30 foot long Balanced Cables to Balanced/RCA Adapters into Amp's Stereo RCA inputs?

nekoaudio

Thanks for the info.

This whole thing is going to be: fun/informative/PITA. I already pity my knees, back, brain, ears, and relationship after I send Donna into the crawl space. I am lucky, she loves me, music, has been there all the way for 31 years. Without hesitation: "Get It". When she want's shoes, I remember that, simply say: "Do you NEED them?" 

I decided,

1. hook to Video system to see the menu
2. factory reset
3. firmware update.
a. do not watch or listen in video system yet.
4. move to music system, direct to Cayin Integrated Amp
a. compare to existing Sony Carousel (repeat, don’t laugh yet)
Cassandra Wilson; Sophie Milman; Nina Simone; Santana; Euthrymics; Friday Night 3 guitarists; Meeting by the River; Blue Nile; Micky Hart; WAR ...
5. move back to Home Theater for music dvd shootout:
a. James Taylor Live at the Beacon, early 5.1, very well done,
https://www.amazon.com/James-Taylor-Live-Beacon-Theatre/dp/1573300934
b. Sophie Milman Live In Montreal (wish I’d been there)
https://www.amazon.com/Sophie-Milman-Live-Montreal/dp/B001EGG5RG
c. then, Jurassic Park, hear the rope slap the water in the beginning, move on from there

IF the Oppo beats my existing Sony Blu-Ray then I HAVE to try leaving it there and the long run to the music system. Simply HAVE to.

Oppo, long run: still beat the Sony Carousel? Any perceived .....?

NOW, FINALLY: return the ART clearboxpro for better transition box like you and Ralph suggest is better?

@elliottbnewcombjr you may not notice any audible degradation with the CLEARBox Pro, which would be great. Give it a try. I have no idea what gear you are currently using. For what it's worth, the XLR <-> RCA conversion solution I ended up going with myself, chosen by reviewing specs and measurements, was about $1000.

Ah, the best made plans of men and mice.

What I learned: How smart I am!

Huh? Yes, smart enough to know a whirlpool bath combined with a mixture of 2 Naproxen and 1 Aspirin helps relieve the pain from the worthless job of hunching over in the crawl space for this worthless attempt.

All went well: into Video system. factory reset, firmware update. 

Watched James Taylor mentioned above, excellent video and audio.

Tried Blue Nile CD via 35 ft XLR to Music system. Whoopee, works!

OH NO, infrequent popping noises. I had read that some of the early firmware update(s) were to eliminate popping noises. Latest firmware incorporates all prior fixes. Yet, there they were, before, and infrequently/randomly within the music.

Out, into Music System, interconnects direct to Cayin Integrated Tube Amp. (both Oppo and Cayin have remote volume).

Blue Nile: great, subtly better than current Sony Carosel.

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How to describe the difference? You hear the same things, it's all there from both players, yet the Oppo is subtly more precise, not sterile, just like your ears are working a speck better. Perhaps it's the timing, and better coherence of fundamentals to their overtones, I need more time to listen.

The image that comes to mind is rays of light passing thru a Chinese finger Trap. (we loved these things as kids in the 1950's)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_finger_trap

Tight, no light gets thru. Loosen a speck, precise rays of light get thru (Oppo), loosen a speck more, the same light becomes less focused (lesser players).

More listening coming up today, some well known, some SACDs.
...........................................

Was the problem the clearboxpro? Would the problem be gone if I used the Jensen? Given the history of firmware to solve pops, I think not.

I'm glad I tried. Thanks to all for their knowledge and advice.

Elliott