I just received my (new) Oppo 205. Balanced outputs via Cardas cables into my Jeff Rowland gear. It is well beyond my expectations. Honestly - and SACD's and DVD-A sound great - I'm most impressed by CD playback. It makes me question the higher resolution formats...and frankly I haven't sat an critically listened to digital in a while. 5 sampling filtes - I ended up leaving it at the default 'brick wall', but some of the filters definitely shaped the top end in various ways. All this to say - it's a $1300 +/- player which is brilliant, with the very latest transport (note, I didn't say DAC etc etc - but that is true, as well) and media player (if you choose to embark on any other formats). The transport - if you want to play with other DAC's - is brilliant as well. For your budget - give it a try - let it burn in/settle in for a while, and see if you like it. I sure did mine. You could also send it in for a mod if that is to your liking.
