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EVS modified Oppo 105D

I sent my Oppo 105D to Ric Schultz of EVS for his all out mod including his basic mod package, new low jitter clocks, an Audio Magic Pulse Gen ZX installed on AC input, J-fet buffer output stages installed on balanced and single ended stereo outputs and center channel out and new linear power supply.

The unit was well broken in before sending it to Ric. The modified player I received back is much improved in all areas including sound stage, detail, separation of instruments, etc. Blu ray video is sharper with better color saturation and depth.

I play 2 channel and multichannel SACD and DVD audio disks, red book disks, blu ray audio only and blu ray video. All are improved. I am hearing details in some disks for the first time - fingers sliding on guitar strings, very faint bells and cymbals, etc.

I feed my Epson 8700ub projector directly from the Oppo. Analog audio is fed from the Oppo to the single ended multi channel analog inputs of my modified Onkyo 5508 prepro. All processing is done in the Oppo as the prepro is used only as a multichannel analog preamp. Other digital sources are fed directly to the Oppo through its two HDMI inputs.

I use Dunlavy IVs for left and right front channels with a Dunlavy IVA for the center. All three Dunlavys are driven by Odyssey stratos glass ceiling monoblocks. I consider the Dunlavys to be the weakest link in my audio chain.

Check out Ric's web site at tweakaudio.com or just search for EVS Audio. He is very easy and interesting to talk with. He does custom modifications of Oppo players and other equipment and is developing a line of open baffle planar magnetic speaker kits.
hhop
papaned
17 posts
 
Boffellid:
The jfet outputs only 1 volt. How do you maintain dynamics without a preamp unless your speakers have a very high sensitivity ?
ricevs
1,543 posts
 
The modded Oppo with the zero feedback fet buffer output stage has 1V per phase and he is running balanced so he has 2V. His Bryston amps can be set to run at 1V sensitivity. His speakers are 90db efficient. He will probably never turn the volume all the way up. Still, some might feel that they get better dynamics going through a preamp. This is sometimes the case. He obviously likes what he hears. Great multichannel preamps are rare! Most of my customers are using preamps (especially for 2 channel listening) but some run the Oppo directly to the amps and are very happy.
papaned
17 posts
 
Heard from the master. Didn't realize that with my balanced IC's, I'm actually getting 2V output.

I used a Placette passive controller for my previous 4V output player into a 1V sensitivity amp and still ran out of headroom on some CD's. Changing to an active preamp eliminated that problem and improved dynamics with no noticeable decrease in clarity. With my current 2V balanced EVS OPPO , I still have plenty of unused headroom.
boffellid
4 posts
 
@Papaned:

Ric's explanation (previous post) pretty much explained it. I can set my Bryston amp at either 1V, 2V, or 4V sensitivity. I discussed this at length with Ric before doing the mod, and he was very helpful. Right now I am using the 2V setting to match the total voltage output of the balanced connection (1V/phase) and use the Oppo volume control, normally between 40 (quiet) and 80 (loud). I have gone up to 100 (max setting) once just to try it, but I wouldn't be able to take that for too long. If I wanted more loudness, I could switch the amps to the 1V setting, but then I would use the digital volume control in a suboptimal range (too much attenuation).

I am very pleased with the dynamic range and overall sound I get with this configuration, a I subscribe to the theory that one should not increase complexity unless there is a clear need for it.
papaned
17 posts
 
This raises a question re OPPO volume control. Is it modulating the analog output or is it operating in the digital domain ?
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