Question Upgrade or not?

[stupot43]

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking of adding a dedicated CD player to my system but I'm just wondering if I'll hear any significant improvement from my existing player which is an Oppo UDP-203.

In itself, the Oppo is a superb universal disc player, especially for 4K & Blu-ray discs, but can I do better for music CD's?

My amp is a Marantz Cinema 50 with PMC TB2i Signature Speakers, which are bi-amped, on Atacama NeXXus 600 Pro Studio stands and using Worlds Best Cables Ultimate 9 AWG Ultra-Pure OFC Bi-amp speaker cables.

Any thoughts or ideas on this would be welcome. My budget is about £700 but can go up to £1000 at a push.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I think I'd either ask a friendly dealer for a home demo, or take the Oppo in and have a listen to it and a dedicated CD player in a comparable system. My instinct is that you'll be hard pushed to hear anything worthy of the outlay - but there's no harm in being sure.

 

[abacus]

You will need to spend a lot more than you have available if you want an improvement over the Oppo.
If you really want to improve the sound, then forget a separate CD Player and just get a higher quality DAC (Connect via optical or Coaxial) than the one in the Oppo. (Although whether you can get a better DAC than the one in Oppo for the money you have available, will be a very interesting question)
No harm in listening though.

Bill

 

[stupot43]

I think I'd either ask a friendly dealer for a home demo, or take the Oppo in and have a listen to it and a dedicated CD player in a comparable system. My instinct is that you'll be hard pushed to hear anything worthy of the outlay - but there's no harm in being sure.

Never thought of a home demo. Do dealers do that these days? It would be difficult for me to take the Oppo to a dealer as I am in a wheelchair, and I know that a lot of listening rooms are upstairs or restricted access areas.

 

[Integralista]

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking of adding a dedicated CD player to my system but I'm just wondering if I'll hear any significant improvement from my existing player which is an Oppo UDP-203.

In itself, the Oppo is a superb universal disc player, especially for 4K & Blu-ray discs, but can I do better for music CD's?

My amp is a Marantz Cinema 50 with PMC TB2i Signature Speakers, which are bi-amped, on Atacama NeXXus 600 Pro Studio stands and using Worlds Best Cables Ultimate 9 AWG Ultra-Pure OFC Bi-amp speaker cables.

Any thoughts or ideas on this would be welcome. My budget is about £700 but can go up to £1000 at a push.

Hi, I think your Oppo player is a legend. I recommend to keep him at least for films. And also agree with others here in forum that to better your Oppo in CD replay, we have to heat our brains😂.
Amazing sound per money represent Cyrus CD players. Some used one, like Cyrus CDi are sometimes on ebay for around 800-900 eurs. This is very good value I think. You can make still improvement later by adding better power supply PSX (typical upgrade for Cyrus or Naim Audio) or use it like CD transport with better Dac. But Cyrus CDi is really good and reliable just on his own also dac inside sounds good. BR.

 

[Al ears]

You will need to spend a lot more than you have available if you want an improvement over the Oppo.
If you really want to improve the sound, then forget a separate CD Player and just get a higher quality DAC (Connect via optical or Coaxial) than the one in the Oppo. (Although whether you can get a better DAC than the one in Oppo for the money you have available, will be a very interesting question)
No harm in listening though.

Bill

i would agree. Haven't heard anything yet than is better than my older Oppo 105eu that would warrant me spending out more cash.
However, if in the UK then Midland Audio Exchange have recently listed a TEAC VRDS-25x for sale second-hand at £599 that looks very interesting.....

 

[stupot43]

Midland Audio Exchange have recently listed a TEAC VRDS-25x for sale second-hand at £599 that looks very interesting...

I've dealt withose in the past.
.

 

[stupot43]

i would agree. Haven't heard anything yet than is better than my older Oppo 105eu that would warrant me spending out more cash.
However, if in the UK then Midland Audio Exchange have recently listed a TEAC VRDS-25x for sale second-hand at £599 that looks very interesting.....

Can't see it on their website, might have sold it!

 

[Al ears]

Can't see it on their website, might have sold it!

It's only recently been posted on their Facebook page, probably not listed on website yet. If interested phone them.

 

[jjbomber]

If you really want to improve the sound, then forget a separate CD Player and just get a higher quality DAC

Bill

Exactly that. The DAC in the Oppo is a bit dated now, but it remains a great transport. I have the 105Darbee and also the 105eu. They are bomb proof! By all means try out a Chord Qutest. Then it's a case of whether the outlay justifies the improvement.

 

[stupot43]

Thanks to everyone who commented on my post. The concensus of opinion is that I have to spend a lot more money than my budget allows to improve, so with that in mind, I'm going to carry on with the Oppo as my music spinner and save the pennies. Perhaps, sometime in the future I might venture to purchase a separate DAC, as long as the Oppo lasts out that long.

