Analogue Audio or HDMI for OPPO BDP 95

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Wolfee00

Audioholic Intern
Hello all

I am planning to buy a Blu-ray player in the next month. However, the price tag for some Blu-ray players are insulting. I liked the oppo most, especially the BDP 93 & 95. Both are new and support 3D, but BDP 95 strength point in its Audio board. And here where my question raise; do analogue sound better and more refined than HDMI for 5.1 & 7.1 HT? And what is your recommondation Of HDMI cable for Blu-ray player? Shall I spent +$300 for HDMI, even if I am going to use analogue cable for Audio??

Thanks in advance
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
Why are you spending +$300 for HDMI?

What type of receiver are you connecting this to? Why wouldn't you have your A/V receiver do the processing of the audio?

If you have the Oppo do the processing, then why not send the audio out as uncompressed PCM audio over HDMI?

I understand less and less any need whatsoever to complicate, and potentially degrade a digital signal by putting it in the analog realm until the last possible moment.
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
The 95's multi-channel analog output serves the needs of any who like me are using analog control amplifiers. With the 95 it is possible also to listen to stereo or multi-channel SACD through amps where HDMI input is absent. The 95's analog outputs also serve to provide the latest Dolby and DTS codex absent from all but the latest surround sound control/processing amps and receivers.
 
Pyrrho

Pyrrho

Audioholic Ninja
In most cases, you will be better off with the cheaper Oppo and use the HDMI connection. Most modern receivers/processors have better setup options than the player will have, and so it will be best to use the receiver/processor for bass management, delays, and level controls for the various channels. As most do these sorts of things in the digital domain, if you used the analog outputs of the player, the receiver/processor would have to reconvert the signal to digital and then after processing convert it back to analog for you to hear. In other words, with most modern gear, you would have an extra conversion back and forth between analog and digital, which isn't going to be improving the sound.

And, of course, many receivers don't do this processing for the multichannel analog inputs, so you would need to use the setup in the player itself, which will likely be more trouble to do and give worse results.

Now, if you have gear that does not have HDMI inputs, and if you are not going to replace it with something modern, and if you want the highest levels of sound quality you can get from your gear (whether the difference will be audible or not), then you might want to go with the more expensive Oppo. But I would advise you to replace your receiver/processor with something more modern instead, and get the cheaper Oppo.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
The whole point of buying a 95 is for the analog section. If you aren't going to use it, then there's no reason to get the 95.

If you spend $300 on an HDMI cable, you should just shoot yourself in the foot at the same time.
 
W

Wolfee00

Audioholic Intern
It is clear for me now, never thought they will sound the same, just wondering why companies are investing so much to put analogue audio in use and charge premium price. As a result there is no need for me to go for oppo-95, both 93 & 83 will be the best for my use.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
It is clear for me now, never thought they will sound the same, just wondering why companies are investing so much to put analogue audio in use and charge premium price.
Because there are plenty of people who WILL use the analog section. That's the reason I bought an 83SE. Based on that comment, it still isn't clear.
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
I like the 95's analog outputs. It's one of the very few BD players out there today that can connect to my Sony TA-P9000ES multi-channel analog preamp, which has level controls for each channel. Right now, I've got a Panasonic BD-80 connected to the Sony; and, through such connection, I can enjoy better decoding than possible connecting the Toslink output from the BD player to the optical input on my 10 year old Sony TA-E9000ES control amp, which does not have the latest decoders.
 
D

davee70

Junior Audioholic
BDP-95 has DSD direct decoding option

I don't know of another multichannel player that will decode multichannel DSD in its native format. It's changed the whole way I listen to music.

Of course, you will have to do any post-processing yourself, as the player outputs it just as it is on the disc. No speaker configuration, no bass management, no trims, no time delay. Just straight-up 5.0.
 
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