Oppo 203 SPDIF Digital Coax output

- DAC Analog OUT to Preamp IN (separate input).

This connection uses the 203s DAC and should sound different from the sound of the external DAC (unless the 'sound' of both DACs is similar which is unlikely).

vs. Oppo S/PDIF+DAC S/PDIF

This connection does not use internal 203 DAC.

 Oppo S/PDIF+DAC vs. Shield USB+DAC

Oppo Analog OUT vs. Oppo S/PDIF+DAC S/PDIF, and it sounds near identical (suggesting Oppo altering signal)

This should sound very different as in Oppo vs. Shield above ... 203 Analog Out is using the internal 203 DAC.

I think you should separate the two players (UDP-203 and Shield) and isolate the settings for each.
Shield appears to not have suitable connections as a streamer without the internal DAC ... but does have a pass-through capability.

UDP-203 does DSD while Shield does not.

The quality of Cables alone could contribute to attributed differences.

As stated " sounds markedly different " ... please elaborate on the sound quality as to which is preferable.

If the goal is use Shield as a high quality Audio Streamer then isolating the settings for Pass Through is important.
 



 

On the off chance the OP is sending DSD files from the streamer to the Opposite over HDMI, the Opportunity won't output DSD over coax into a DAC, but will output them over HDMI

I plan on trying my 2019 Shield pro via usb soon to a dac I just picked up but as it stands for now I use my oppo 203 via coax set to LPCM to take advantage of high res files up to 24/192hz, will it send that via bitstream as well? that may be the difference as I also have my Oppo running hdmi to my Marantz 8805 and switching between the two sound different enough to tell apart with the dac using it's balanced outs to the 8805.

Thanks folks. Working with Oppo tech support. Something is awry, but a full power cycle seems to have changed something as well.

Please follow through with an update ...