CD players vs Oppo

[Mikado463]

If you are not interested in video playback, go for a stand alone player for much less and buy more CDs.
Or, even a less expensive BD player.

IMO, utter nonsense, for one simple reason...... there is no 'stand alone' CD player that compares to the Oppo at it's price point, whether it be the 203 or the 205. Please don't tell us that some $89 POS from Best Buy compares .........

 

[KEW]

IMO, utter nonsense, for one simple reason...... there is no 'stand alone' CD player that compares to the Oppo at it's price point, whether it be the 203 or the 205. Please don't tell us that some $89 POS from Best Buy compares .........

Why would you expect a CD player like this Yamaha to be audibly inferior to the Oppo?
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamcds300bl/yamaha-cd-s300-single-disc-cd-player/1.html#!specifications
Why don't you think this Yamaha would be worth the extra money over the Oppo?
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamcds2100sl/yamaha-cd-s2100-natural-sound-cd-player-silver/1.html

 

[Mikado463]

Why would you expect a CD player like this Yamaha to be audibly inferior to the Oppo?
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamcds300bl/yamaha-cd-s300-single-disc-cd-player/1.html#!specifications
Why don't you think this Yamaha would be worth the extra money over the Oppo?
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamcds2100sl/yamaha-cd-s2100-natural-sound-cd-player-silver/1.html

go ahead, buy both and report back ......... the Oppo does more in the grand scheme of things. Seriously, go ahead and buy the Yammie if you want .....

 

[tyhjaarpa]

go ahead, buy both and report back ......... the Oppo does more in the grand scheme of things. Seriously, go ahead and buy the Yammie if you want .....

If one is only listening to CD those Yamaha players will sound just as good as any Oppo player. CD is zeros and ones and todays dacs are really accurate, there is no voodoo magic involved. Oppo does add quite a lot nice features like SACD and what not but CD is CD and you cant tell them apart by sound most likely.

 

[KEW]

go ahead, buy both and report back ......... the Oppo does more in the grand scheme of things. Seriously, go ahead and buy the Yammie if you want .....

Really?
You are comfortable making the emphatic statement: "there is no 'stand alone' CD player that compares to the Oppo at it's price point". However, when asked for specifics, your response is a vague "it does more in the grand scheme of things"!?

I have an Oppo 105D and it is a fine unit, but I don't see what makes it a better CD player than my CD players.

What am I missing?

 

[sterling shoote]

Well sounds like OP only has a 2ch system in the case of the option of enjoying multi-ch SACD. As far as multi-ch optical discs blu-ray is more capable than SACD IMO.

Before getting my OPPO I used a Panasonic Bluray Player with 5.1 analog output which allowed enjoyment of multi-channel Bluray Music. I would in fact not have purchased an OPPO if there was a large catalog of Blueray music out there, but there isn't, unless rock concert videos are your thing. At any rate, the OPPO plays 'em all: CDs, Bluray Music, and SACDs (stereo or multi-channel). And, for less than $600 for the 203 how can you go wrong, even if CDs are all that you have an interested in? Bottom-line is the OPPO is a top notch CD player, costing no more than equivalent CD players, which allows for expansion of means to enjoy music should interest in other means develop.

 

[Mikado463]

If one is only listening to CD those Yamaha players will sound just as good as any Oppo player. CD is zeros and ones and todays dacs are really accurate, there is no voodoo magic involved. Oppo does add quite a lot nice features like SACD and what not but CD is CD and you cant tell them apart by sound most likely.

true point .........

 

[Mikado463]

Really?
You are comfortable making the emphatic statement: "there is no 'stand alone' CD player that compares to the Oppo at it's price point". However, when asked for specifics, your response is a vague "it does more in the grand scheme of things"!?

I have an Oppo 105D and it is a fine unit, but I don't see what makes it a better CD player than my CD players.

What am I missing?

it's multi disc capability is as good or better at it's price point IMO. While one might in fact spend less on a 'CD' only playback device, which are getting harder to find. As for the Yammie, I've had such lousy luck with Yamaha that I wouldn't touch one. As for a cost conscious CD only player I consider my Rotel 1072 a stand out !

 

[2channel lover]

Hello Holics,
I am looking for some sound advice (pardon the pun) on purchasing a CD player $600 budget or oppo blue ray. I only listen to cd's, but I would be interested in having a USB port.
I want to connect CD player to my AR SP6 tube preamp. I presented this situation to the people at oppo. They informed me I could use their 203 player but I might hear some distortion when compared to the 205. No one likes distortion and I cannot justify the $1300 for the 205.
I want something that is reliable with good musical sound Magnepan 1.6 speakers. Am I asking too much for a $600 budget or do I save up for the oppo 205.
Any advice is appreciated

Without knowing the rest of your system (namely speakers) I can't say you won't hear any difference in the 203 and 205, but the 203 is a very good player. If I was trying to justify the cost difference, I would buy the 203 and pocket the extra $100 or whatever you have left over from your budget for a few new tunes.

IMO and others, the analog DACs in the 205 will deliver slightly better SQ, but one of the bigger reasons imo to buy the 205 over the 203...you have a digital library on laptop or NAS server and want the best SQ playback...the 205 has the USB dac that terminates at the same DAC as the dedicated stereo connection.

