3D Blu-ray Player Reviews

Oppo BDP-105 Blu-ray 3D Player Page 2

Installing the BDP-105 into my system was quite simple. All connections were made with AudioQuest cables, and I decided to swap out the stock power cord for an NRG-4 from AudioQuest. I connected the balanced two-channel output to my reference preamp, the Parasound Halo JC 2, which gave me a direct comparison to the BDP-95 that I already had in my system. I also connected my modified Logitech Squeezebox Touch (asynchronous USB output has been enabled) to the asynchronous USB DAC so I could compare that to direct disc playback. HDMI connections were mated to my reference Anthem Statement D2v 3D pre/pro and both a JVC DLA-RS35 and DLA-X55R projector (see review in this issue). Amplification was provided by my Parasound Halo JC 1 monoblocks for the Paradigm Signature Reference S8 main speakers and an A 51 for the Paradigm Signature Reference C5 center and Signature ADP surrounds. A pair of JL Audio Fathom f113s and an SVS PB12/2 rounded out the system for subs.

413oppo105.rem.jpgBefore I did any listening tests, I played a CD in an infinite loop for about four days. I wanted to be sure the player had plenty of warm-up time regardless of whether I feel this in fact makes any difference to the sound. From there, my focus turned to comparing the sound of this player to the spectacular BDP-95. I didn’t expect much difference given that they both use the same reference DAC, but considering the small differences in design, I wanted to make sure.

Two-channel playback was nearly identical, and any difference I did perceive was so slight, I might as well not even report it. The BDP-105 was every bit as detailed and dynamic as the BDP-95, and this was proven time and again with a large assortment of SACDs and CDs. I was particularly impressed by the latest SACD release of Holly Cole’s Temptation (Analog Productions, CAPSA048). Switching back and forth between the BDP-95 and the BDP-105 with this gem showed no difference in Cole’s sultry vocals or the music’s lush instrumentation. The recent re-issue of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here (Analog Productions, CAPSA3453) was also identical down to the last detail, whether I chose the stereo or high-resolution multichannel mix. Dynamics were outstanding and the tonal balance perfect. I’ve heard complaints that the upper end of the Oppo’s output is a tad sharp, but I found no signs of brightness or grittiness regardless of what I played through it.

Standard CDs fared just as well. I was lucky enough to snag a CD copy of (Ahk-toong Bay-Bi) Covered, which is a full cover of U2’s popular Achtung Baby album. The collection boasts covers from The Killers, Jack White, Nine Inch Nails, Garbage, Snow Patrol, and more. The highlight in the collection for me comes from Damien Rice and his incredible cover of “One.” This is such an amazing piece of music, with rich atmosphere, incredible detail, and one of the best male voices out there in my humble opinion. The BDP-105 delivered every ounce of feeling in Rice’s voice and never disturbed the gentle plucking of the acoustic guitar or the swells of the piano accompanying them. The rich bass lines of Nine Inch Nails’ cover of “Zoo Station” delivered a tight backup to the song’s synthheavy atmosphere, and imaging in this track extended wide across my soundstage. If you can find this CD, it’s an audio delight.

The asynchronous USB input proved just as capable. This is one of the features I was the most excited about, and I was quick to connect my modified Squeezebox Touch and access my uncompressed music library. This allowed me to play back some of my high-resolution files from HDtracks, including some 96/24 and 192/24 titles. Playback was every bit as good as using a high-resolution disc equivalent for songs that I could directly compare. I could definitely see replacing a good portion of my SACD and DVD-Audio collection with high-resolution downloads with performance like this. I would have plugged directly into my iMac’s audio library, but the Oppo doesn’t support AIFF audio files, which is what the bulk of my library is in. But using an external hard drive connected directly to the player provided perfect playback of any files I threw at it. The BDP-105 supports a large number of popular file formats, including WAV, FLAC, MP3, and more, so I’m sure most people’s libraries are covered.

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Another big highlight of the BDP-105’s feature set is the inclusion of a headphone amplifier. I’m not a big headphone guy—most of my use revolves around travel and my iPod—but I thought I’d take a crack at it. I have a pair of V-Moda M-100s that mated well with the Oppo. It was definitely a noticeable improvement over my standard fifth-generation iPod touch in definition and bass. The bottom end tightened up considerably, and the upper end lost a bit of the veil I noticed with the same tracks on my iPod (again, all uncompressed music). I also tried a pair of Sennheiser PXC 450s. These have a bit more extension at the bottom than the M-100s but lose the air and detail the V-Modas deliver. The results were still a nice improvement over my iPod. I don’t know if I could use headphones for movie playback, as it just loses the sense of space my surround system affords; but music playback was outstanding, and I will definitely be revisiting this more going forward.

