Reference disc player...UDP 205 or Marantz?


Hey guys....
I've decided to take the plunge, and get my last reference disc player--at least for a very long time--and I'm looking for opinions on the subject.
I really wanted to get the Marantz SA-14S1, it sounds fantastic for sure, but I started to read all the glowing reviews on the Oppo UDP-205. Is it just hype, or the real thing? Is the Oppo really that rare piece of equipment that punches that far above its price? Who here has listened to the oppo and/or the Marantz? How do they compare? 
Thanks! 
jonasandezekiel
I haven’t had any of the Marantz disc players but I did own the previous generations of Oppo (105D and 95). I still own the 105D.

I also own a current model sacd player from another manufacturer that lists for about 17x the price of the 105D.
With carefully upgraded power and interconnect cables, I’m not lying when I tell you the Oppo plays in the big leagues. In fact, when I got the SACD player I’m referring to, I was shocked at what I considered a fairly small percentage improvement over the Oppo. In fact, I would suggest some people might prefer the presentation of the Oppo.

I really can’t see you going wrong with either choice, though. I owned a couple of Denon’s last reference disc players that they sold in the USA in the last 10 years, though I preferred the Oppo 95 to those, and sold them. They were well made and enjoyable, though. Although owned by the same company, I don’t know how much in common the Marantz and Denon players have, in terms of sound.

There’s a strong chance that the audio quality on the new Oppo 205 is better than the 105 (which was better than the 95). With their return policy and support, trying an Oppo is compelling.


My b.s. detector is always turned on when I read glowing review after glowing review of a product like the Oppo. How can something that is relatively inexpensive do everything so well, to the level of a true high end disc player, like the Marantz? I think people can become influenced by the never ending hype around it, and not think as critically as they normally would.

The marantz is designed to do one thing well, not walk the dog and do the laundry too. And, they've been making great disc players for decades.

I can’t answer your question directly as I have never compared the Marantz and Oppo against each other. However, I recently purchased an Oppo UDP-205 and could not be happier with the results. 4K picture quality is simply stunning (110" Stewart screen and Sony VPL-VW665ES projector); just about as good as it gets IMHO. Likewise, sound quality is excellent on Blue-Ray disc and computer audio via the HDMI input on the Oppo. Overall I could not be happier with the results, I am there!

Of course the $64k question is how does the Oppo compare to a full dCS Vivaldi stack? Now, that comparison I would love to hear. Interestingly I did hear a full dCS Vivaldi stack at this years Axponia show, complete with some very expensive amplification and speakers (see my previous post on the sound of this $0.5 million system). Ridiculous though this may seem, got home and still preferred the sound of my Gale/Michell/McIntosh system.
I think Oppo keeps their edge by consistently refining and updating their components versus the previous generation every 2 or 3 years. They seem to strive to use the latest DAC in each generation.
I'd love to compare the new flagship ESS DAC in the 205 versus my 105D with the older generation DAC, but I don't have a need for a 4K blu ray player, so that probably won't happen for awhile.

The other question is if you'd prefer to run balanced interconnects or not. Obviously you have a choice with the Oppo 205 but can only run single ended on the Marantz you're considering.
Generally, I find balanced sounds better in my system, over the course of even different pre-amps.

Perhaps you can get a good deal on the older, discontinued, Marantz SA-11S3 if they're available?
I believe Marantz has developed a "house sound" that is reasonably consistent across their product line.  As audiophiles, we utilize an extensive vocabulary of adjectives to describe what we hear from specific components and systems. Marantz has succeeded in producing a line of equipment where "musical" is a term aptly applied to their gear. The combination of frequency balance, smoothness of texture, openness of soundscape and dynamic realism are qualities that help define that musicality.  As the owner of an SA 8005 SACD player, I was truly gratified to see and feel the high quality of manufacture and well planned circuit layout.  Dan Wright of Modwright Instruments affirmed my perception by deciding to offer his tube modifications to the Marantz player citing the sensible circuit layout and quality of manufacture as reasons he wanted to work on elevating its already outstanding performance.  Interestingly, Modwright has also worked on Oppo units as well.

Recognizing Oppo's fine reputation in the audiophile community, I would agree with the OP's observation that the Marantz players are dedicated to audio only as opposed to the Oppo's serving both audio and video purposes. So, if the OP is looking for an audio only unit, the Marantz would likely be the best way to go.