Any input on the oppo BDP-93 as a transport

That's a couple versions up from my OPPO HD 981. I have it connected 3 ways - 5.1 SACD analog, and both digital RCA and optical output signal's. I can do live A/B comparison's immediately by pressing the CD source button on my pro.

As a strict transport, it's not as clean as my matching Proceed transport through the digital AES/EBU connection. However, the 981 is a very nice and well-balanced source player. It sounds very smooth and dynamic through it's own DAC's on SACD's and as a transport. The RCA digital out adds a little more resolution over the optical connection with a glass Van Den Hul cable. The 981 sounds great through Mogami Gold analog and digital cables.

If I was buying, I'd go with either the 93 or 95. Because my pro has balanced analog inputs, I'd likely go with the 95. OPPO told me I wouldn't hear much difference in the digital output between my 981 and the new 95. I'd definatley consider the 93 if you don't have balanced analog inputs on your pro. OPPO's service is great, too.

I have the BDP-93. It replaced a Rotel RCD-02 that was last used as a transport for a K-Works highly modded Beresford DAC. I use a K-Works digital cable. Although I did not do extensive A/B tests between the two as transports, I will say that I thought I lost a little of the life that the Rotel provided. The soundstage may have shrunk, but only slightly. The differences were subtle. If I intended to use the CDs for most of my digital listening, I might have kept the Rotel, but space, and the arrival of a music server and Squeezebox Touch have made this a moot point.

I do use the Oppo for SACDs, DVDs, BDs and DVD-As, through the HDMI output. The sound here is very good, although the surround portion of my 2-channel/surround system is a big step back from the 2-channel chain. And the picture quality is outstanding, even with Netflix streaming.

AFAIK, the transports in the 93 and 95 are the same. Perhaps the clocking circuitry in the 95 is superior to the 93. You can call Oppo - you'll get a live person who speaks fluent English who can answer your questions.

One note: I have learned that the transport in the Oppo (a Sony-sourced unit), has trouble reading finalized CD-Rs with green ink. My player often skips the last 30 seconds or so of each track. Oppo is aware of this issue, but I am a bit dissappointed by this, as I have a lot of green ink CD-Rs (mostly Taiyo-Yuden). Again, if it were not for my ongoing switch to a music server, I would have had to keep the Rotel for these CD-Rs, which it read flawlessly.