The Last Player You’ll Ever Need
Allowing you to tap into the reference-quality DAC and video processing so the rest of your system can benefit is a feature that truly sets the Oppo apart. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the BDP-105 as a replacement for a high-end digital preamp if your switching needs are covered. Once again, Oppo has raised the bar, and I honestly can’t imagine recommending any other product with more enthusiasm. The BDP-105 is an audiophile’s delight and the most complete performance package I’ve seen from a Blu-ray player.

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COMMENTS
selarom's picture
Submitted by selarom on January 24, 2013 - 1:11pm

"The Sabre32 is an eight-channel DAC, and some of those channels are now allocated to the headphone amp as opposed to using all of them for the two-channel output."

I thought that you could only set the Sabre 9018 only as 8 channel, stereo, or mono. The stereo out is Quad Differential so that means 4 DACs per channel. So you are saying that the stereo output does not have 4 DACs stacked per channel? Is it like 6 channels set for the stereo out including the XLR and the other 2 for the headphone?

That doesn't sound right.

rappahannock's picture
Submitted by rappahannock on January 24, 2013 - 6:46pm

Hi Kris
Great review -- thanks.
If I were to get the 105 to use w/my Integra 50.2 receiver, how would I connect it, such that the video processing was done by the Oppo and not by the Integra? As far as I can tell, there's no video passthrough on this version of the Integra (and i have the latest firmware update installed).
Many thanks for your advice on this.
Steven S.

Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on January 25, 2013 - 6:43am
I am confirming with Oppo but I'm pretty sure the DACs are set up as dual differential for the stereo and headphone output as opposed to quad like the 95. I'll follow up as soon as I have confirmation from Oppo on this. They did a fact check on the article and had no issues with my explanation there.
Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on January 25, 2013 - 6:43am
Hi Steve, The Oppo allows for dual HDMI outputs so you could run HDMI 1 to your display and HDMI 2 to your Integra for audio.
Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on January 25, 2013 - 10:17am
From Oppo: The BDP-105 uses two ESS SABRE32 Reference DAC chips (ES9018). Each chip has 8 DAC channels. One chip is assigned to the multi-channel output, and another chip is assigned to the stereo and headphone outputs. For the stereo DAC, the channels are assigned this way: 1 pair for the RCA stereo output, 1 pair for the XLR stereo output, and 2 pairs stacked for the headphone output.
selarom's picture
Submitted by selarom on January 28, 2013 - 2:12pm

Thank you Kris for the reply.

I somehow thought they were "jumping" the output of the quad differential signal and using it for the headphone as well. That would mean that technically the output of the stereo outputs would not have as high a SNR as the bdp-95, maybe that might account for the very small and almost negligible difference you point out.

What I find interesting is why they used two DACs stacked for the headphone output and left only a single pair for the other stereo outputs.

kent harrison's picture
Submitted by kent harrison on January 27, 2013 - 10:23am

For what i have the oppo-103 is good enough for me,i dont have seperates,plus im not paying twelve hundred dollars for a bluray player.

mdanderson's picture
Submitted by mdanderson on January 27, 2013 - 11:37pm

Kris,
Thanks for your great review of the Oppo 105. You said you would not hesitate to recommend the Oppo 105 as a preamp connected directly to an amp. I currently have the Emotiva UMC-200 prepro but I see that I could replace it by using the Oppo 105 instead. I am not concerned about losing the room correction capability of the Emo but what else would I need to look out for as far as losing something I may need by having the Emo prepro?

I don't currently have a separate cablebox but if I added one later I guess I could connect it to the hdmi input of the Oppo 105. I currently have the Oppo 93 and I really like the dacs of the analog outs but the 105 would really be a step up. My current amp is the Emotiva XPA-5 along with Paradigm Ref. 20's version 2 speakers. Thanks.

selarom's picture
Submitted by selarom on January 29, 2013 - 8:28am

The Oppo already has HDMI inputs, and extra optical and coaxial digital inputs as well. If you can live without analog sources and room correction, the Oppo will do just fine.

mdanderson's picture
Submitted by mdanderson on January 29, 2013 - 11:14am

Thanks for the input. I would miss the ability to adjust trims on the fly and the xlr
balanced output to the sub, but those are probably not that big of a deal.

Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on February 2, 2013 - 9:22pm
The only thing that may be an issue is hooking up a cable box. I've heard complaints from users about lip synch delay. This is probably because the majority of cable box manufacturers do their HDMI implementation wrong (I've heard horror stories from plenty of AVR and prepro manufacturers about this). But you could always do video direct to the display and have a dedicated audio output to the Oppo. Otherwise I see no reason why you couldn't use the Oppo. The only real limitation is the number of HDMI inputs you'll need. And even that could be overcome with a dedicated HDMI switcher going into it.
mdanderson's picture
Submitted by mdanderson on February 3, 2013 - 3:27pm

Thanks Kris for the reply. I really like my Emotiva UMC-200 and will probably keep it for use with the Oppo 105 but at least I have another option if I wanted to go the route of hooking it up directly to my amp.

alphonso's picture
Submitted by alphonso on February 5, 2013 - 10:52pm

Recently I purchased an OPPO BDP-103 unit, and with an initial run through of its features and performance, I can unquestionably say that this OPPO player is up to the Professional audio requirements and value for its money paid. It’s practical to have the added connection option of two HDMI inputs, one for my Projector and the other for my Plasma TV. The HDMI inputs are provided for connecting my Blu-ray and other HDMI equipped source components that can take advantage of the BDP-103's video processing and up-scaling abilities.
OPPO is the very few that definitely does not scrimp on connections, such as the inclusion of a set of 5.1/7.1 channel analog audio outputs for use with compatible older Home Theater receivers that may not have latest decoders. This 5.1/7.1 channel analog audio outputs connection option actually has been removed from almost all other Blu-Ray disc players in the market. This high quality audio playback features 2D/3D Blu-Ray disc, DVD, SACD, DVD Audio and CD playback. It also, has a built-in network connectivity which can access media content from both the internet and DLNA connected PCs and other devices.
Alphonso Soosay
www.alphonsosoosay.com

videowilly's picture
Submitted by videowilly on February 22, 2013 - 1:26pm

Chris,

I am disappointed that your review contains nothing on the streaming capabilities of the BDP-105. Surely the Roku stick you mentioned is not the only option!

Lack of streaming capability is the biggest issue that I have with my BDP-83SE. I tried using the Oppo recommended Orb service, but found it to be lacking. According to the oppodigital.com, the BDP-105 supports Netflix, VUDU, CinemaNow, Pandora, Rhapsody, Film Fresh, YouTube Leanback and Picasa. Conspicuously absent is Amazon, which David Vaughn mentioned using the Roku Streaming Stick to access, and Hulu Plus.

Also, there was no mention of the performance using the included wireless-N adapter. Only the video performance being similar to the BDP-103 is mentioned in your review.

You have to pay around $95 if you want the Roku 2 XS 1080p capable streaming device. It includes wired Ethernet, which is the only reliable method for streaming 1080p. Otherwise, you are at the mercy of your home wireless network.

Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on May 29, 2013 - 6:43am
Sorry for the lack of commentary on the streaming side videowilly. The streaming performance is the same as the BDP-103 that Dave commented on in his review. You can run the 105 using the wireless adapter or via a hardwired ethernet link. I had no problems with either way but I generally use ethernet since I have that capability. I use Vudu on my Oppo frequently with no issues. I realize the Oppo is missing a few streaming options (Amazon/Hulu) but I typically use Vudu or Netflix myself. With more and more devices supporting different streaming options you may find something else in your chain supporting it. For example, in my family room I have an Oppo 103, an Apple TV and a Panasonic VT50 plasma. Between the three of them I have every streaming service on the market today.
swishhoos's picture
Submitted by swishhoos on February 23, 2013 - 12:16pm

Kris,
Great article -- Thanks! The day that I read your review of the BDP105, the BDP103 that I'd ordered from Oppo arrived by FedEx. After reading your article, I am wondering if I made the correct choice in purchasing the 103 as opposed to the 105. I have similar equipment to what you used in your test: an Anthem D2 processor with Room Correction, a Bryston amp that I use for my two front channels and a Rotel amp that I use for my center and rears. I have Paradigm Signature S6's for the front, a C3 for the center, ADP3's for the rears and a SUB25 subwoofer. I also have a Squeezebox, which I use for digital music.

I chose the BDP103 because I understood that the DACs in my Anthem D2 are equal to or superior to the DACs in the Oppo105. Therefore, since the video in the 103 & 105 are virtually equal, I didn't see an advantage to purchasing the 105. I also understood that I could not use the Room Correction on the Anthem D2 if I was playing CDs on the Oppo.

Am I missing something here? If there would be a true advantage in my setup with a BDP105 over the 103 that I purchased, please explain so I can return the unopened 103 to exchange for a 105.

