Oppo to wind down and cease manufacturing

[TheWarrior]

It's Oppo inside

- Rich

It uses Oppo's Mediatek, even the back panel is identical to the 203.

 

[PhilCohen]

I would personally not buy an Oppo product at this time.

If my Oppo player were to bite the dust, I would replace it with this.


It's manufactured by Oppo. This model will obviously not be available for much longer.

 

[TLS Guy]

It's Oppo inside

- Rich

Interesting. I wonder if they will be able to make it under their own flag?

 

[TLS Guy]

Good news guys.

Oppo do not make the Cambridge universal disc players.

They both use the Mediatek chip sets. However the real driving force is Darbee. They are actually the designers. Both Oppo and Cambridge audio of the UK are full Darbee partners.

I actually suspect the demise of Oppo is a contracting issue with Darbee. Apparently Cambridge Audio have been trying to dethrone Oppo for some time. It seems the Cambridge players are no worse than Oppo as far as disc performance and may be better, but streaming is more limited. For instance they will not stream Netflix. But as I have said before, if you are into the hobby in a serious way and do a lot of streaming you should have an HTPC. I'm unrepentant in believing and HTPC is part of the basics of a finished AV system now.

The unit I referenced in my previous post I see is discontinued, I think recently, and replaced with this, which is cheaper.

There are no analog outs, and I suspect that is due to compliance issues this far after the analog sunset.

So if you bought one of these and and an Intel NUC you would be in for about the same price as the top end Oppo.

I think I would be very happy with this unit, as streaming from a device like this would be redundant for me.

 

[j_garcia]

There were a few models some time back (6-7yrs?) that were using Oppo internals with Cambridge doing their own integrations on the audio side. I don't recall the model, but looking at them side by side at the time, it was pretty obvious too and IIRC, Cambridge did not deny that. At some point, that stopped no doubt.

Good news guys.

Oppo do not make the Cambridge universal disc players.

They both use the Mediatek chip sets. However the real driving force is Darbee. They are actually the designers. Both Oppo and Cambridge audio of the UK are full Darbee partners.

I actually suspect the demise of Oppo is a contracting issue with Darbee. Apparently Cambridge Audio have been trying to dethrone Oppo for some time. It seems the Cambridge players are no worse than Oppo as far as disc performance and may be better, but streaming is more limited. For instance they will not stream Netflix. But as I have said before, if you are into the hobby in a serious way and do a lot of streaming you should have an HTPC. I'm unrepentant in believing and HTPC is part of the basics of a finished AV system now.

The unit I referenced in my previous post I see is discontinued, I think recently, and replaced with this, which is cheaper.

There are no analog outs, and I suspect that is due to compliance issues this far after the analog sunset.

So if you bought one of these and and an Intel NUC you would be in for about the same price as the top end Oppo.

I think I would be very happy with this unit, as streaming from a device like this would be redundant for me.

 

[lovinthehd]

I would personally not buy an Oppo product at this time.

If my Oppo player were to bite the dust, I would replace it with this.

Some tell me the current state of Cambridge is no better than any other mass market brand....cheapened from days past with current product lineups. I saw RichBs comment and that was my other thought...

 

[sterling shoote]

Good news guys.

Oppo do not make the Cambridge universal disc players.

They both use the Mediatek chip sets. However the real driving force is Darbee. They are actually the designers. Both Oppo and Cambridge audio of the UK are full Darbee partners.

I actually suspect the demise of Oppo is a contracting issue with Darbee. Apparently Cambridge Audio have been trying to dethrone Oppo for some time. It seems the Cambridge players are no worse than Oppo as far as disc performance and may be better, but streaming is more limited. For instance they will not stream Netflix. But as I have said before, if you are into the hobby in a serious way and do a lot of streaming you should have an HTPC. I'm unrepentant in believing and HTPC is part of the basics of a finished AV system now.

The unit I referenced in my previous post I see is discontinued, I think recently, and replaced with this, which is cheaper.

