputs. And when I play Blu-rays in my bedroom system, on a TV that is not full HD, I still think that the picture (which will be very similar to that of your BD60) is pretty good. No need for the next considerable time to be worrying about 4K video, at least not until actual 4K discs become available.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

and YMMV wildly.

Now that bigboss has helped me with the definition, I can say only "Big respect to Mr John Duncan, who is well urban and streetwise and down with the kids ...."

 

[Ian986]

When I was phoning around for the 103 a dealer took my number just got a call to say they have stock kind of getting tempted again