Oppo BDP-95 as a pure two channel audio source?


Curious to know if anyone out there has purchased the Oppo BDP-95 soely on its merit as a dedicated two channel audio source? If so, how does it stack up comparatively speaking. Thanks
jayh31
I'm surprised this thread is still alive. It seems obvious by now that the OP was not a serious inquiry, and that Jay has a belief he enjoys stating over and over. Wonder what other fetishes he might have.

db
Ok db, I'll give it up. I guess I kept hoping to hear something that would help convince me that the Oppo was worth a shot as a stand alone cd player, but alas, I didn't. You're right, enough is enough. Thanks for the Emotive tip Harri009, I've read some very positive reviews regarding that whole line, however, I think I've decided to take the plunge with what I'm afraid may have a very good shot at becoming my new fetish, the new Copland CDA 825. Thanks again to all. Jay
The problem is, digital standards get ripped (pun intended)out from under you again and again at alarming frequency. So much work for so much money for so little actual compatibility.

I'd love to see 124-bit 96K hi-def be the "standard" until superior listenable performance is achieved. Speakers and amplifiers just can't come close to what 124/96 can offer so WHY do we migrate from that standard? Yes, it can be on CD's, USB's or your hard drive. But, the digital file is the SAME. Ones and zeroes can be the same and move to new technology for storage but to keep molesting the format itself?
So my beef is very simple. We move away from a good possible standard and to a fragmented mess of temporary confusion that leads to my permanent insanity with respect to digital.
This is an interesting thread.
I had a BDA-1 at one point, but didn't really "hear" music as I am accustomed to hearing it. I bought an Oppo 83, which i eventually returned as well, yet I found the Oppo more "musical" than the Bryston. I'm not speaking of anything audiophile, Im speaking of music sounding like music, in the way that a JVC Xl-Z1010TN has a more "musical" sound to it than my Arcam FMJ-23, or the Arcam FMJ 27, Rega Apollo, or other CD players. The one that came closest to "the sound of music" was a Meridian 508.24.
I'm getting a BDP-95 because what I heard in my system reminded me of the JVC, which surpassed many more expensive units of the time, although they may have had 'better bass' or high frequency extension. The JVC was far superior at making music, from track to track, on the same CD, sound different from each other, rather than all the music having the same tone, the same ambience, the same soundstaging, etc. And I heard this in systems I gave my friends as well, with Nordost interconnects, Shunyata cables and some very other high end components. The Oppo did this as well: the Bryston did not.
Now, to be fair, I haven't heard the 95, only the 83, but there are systems, that, no matter how "good" they are, they do not allow each recording to sound like itself, instead of a "monolithic" sound to an entire CD. I've heard those - and had a few (my WATTS were phenomenal in terms of resolution, but they did NOT make each recording cut sound vastly different than each other. They (the WATTS) had a distinct "sound" to them, and consequently, so did the stereo system, which at the time was a Versa Dynamics 2.3, Convergent SL-1 MK II, Jadis, VTL, Rowland Model 5, Spectral Signature (and eventually, Clavis, Van denl Hul Grasshopper, Parnassus, Clearaudios) and Goldmund Super Dialogue speakers. At the time, VERY high end. Yet, cuts -and CDs - sounded more alike than different.
The Oppo BDP-95 may prove to be different than the 83, and with Shunyata Python and Cobra speaker cable, power cords and Valhalla and Tyr interconnects, it's not the same system. All the same, when it came to the sound of music as heard in Carnegie, The Met, and Davies Hall in San Francisco, the Oppo reminded me more of those halls than my Bryston. So, Oppo it is!
A friend of mine just bought one 2 mo. ago and it is very impressive. With his DQ10's and Parasound halo series it sounds like vinyl with some well done cd's
Lmacuuga, just to be sure I'm clear, your friend bought the Oppo BD-95/105 it solely based on it's two channel cd capability? What source prior to the Oppo?
Jayh31, I really feel you should compare the two players in your own system. Also, if you like the general flavor of Oppo, you must consider Modwright mod to realize its full potential. So, in the end keeping things in perspective, you are actually comparing a $3500 Modwright machine to other dedicated machines costing $xxxx. I picked oppo-95 with mod as a no-compromise dedicated player (strictly cd and scads) after comparing it to several other machines (not counting machines I have owned in the past). I had these players on hand and liked them in this order….Modwright Oppo bdp-95, Emm CDSA, Modwright Sony XA 5400, Oppo bdp-95 stock, Sony XA 5400 stock, Audio Aero Capitole and finally YBA cd1. I just did not have patience and motivation to continue to compare to other well reviewed players from Esoteric, EMM and playback designs. I feel xds1 could be special but system synergy is so sweet with Modwright Oppo bdp-95 (maxed out mod with vintage tubes and isolation devices) that I just think at this point I would be chasing a different flavor but not necessarily superior sound. In the end, nothing like A/B-ing the players in your own system controlling all variables.
Another happy Oppo 95 owner chiming in, and like the vast majority, no I have no interest in modding it. I've had several cd players over the years, a Yamaha, Panny S97 and most recently an Emotiva.

I can't understand those who find the Emotiva besting the 95, in my system the 95 has a more defined soundstage and a nicer top end. The emotiva is decent for the money, but the slot loader is kind of loud and clunky and it's too blingy looking with its bright blue lighting. They use an older chip set too, probably saved them a few bucks.

My use is for 2 channel only, I have no idea what the Oppo sounds like with multi channel.