There are no analog outs, and I suspect that is due to compliance issues this far after the analog sunset.

So if you bought one of these and and an Intel NUC you would be in for about the same price as the top end Oppo.

I think I would be very happy with this unit, as streaming from a device like this would be redundant for me.

Happy if you do not have a need or desire to play SACD, since no analog output means no SACD, multi-channel or stereo. Why would anyone then consider it over a Sony ES, which will deliver both stereo and multi-channel SACD via HDMI?

 

[lovinthehd]

We can still get 203's. They ship directly from Oppo to you. Only $495 plus shipping.

Too bad I saw your price after getting one from Oppo directly.

 

[PhilCohen]

I'm increasingly feeling threatened and under siege by the electronics and entertainment industries. On one other forum, a participant wondered whether the electronics industry would eventually terminate his ability to play several rooms worth of CD's, DVD's etc. While there's no doubt that players for more obscure formats(SACD, DVD-Audio) will become more scarce, could there be a day when no one will manufacture a player to play a CD or DVD-video?
Ultimately, music and video rental by Smartphone is not the public's best interests. It is said that only 3% of major label recording artists could live above the poverty level on the basis of royalties from streaming.
To use an expression from my childhood days of the 1960's, this home entertainment hobby of mine (which began when I was 10 years old, in 1966) is becoming "A Bummer".
I'm feeling hurt and betrayed by these industries that I've supported with more than 50 years of loyalty.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I'm increasingly feeling threatened and under siege by the electronics and entertainment industries. On one other forum, a participant wondered whether the electronics industry would eventually terminate his ability to play several rooms worth of CD's, DVD's etc. While there's no doubt that players for more obscure formats(SACD, DVD-Audio) will become more scarce, could there be a day when no one will manufacture a player to play a CD or DVD-video?
Ultimately, music and video rental by Smartphone is not the public's best interests. It is said that only 3% of major label recording artists could live above the poverty level on the basis of royalties from streaming.
To use an expression from my childhood days of the 1960's, this home entertainment hobby of mine (which began when I was 10 years old, in 1966) is becoming "A Bummer".
I'm feeling hurt and betrayed by these industries that I've supported with more than 50 years of loyalty.

I think you're getting carried away. Just looking at Sony's website, they make 12 BD players, all of which play DVDs and CDs too. Samsung makes 5 different 4K BD players. Yamaha makes 2 BD players. I could go on and on. Oppo going away is not the end of the physical media world. Frankly, I'm surprised CDs have lasted as long as they have. As for video, everyone seems to want to sell us 4K and then 8K, whether we need it or not, and these formats look best on physical media.

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[sterling shoote]

I'm increasingly feeling threatened and under siege by the electronics and entertainment industries. On one other forum, a participant wondered whether the electronics industry would eventually terminate his ability to play several rooms worth of CD's, DVD's etc. While there's no doubt that players for more obscure formats(SACD, DVD-Audio) will become more scarce, could there be a day when no one will manufacture a player to play a CD or DVD-video?
Ultimately, music and video rental by Smartphone is not the public's best interests. It is said that only 3% of major label recording artists could live above the poverty level on the basis of royalties from streaming.
To use an expression from my childhood days of the 1960's, this home entertainment hobby of mine (which began when I was 10 years old, in 1966) is becoming "A Bummer".
I'm feeling hurt and betrayed by these industries that I've supported with more than 50 years of loyalty.

Your perceptions are not supported by facts: SACD is not obscure, it is the defacto state-of-the-art in both stereo and multi-channel audio. There will never come a day when there are no devices to play CD, at least for people living on the planet today, because the media is essentially ever lasting and has not yet been meaningfully superseded. While we may also perceive that streaming is the future that trend is functionally limited in multi-channel, as well as gapless playback. So, don't let your perceptions fuel or help fulfill your grossly premature prophecy.

