Is OPPO losing it's way?

I don't know about the Oppo Sonica.  It uses a switching power supply and from my own experiments that is a big no-no in analog stages.  I have also tried iFi audiophile power adapters that uses noise cancelling technology and my $40 linear power supply decimated it.  I measured the noise on a Tektronix 150Mhz analog scope and the switching supply had more noise although both were quite low and I was getting to the limits of my scope.

I’m waiting for the future 4k replacement for the Oppo 105 as my next bluray player to replace my current 103. Hopefully it will be a well thought out, audiophile product. That will also be a good time to upgrade to the latest 4k full HD tv.

Hi gdhal,

Well-modded players can be giant killers. As stated by dhl93449 and ricevs above, the output stage plays a huge role as does the power supply. Better clocks too if applicable. Cabinet and transport damping makes an audible improvement. Racks/footers/isolation platforms as well.

All of the DAC chips mentioned/recommended above are more than capable of SOTA sound given the right inputs and outputs.

Best to you gdhal,
Dave

@dlcockrum Thanks. I'll give serious consideration to modifying the UDP-205 once it is available, I purchase it and listen to it stock for a little while. This way I can at least have an idea of the "before and after" sound. 

@ricevs I glanced over your website. Nice job on the photos. Everything is well explained too.

I've been thinking about the original question of this thread, "Is Oppo losing it's way?".  I don't think they have lost their way because they still make good products, but I miss the days of the BDP-83 when their top tier product cost $500 and you didn't have to choose between it and a higher tier option.  The 83 came with separate analog outputs for 2-channel stereo as well as 5 analog outs for multi-channel, different dac chips for each. Oppo made its name by being the smart choice for budget conscious audio/video enthusiasts.  I don't think that is their M.O. anymore.  I chose the 103 because I believe external DAC's are the way to go, so I appreciate having a 103 to choose, but the same $500 that bought me the 83 with the top of the line features no longer buys those features.  They're gone from the $500 range.  And the next step up is a big one.