Electrocompanient EMP-2 vs. Oppo BDP-103

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Are both the transports and boards exactly the same?

"EMP-2 Univeral Blu Ray player that its using the exact same high quality power board and transport thats inside the $500.00 Oppo BDP-103"

"The processor signal board in the EMP-2 looks average"

To me, it looks like you are saying that the board in the EMP-2 is high quality, and then you go on to say it looks average. Also, did you compare the analog sections to see if they were the same as well? That also has a big effect on SQ.

Zd542...you missed what I wrote and need to read over again. I'm talking about two separate boards in the EMP-2. The high quality main power board that is in the front left of the unit and the signal processor board in the back. The power board in the front is an exact twin of the power board in the left front of the Oppo BDP-103. The Transport housing in the EMP-2 is identical to the one in the Oppo. Looking at both boards and the layout work in both units, it appears the Electrocompanient is a ripoff for the outrageous price of $ 3500.00. But of course you get a better machined face plate and those pretty gold buttons on the front.

The EMP-2 is basically a modified BDP-103, but that doesn't mean that it's overprice cr*p... There's quite a analog audio path is quite different, the power supply (although based on the BDP-103) is not exactly the same, as you have different components (much higher quality). The transport is good, so why change it? Same thing does with the video board.

I doubt Oppo has anything to do with the EMP-2, except supplying components of the innards. Electrocompaniet does have their own machine shop and can really make some beautiful (and function) casings, etc.

I would agree that doesn't necessarily make the EMP-2 a good value though... I think you need to compared it more towards the BDP-105 and I suspect that the different at that point won't be that much...