 

[TLS Guy]

Happy if you do not have a need or desire to play SACD, since no analog output means no SACD, multi-channel or stereo. Why would anyone then consider it over a Sony ES, which will deliver both stereo and multi-channel SACD via HDMI?

What are you talking about? That Cambridge player will output DSD 5.1 over HDMI or as PCM.

There are no multichannel analog outs, but that does not mean you can not play an SACD.

So any modern receiver or pre/pro with HDMI will play and SACD from that player.

By the way it is totally bogus that DSD is superior to PCM. Almost all firms making SACDS are recording and doing all the editing in PCM now and just converting to DSD at the last step to satisfy audiophools. That includes BIS now who have been one of the greatest proponents of DSD. The reason is that DSD is just awful to work with.

DSD is dying, but nowhere near fast enough. Why there has not been a switch to audio only Blue Ray is beyond me. That is the preferred medium of the Berlin Philharmonic for their multichannel audio only recordings. They sound wonderful.

I think those multichannel audio outs are going to be gone. I think any manufacturer including them now courts legal trouble.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Why there has not been a switch to audio only Blue Ray is beyond me. That is the preferred medium of the Berlin Philharmonic for their multichannel audio only recordings. They sound wonderful.

I think the problem is that for the large majority of the music market, Blu Ray audio discs have no additional value. The number of people interested in surround sound music is small. Everyone in the music industry knows you can't hear anything better than properly implemented 16/44.1. There doesn't seem to be a big demand for albums longer than 80min.

CDs cost less than 50 cents each to manufacture in volume. That's compelling, and there are hundreds of millions of existing CD players in the hands of consumers. I think the reality is nothing replaces it as physical media for at least another decade, if ever.

 

[lovinthehd]

I think the problem is that for the large majority of the music market, Blu Ray audio discs have no additional value. The number of people interested in surround sound music is small. Everyone in the music industry knows you can't hear anything better than properly implemented 16/44.1. There doesn't seem to be a big demand for albums longer than 80min.

CDs cost less than 50 cents each to manufacture in volume. That's compelling, and there are hundreds of millions of existing CD players in the hands of consumers. I think the reality is nothing replaces it as physical media for at least another decade, if ever.

I'd agree the bluray is superior to SACD as a medium, and availability of audio on bluray is pretty limited for the reasons you cite, multich SACDs are limited as well....just not a lot of demand. I think also the expectation with bluray is not music alone, but some sort of video to go with it (altho some just provide somewhat a screen saver instead). Wish it were otherwise as I enjoy multich music.

ps Any idea of bluray costs?

 

[TLS Guy]

I'd agree the bluray is superior to SACD as a medium, and availability of audio on bluray is pretty limited for the reasons you cite, multich SACDs are limited as well....just not a lot of demand. I think also the expectation with bluray is not music alone, but some sort of video to go with it (altho some just provide somewhat a screen saver instead). Wish it were otherwise as I enjoy multich music.

ps Any idea of bluray costs?

When you order a disc from the BPO, they have you covered. You get an AV BD, an audio only BD, both in 5.1 and you get the CDs, as a lot of the works won't fit on a CD. LP is is extra and a lot extra.

 

[lovinthehd]

When you order a disc from the BPO, they have you covered. You get an AV BD, an audio only BD, both in 5.1 and you get the CDs, as a lot of the works won't fit on a CD. LP is is extra and a lot extra.

What is the BPO?

 

[Irvrobinson]

a lot of the works won't fit on a CD.

I know, and they sell hundreds of copies...

;-)

 

[TLS Guy]

What is the BPO?

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

[lovinthehd]

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Thanks, just figured that out from your other post. I used their app for a while, and have a recording or two but classical music in general isn't my preference.

 

[TLS Guy]

I know, and they sell hundreds of copies...

;-)

I have a lot of works on three and even four CD. I know a lot of people that have had multi CD albums of just one work. Operas and Bach's St. Matthew Passion and many others come to mind.
BDs are wonderful as you get a picture and long works on one disc.