WayneWilmeth wrote: Hey Guys,
I am just on the edge of buying an Oppo UDP 205, just trying to get a jail break version that will play all regions BDs.
I mainly want it for the music playback, I just think it has to sound better than my Oppo 95 (now quite old in electronics years) does.
Any comments on that would be appreciated.
BUT
Here is my real question: I am not sure 4K UHD is really gonna catch on and go. What do you think?
I have a sneaking suspicion that by the time they ever get around to getting us some 4K Blu rays to watch, and the price of the new TVs come down enough that I will buy one, maybe streaming will have taken over and people will just settle for less, and say that HD 1080 is good enough for them and to heck with the new technology.
What do you guys think?
God Bless,
Wayne

Hi Wayne -

Trust me (or not) you *WANT* the Oppo UDP205.

No one - not even charlie - has reported or suffered more issues than I.

That said, keep in mind the UDP205 cutomer base is tremendous and the use cases are even more so. So inevitably, you may have an issue - or maybe not, depending on how you intend to use the unit.

Here are some resources you should know about, as they provide answers to your inquiry regarding the region code, etc.

www.avsforum.com/forum/149-blu-ray-playe...ner-s-thread-92.html

watershade.net/wmcclain/UDP-203-faq.html

Best of luck.

Thanks Gentlemen for your kind feedback.
I own an Oppo 83 and 95, so I am aware that there are issues with these highly technical players, but I have always found Oppo similar to GEt, they keep after the product and ensure that the customer is satisfied. That everything works as promised.
My larger question is WILL ULTRA HD DISCS MAKE IT IN THE MARKET PLACE? Or will they be a dud and become just a small niche market for the fanatics (like me) while nearly all the world is streaming low quality movies????
I am afraid that will be the case. And I will be left with a player (and probably a TV) that plays outdated stuff and cannot get discs for it. Seems my beloved 3D is going that way right now.
And yet, my 95 is getting old, and I still want a disc player that can play Multichannel DSD and SACDs, DVD-Audio, Blu ray discs, and CDs. SO, IF I didn't get the UDP 205, what would I get???? Audiophile quality that is?????
So I think you are right, GDHAL, I want a 205.
I will look at the links you gave, I have already looked at a lot.
Thanks, God Bless,
Wayne

WayneWilmeth wrote: Thanks Gentlemen for your kind feedback.
I own an Oppo 83 and 95, so I am aware that there are issues with these highly technical players, but I have always found Oppo similar to GEt, they keep after the product and ensure that the customer is satisfied. That everything works as promised.
My larger question is WILL ULTRA HD DISCS MAKE IT IN THE MARKET PLACE? Or will they be a dud and become just a small niche market for the fanatics (like me) while nearly all the world is streaming low quality movies????
I am afraid that will be the case. And I will be left with a player (and probably a TV) that plays outdated stuff and cannot get discs for it. Seems my beloved 3D is going that way right now.
And yet, my 95 is getting old, and I still want a disc player that can play Multichannel DSD and SACDs, DVD-Audio, Blu ray discs, and CDs. SO, IF I didn't get the UDP 205, what would I get???? Audiophile quality that is?????
So I think you are right, GDHAL, I want a 205.
I will look at the links you gave, I have already looked at a lot.
Thanks, God Bless,
Wayne

You're welcome Wayne.

Here is something else to consider, because you have drawn a distinction between Oppo customer service and that of Golden Ear.

Both are terrific. I would say though that there is a distinction in that Oppo has a tendency of catering to the masses, whereas GET can be a bit more "personal". That may have to do with the fact that GET uses a dealer network and Oppo is direct. I'm not saying/implying one is better or worse than the other. Just that in the case of Oppo, if a thousand people report the same issue it is prioritized that much more than if only one reports an issue. But in the end, both have very good CS.

Something else they have in common..... *value*

The UDP-205 isn't ten's of thousand of dollars worth of stuff. It is what is it is and is priced fairly (IMO). So I think you're alternatives at its price point ($1400?) might be impossible to beat.