 

[Al ears]

Thanks to everyone who commented on my post. The concensus of opinion is that I have to spend a lot more money than my budget allows to improve, so with that in mind, I'm going to carry on with the Oppo as my music spinner and save the pennies. Perhaps, sometime in the future I might venture to purchase a separate DAC, as long as the Oppo lasts out that long.

Let's hope so as it's usually the mechanism / laser that fails and not the electronics.
Otherwise you might end up using the Oppo as a DAC with an additional CD transport...... 🙂

 

[Jasonovich]

Oppo probably best to keep for movies.
I know this has been suggested above, I think the best way forward is a CD transport + DAC of your choice.

I suggest the Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport - Black + FiiO K13 DAC - fits your budget below £1K (approx. £650)







Peter Tyson sells both...have a chat with them, they may have better DAC+Transport combination than the above.

https://petertyson.co.uk/audiolab-6000cdt-cd-transport

FiiO K13 Desktop R2R DAC and Headphone Amplifier - Black

The K13 R2R is a high-performance DAC and headphone amplifier designed for pure, customizable sound. With its advanced resistor array design, it delivers a natural, musical listening experience and powerful output that drives everything from sensitive in-ear monitors to demanding headphones...

petertyson.co.uk

 

[Al ears]

Oppo probably best to keep for movies.
I know this has been suggested above, I think the best way forward is a CD transport + DAC of your choice.

I suggest the Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport - Black + FiiO K13 DAC - fits your budget below £1K (approx. £650)

View attachment 10342
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View attachment 10343
View attachment 10344

Peter Tyson sells both...have a chat with them, they may have better DAC+Transport combination than the above.

https://petertyson.co.uk/audiolab-6000cdt-cd-transport

FiiO K13 Desktop R2R DAC and Headphone Amplifier - Black

The K13 R2R is a high-performance DAC and headphone amplifier designed for pure, customizable sound. With its advanced resistor array design, it delivers a natural, musical listening experience and powerful output that drives everything from sensitive in-ear monitors to demanding headphones...

petertyson.co.uk

Even with those I would doubt you would hear any sonic improvement over the Oppo.
But if you do want to spend money........

 

[Jasonovich]

Even with those I would doubt you would hear any sonic improvement over the Oppo.
But if yoe do want to spend money........

Oppo I understand from owners of the forum, that it's an excellent machine.
I would have thought, a separate transport and DAC would elevate the sound further?

The definitive outcome is for OP book a demo with a dealership but if that isn't possible, posters on WHF forum will always perch up high and sing like a canary 🙂

 

[RoA]

I use a 6000 CDt with a Chord (and ESS) Dac’s. They do a fine job but whether that is ‘better’ than your Oppo or any other player for that matter, cheap or expensive I could not tell you.

A new DAC might give you minor changes but it wouldn’t be like different speakers or even a different amplifier (imho).

If you like your Oppo I would probably stick with it.

 

[abacus]

Have look inside both and you will find the transport in the Oppo is better built than the one in the Audiolab.

Bill

 

[Jasonovich]

Have look inside both and you will find the transport in the Oppo is better built than the one in the Audiolab.

Bill

I seem to have inadvertently down graded the Oppo's sonic capability.

You probably have to spend significantly more to get the desired outcome.

Why not use Oppo as transport, I believe this was suggested in the above posts, align it to a capable DAC like the Denafrips Ares ii or if OP can stretch budget to £999 the Laiv Harmony DAC is also worth considering.

 

[Al ears]

I seem to have inadvertently down graded the Oppo's sonic capability.

You probably have to spend significantly more to get the desired outcome.

Why not use Oppo as transport, I believe this was suggested in the above posts, align it to a capable DAC like the Denafrips Ares ii or if OP can stretch budget to £999 the Laiv Harmony DAC is also worth considering.

He could but would have to see, by a lengthy audition, as to whether or not any improvement would justify that outlay.
I have listened to a few systems when figuring out what to get when my Oppo eventually dies and you will get a slightly different presentation dependant on DAC used, but better?
Who can say?
Personally I would say relegating the Oppo to a transport would seem economically mad. In that situation I would sell that Oppo and buy a separate transport and appropriate DAC.

 

[Jasonovich]

He could but would have to see, by a lengthy audition, as to whether or not any improvement would justify that outlay.
I have listened to a few systems when figuring out what to get when my Oppo eventually dies and you will get a slightly different presentation dependant on DAC used, but better?
Who can say?
Personally I would say relegating the Oppo to a transport would seem economically mad. In that situation I would sell that Oppo and buy a separate transport and appropriate DAC.

I think possibly best, the Oppo gives up it's mortal coil before replacing.
I suspect the Oppo like the Duracell ads, will go on and on...
The Chinese do make amazing hifi!