Has anyone heard the new OPPO BDP-83SE

Having heard the superb performance of the RAM-modified Oppo at RMAF-- which IMO approaches top Wadia, Esoteric, EMM, etc.-- and knowing that the parts that go into the mod cost several times MSRP of the Oppo, the issue of Oppo factory warranty is moot. The way to think about this is to appreciate that the value is in the mods rather than the mule Oppo. The mods are portable to another cheap mule in the event of problems. The low cost of Oppo has turned the logic of hi-end CDP modding on its head. With players of such high quality now available <$500, there is not much reason anymore to mod out high-cost Esoteric, Marantz, etc. Buy a second Oppo as a spare parts source should the modded unit require future service.

Years down the road (assuming that you hold onto the piece and that the original modifier or a third-party tech is available to make repairs) in real dollars the combined cost of ownership for the modded Oppo in and out of warranty, will likely be much lower than a comparable investment in a premo branded hi-end player.

Sidssp, Cmalak and Kdibello:

If you read the link to the Oppo web page provided in Cmalak's post, you will see that only BDP-83s purchased before November 9, 2009 are eligible for the SE upgrade.

You might be able to buy a used BDP-83 for which the seller had the purchase receipt - Oppo's web page doesn't expressly say the person requesting the upgrade has to be the original owner. However, picking up a used one might be hard - they are relatively new and none are currently listed for sale on Audiogon. Also, you have to complete your purchase and send the unit to Oppo before the upgrade offer expires on December 31, 2009.

A wild card perhaps, but I wonder if the reason the mod is available only to customers that purchased before November 9th might be due to the fact Oppo implemented the upgrade in the regular series without any hoopla and added the badge after production was underway and face plates available.

I'm not saying that's a fact, just wondering out loud why only early customers are entitled and not everyone with the early model.

"I'm not saying that's a fact, just wondering out loud why only early customers are entitled and not everyone with the early model."

No way.
Oppo is making the upgrade available - and at a discount - to those of us who bought before 11/9/09 because the "SE" version was not available at our time of purchase. Pretty classy way of doing business IMO.

My take on it is that they launched the SE version on November 9 so, from that point on, you have the option to buy the SE version outright at $899 (it would make no sense for them to allow people to buy the base BDP-83 from Nov 9 onwards and then buy the upgrade at $299 and get an SE BDP-83 without the faceplate at $100 less). Why dilute your revenue potential? So the the Nov 9 cutoff has to do with the timing of the SE launch and letting folks who bought the base BDP-83 model prior to that upgrade to the SE version if they so wish and those who want an SE from that point on buy it outright. That's the way I would have done it if I were in their shoes. Again smart pricing on their part.