Thanks,
David

Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on May 29, 2013 - 6:48am
Hi David. Sounds like we are running a very similar setup! I've done extensive A/B'ing between the Oppo and my Anthem D2V and honestly, the difference isn't enough to justify using one or the other with anything I've tried so I tend to keep things as simple as possible myself. If you are set on using ARC for room correction, your best bet would be to go digital in to the Anthem directly from the Squeezebox. Using the Squeezebox with the Oppo via the USB DAC requires a beta mod to enable the USB output for Asynch playback and would also require another D to A and A to D step in the chain. As for standard audio playback, again I don't find enough difference to justify using the Oppo over my Anthem, especially with ARC in the mix. So in your case I think you'd be fine with just the 103. I like having the options of running different configurations for audio (dedicated analog setup vs digital setup) so the 105 is a must for me.
msk385's picture
Submitted by msk385 on March 17, 2013 - 12:52pm

Greetings,

Great review and great publication. My current HT configuration utilizes the 95 which is indeed amazing. I have Def tech 7002's, couple def tech subs. So great overall sound.

I tried Airplay (I have the Marantz AV 7005), and the sound was not so hot (I still listen to vinyl on a Basis TT and Clearaudio cartride).

I was going to purchase a Mac Mini (I have a lot of stuff in AAC), and stream via a DAC. I was looking at Peachtree, and a couple of other manufacturers.

But it seems that the 105 has the DAC goods, so does it make sense to just upgrade to the 105 and use that as my DAC, since it can utilize USB and be on my merry way? Since it is asynchronous, I would imagine the Oppo plays as well as many stand alone sub $1000 DACs? Does this make sense as a go forward? Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark

Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on May 29, 2013 - 6:54am
Hi Mark! Airplay is at the mercy of the files your playing. It is simply a wireless transmission system and has no real bearing on the sound quality. What types of files are you playing back? I have my music collection ripped to uncompressed AIFF, but if you are compressing down to MP3 than sacrifices will be made. Using a Mac Mini would be a great option for feeding the USB DAC on the 105. The USB DAC in the 105 is outstanding and would hold up to just about anything out there at or near its price.
Kencohen's picture
Submitted by Kencohen on March 18, 2013 - 7:22pm

Kris, I thought your review was spot-on. A couple of comments:

I've had no lip sync problems but have read comments elsewhere about this.

I also had a problem with hum, which really surprised me. It was a lower volume version of turntable hum caused by improper grounding. I've read comments elsewhere about this too. Most of the commenters eventually traced the source to bad or no cable ground - amazing and potentially dangerous, generally caused by cable installers who either don't know or don't care.

I have traced the hum back to my 5 year old Onkyo HT amp, it's especially noticeable when set up for 7.1 audio, the hum almost disappears when set up for direct stereo. Anyway, hum is generally caused by having two separate grounds in a home, a defective Oppo causing hum would I believe be very unusual though it can't be ruled out.

Anyway, my Oppo is a vast improvement on my PS3 in terms of the time it needs to begin playing a BD as well as in terms of audio output quality. Incredibly flexible too, especially like the asynchronous USB and the content streaming.

gellie's picture
Submitted by gellie on March 25, 2013 - 7:53am

Great review,
Please help with advice. Not sure which is a better route. I need to upgrade my old Pioneer Elite DVD player to a new 3D Blu-ray player. I'm trying to decide between the 103 or the 105. Part of my decision is the DAC in the 105. I currently listen to 80% of my music streaming from a Squeezebox touch hooked into my Marantz SR7005 (analog). I view 80% of my movies on a Apple TV hooked into my AVR via HDMI. if i were to go with the 105, how can i utilize the DAC for both the Apple TV and the Squeezbox touch ? Do I hook the touch and apple TV into the 105? if so how? Another option would be to go with the 103.Is the DAC in the 105 considerably better than the DAC in the Marantz Sr7005?
Thanks in advance.

Kris Deering's picture
Submitted by Kris Deering on May 29, 2013 - 6:59am
Hi Gellie. One of the key pieces of information here would be what type of files your streaming from your squeezebox. Are these a large collection of MP3s or are you running uncompressed or losslessly compressed audio files? If it is the former I think you'd be served fine by going with a different Oppo player or other reputable Blu-ray player. The BDP-105 is really geared toward audiophile playback of high quality sources. Not that your other files wouldn't benefit, but source quality has a lot to do with the final experience. Apple TV can feed your receiver or processor via HDMI and that would be fine. I would consider looking at the Oppo 103 for this setup.
sands_mary's picture
Submitted by sands_mary on May 23, 2013 - 12:21am

I want to see 4k plasma before i make a decision if they make one.This is a update do not buy Contact iMacLand one the cable and satelite company dont have the bandwith support 4k and 720p and 1080i sources do not look good on 4k tv's i seen it for myself unless you find a audio receiver that will upscale it.

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