Hi Rick,
+1 to all what T. Cobe said. You are really doing great building your system!!!!
Great upgrades, great decisions!!!!!
I don't want to prejudice you, you must go with what your ears tell you, but I will be surprised if the Marantz does not sound better than the NAD, from my experience. And that is saying something for the Marantz, because I like NAD.
But I can just imagine what the Oppo 105D will do for your system. Great call!!!!!
And IF you can use the balanced outs of the Oppo into the Marantz, I think you will be very pleased with the sound.
Harmony remotes can be a PITA, good luck.
Have fun with it, happy listening,
God Bless, Wayne

When I first heard about the Shunyata Venom Digital power cord, I thought maybe, just maybe, it might calm the top octaves of woodwind instruments, but that didn't seem to be the case. Initially, I wanted to duplicate as closely as possible, Dilettante's system, as he and I have the same amp.

Dilettante's system:
Decware Zen Torii MK4 > Venom 3 PC
Oppo 105 > Anti Cable Reference 3 PC
Triton 1 > Venom 3
Military (copper/silver) speaker Cables and Interconnects

After some trial and error, and because of what I feel is some brightness associated with cable and wires mixed with silver, this is the system I'm using at the present:
Decware Zen Torii MK4 > Decware DHC-1 Silver PC
Oppo 105 > Venom Digital PC
Triton 2 > Venom 3
Z Cable (Clarity Cable) speaker cable
Decware DSG Studio interconnects

On John Coltrane's Blue Train, a Fabulous piece of work by the way, Lee Morgans trumpet on "Moments Notice" seemed so real. It's as if you could crawl right up in it. Compared to the Venom 3, the Digital gave Morgan's trumpet a more detailed sound.
Coltrane's sax on "Locomotion"sounded spot on. I can't imagine it sounding any better.

What I heard in the majority of all recordings was a "blacker background" which allowed each instrument to separate itself from one another, giving each one a more detailed sound. Bass seemed richer and more detailed on most recordings, and even cleaned up some recordings that had "thumpy" bass. The Venom Digital is in no way a means to end brightness in a recording, but the benefits it provides in other areas, a darker background and the ability to bring instruments to the surface, outway the things it may not be able to do.

Will I keep the Venom Digital, absolutely. Do I think Rick, Toby, Wayne, Danny, and for that matter, anyone else with a Digital source, could benefit from its magic...Absolutely! Guys, give the Venom Digital a try...I do NOT think it will disappoint. Highly Recommended.

anthem wrote: When I first heard about the Shunyata Venom Digital power cord, I thought maybe, just maybe, it might calm the top octaves of woodwind instruments, but that didn't seem to be the case. Initially, I wanted to duplicate as closely as possible, Dilettante's system, as he and I have the same amp.

Dilettante's system:
Decware Zen Torii MK4 > Venom 3 PC
Oppo 105 > Anti Cable Reference 3 PC
Triton 1 > Venom 3
Military (copper/silver) speaker Cables and Interconnects

After some trial and error, and because of what I feel is some brightness associated with cable and wires mixed with silver, this is the system I'm using at the present:
Decware Zen Torii MK4 > Decware DHC-1 Silver PC
Oppo 105 > Venom Digital PC
Triton 2 > Venom 3
Z Cable (Clarity Cable) speaker cable
Decware DSG Studio interconnects

On John Coltrane's Blue Train, a Fabulous piece of work by the way, Lee Morgans trumpet on "Moments Notice" seemed so real. It's as if you could crawl right up in it. Compared to the Venom 3, the Digital gave Morgan's trumpet a more detailed sound.
Coltrane's sax on "Locomotion"sounded spot on. I can't imagine it sounding any better.

What I heard in the majority of all recordings was a "blacker background" which allowed each instrument to separate itself from one another, giving each one a more detailed sound. Bass seemed richer and more detailed on most recordings, and even cleaned up some recordings that had "thumpy" bass. The Venom Digital is in no way a means to end brightness in a recording, but the benefits it provides in other areas, a darker background and the ability to bring instruments to the surface, outway the things it may not be able to do.

Will I keep the Venom Digital, absolutely. Do I think Rick, Toby, Wayne, Danny, and for that matter, anyone else with a Digital source, could benefit from its magic...Absolutely! Guys, give the Venom Digital a try...I do NOT think it will disappoint. Highly Recommended.

Great report, Anthem!!

HMMM, do I need to think about trying a Venom Digital on my soon to be installed OPPO 105?The Venom 3 currently on the NAD AVR is going to stay there and power the Marantz when it gets installed tomorrow. I plan on just listening for a bit to get to know the changes I'm making.

But the Digital just might have to be added to my wish list for early 2016.

Thanks, Anthem! Happy listening!

Rick

A Post Script to my above post:

Dilettante: you and I have conversed back and forth on many occasions this year. I know your system and you know mine. I've heard your likes and dislikes, your trials and your errors. The last time I talked to you, you were in "Seventh Heaven" about how your system sounded. When you put the Anti Cable Reference 3 PC on your Oppo 105, that's when I think the magic occurred for you. I believe the Anti Cable and Venom Digital are probably one in the same, I could be wrong, but I doubt it. If I were you, I'd save my money, and look to more important things, like what you're getting me for Christmas.

Hey guy! THANKS for this extra post! I'll be happy to send you my AntiCable to compare if you want. A few days with a V3 replacing the AC is OK with me. But for now I will take your word and assume that AC = VD - until proven differently!! I am still in 7th Heaven with the system. A great nephew came up 2 weeks ago and spent the night with us. I played the system for him - he couldn't believe you could hear such sounds on "put together" system - (these young techies think they know so much more than us old coggers)!. He was on the floor, so knocked over by the sound. But that being said, I am still willing to change up if things can be improved!!!

As you know I have a DefTech system for my HT. Reading about all the guys using surround sound systems to listen to their favorite
DVDs/CDs has me thinking - should I take the plunge or no? I would hate to change up the HT system, but I am comfortable enough now with the GEt's platforms that I think they would work beautifully in an HT environment. Of course, the overriding considerations are - why? how much money? The latter I really don't want to deal with - especially considering your Christmas present hasn't been purchased yet!

BTW guys/gals (are there any gals on this blog?) - My Apple email processor is putting all my GE blog responses in "Junk" - so I stay a few days behind as the ole mind tends to forget to look around and see them. I have tried all I know to do to get them moved to the regular inbox, but it always moves them back to Junk. Seriously now!! -- I am not sure if Apple email is trying to tell me something about you guys/this blog or not!!!