With the 203 I think you might have to stream via the hdmi connection. Is that a huge deal? no, but if you a large collections of rips or downloads and you want the best SQ available from Oppo or really any media player that's another reason to buy the 205.

 

[KEW]

it's multi disc capability is as good or better at it's price point IMO. While one might in fact spend less on a 'CD' only playback device, which are getting harder to find. As for the Yammie, I've had such lousy luck with Yamaha that I wouldn't touch one. As for a cost conscious CD only player I consider my Rotel 1072 a stand out !

Thanks for the clarifications!

 

[PENG]

That settles it, I will keep the Rotel for a while longer. Hopefully CD players will still be available when mine dies. I do have to take issue with regard to the Adcom (made in the nineties I believe) when compared to the Bryston. While my hearing is not what it used to be - I definitely heard an improvement. There could be many reasons for the sound difference as was pointed out by some. However I would expect it to perform better as it is considered higher quality amp. Since I purchased both amps used, I do not know if they are both within spec. Perhaps one day if I have energy to move the 60lb Adcom I can compare against the Bryston.
Thanks All

Don't mean to add fuel to fire, I am testing out my first low cost QSC proamp (<C$400). So far I am having trouble telling it apart from the Halo A21 sitting side by side. I also plotted some graphs using REW, and again the FR graphs almost overlap, looks like one graph using 48 smoothing. Source, speakers and room makes most difference! I love my 4B SST for it's build quality, efficient heat sink/casing that resulted in relative light weight and reliability. It is the only amp that I will probably keep forever, long after selling my other amps eventually. It is not just about sound quality.

 

[PENG]

Without knowing the rest of your system (namely speakers) I can't say you won't hear any difference in the 203 and 205, but the 203 is a very good player. If I was trying to justify the cost difference, I would buy the 203 and pocket the extra $100 or whatever you have left over from your budget for a few new tunes.

IMO and others, the analog DACs in the 205 will deliver slightly better SQ, but one of the bigger reasons imo to buy the 205 over the 203...you have a digital library on laptop or NAS server and want the best SQ playback...the 205 has the USB dac that terminates at the same DAC as the dedicated stereo connection.

With the 203 I think you might have to stream via the hdmi connection. Is that a huge deal? no, but if you a large collections of rips or downloads and you want the best SQ available from Oppo or really any media player that's another reason to buy the 205.

Agree, after owning their flagship 95 and then the 105, I would never go for a 205. I also have the Sonica and the HA-1 so the only time I used the 105 is when I want to play 5.1 SACD or MCH music BR discs. For those applications, a good Sony or Panny BDP or the Oppo 203 will do just fine.

 

[elf1]

agreed, not knowing the rest of your kit, it's somewhat though to judge. I own the 205, have zero regrets. There are certain functionality pluses to it over the 203 which I didn't mind spending the extra $$, YMMV.

In response to the question about my system, which I should have listed in the original thread.
Rotel 865 CD player
Audio Research SP6 tube preamp
Bryston 4B st power amp
Magnepan 1.6 qr speakers
Rythmik L12 subwoofers

 

[elf1]

It is funny how my original thread has caused such differing opinions. So just to be clear. The question is has there been major sonic improvements from CD players from the nineties to today in the $600 range? If there are major changes, please be specific. If not, I will take the advice of some and ke my Rotel until it dies.
Thanks
Elf1

 

[mtrycrafts]

IMO, utter nonsense, for one simple reason...... there is no 'stand alone' CD player that compares to the Oppo at it's price point, whether it be the 203 or the 205. Please don't tell us that some $89 POS from Best Buy compares .........

You are free to express you opinion regardless of its standing.

 

[mtrycrafts]

......... the Oppo does more in the grand scheme of things. .....

Like what that he is not interested in but you may be?

 

[everettT]

I don't use physical media so... Discs are so cumbersome. Server and media players. Distribution to multiple systems, plays all formats at their peak available resolution etc

 

[PENG]

It is funny how my original thread has caused such differing opinions. So just to be clear. The question is has there been major sonic improvements from CD players from the nineties to today in the $600 range? If there are major changes, please be specific. If not, I will take the advice of some and ke my Rotel until it dies.
Thanks
Elf1

For cd, keep the Rotel, Oppo won't do better.

 

[3db]

it's multi disc capability is as good or better at it's price point IMO. While one might in fact spend less on a 'CD' only playback device, which are getting harder to find. As for the Yammie, I've had such lousy luck with Yamaha that I wouldn't touch one. As for a cost conscious CD only player I consider my Rotel 1072 a stand out !

Which Yamaha models did you have issues with? My BD-S681 BluRay player is going strong without any problems at all. If you don't like Yamaha, one can pick up a SonyUBP-X800 4K player that also plays SACD for under $200 and will sound every bit as good as the Oppo. As far as CD playback goes, the Oppo holds no advantage over any other CD player.

 

[j_garcia]

I've had bad luck with Marantz players to the point that I probably won't buy another. YMMV. Luck of the draw.