And yes, IMO (and many others) it is definitely audiophile quality. Not to say one cannot get/do better, with or without the Sabre DAC chip, but again, for what the Oppo is, it can output very nice audiophile quality PCM. I know, I have one!

Thanks GDHAL,
How would you characterize the sound quality of the 205 as a disc player, CD or SACD? Does it have a "sound" to you? or is it completely neutral, if there is such a thing?
I ask because you have been listening a while now with your super speakers.
Any feedback will help, thanks,
God Bless,
Wayne

GDHAL wrote: No one - not even charlie - has reported or suffered more issues than I.

GDHAL, some day we'll have to have a few beers, compare notes, and see who's had the most trouble! Thankfully, mine have been limited to firmware lockups. My video experience has been OK; that is, after I restart (one time TWICE) to get past the Blu-Ray starting lockup. But I didn't trust Oppo enough to buy the 205 for 4K discs; I went with the Samsung player, and I'm glad I did.

Charlie

WayneWilmeth wrote: Thanks GDHAL,
How would you characterize the sound quality of the 205 as a disc player, CD or SACD? Does it have a "sound" to you? or is it completely neutral, if there is such a thing?
I ask because you have been listening a while now with your super speakers.
Any feedback will help, thanks,
God Bless,
Wayne

Hi Wayne -

You ask a very interesting question, and a difficult one to answer. In fact, I would have provided a different reply months ago, had I not chosen to upgrade the audio portion DAC to the Schiit Yggdrasil. You can read all about my metamorphosis to cult Yggy here: forum.audiogon.com/discussions/new-yggdr...d-second-impressions.

Suffice it to say the Yggy is yet another level.

I would characterize the sound of the Oppo as neutrally flat, except at the very top (high frequency) where it can be "tinny" sounding. However, the Oppo (205) does feature a number of digital filters that can be set by the user, specifically to tweak the top end. Honestly, I never played around enough with the different filter options to draw any conclusion other than, IMO, the best setting is their default, mini phase fast.

I would characterize the Oppo UDP205 as neutral from the perspective that regardless of CD, SACD, high or low rez, the sound is very good, and in fact, bordering on extremely good. The sound quality issues or lack thereof only present themselves in the face of "better" digital, which by most accounts means making the sound more "analog".

For instance, even if a die-hard Oppo fan (which I am) who embraces and "loves" the sound the delta-sigma Sabre DACs can produce, were to discard video and only wanted to pursue audio, he/she would not get an Oppo and instead just move to the pinnacle (in delta sigma implementation) Benchmark DAC 3. However, once video enters the equation and audio performance can be relegated just a tad bit, the Oppo holds its own.

If you discount video and want to move up the digital audio chain even further, I (now, after Yggy) believe (as I was led to believe for months on end) that only multi-bit DAC implementation "can get you there". As tremendously good as the Oppo sounds, in the face of the Yggy, it does sound "digital".

charliehatch wrote:

GDHAL wrote: No one - not even charlie - has reported or suffered more issues than I.

GDHAL, some day we'll have to have a few beers, compare notes, and see who's had the most trouble! Thankfully, mine have been limited to firmware lockups. My video experience has been OK; that is, after I restart (one time TWICE) to get past the Blu-Ray starting lockup. But I didn't trust Oppo enough to buy the 205 for 4K discs; I went with the Samsung player, and I'm glad I did.

Charlie

Hi Charlie -

I appreciate the fact that you have taken my post lightly. Believe me, in no way do I mean to disparage whatever experiences you have personally had with the Oppo. And yes, I'd love to have a beer with you.

To your specific problem, I recall reading that there is a setting whereby when the Oppo is powered off and then on, it can perform a complete reboot (instead of another setting whereby it does not completely reboot and has been reported to cause issues). This is either a power economy setting of some kind or perhaps even a network setting. But its true that the Oppo has at least two different methods of restart. Sorry I cannot be more specific as I'm typing off the top of my (bald) head.