OPPO 980 h dvd mod?

Definitely, get a preamp. The digital VC in the Oppo is not better, or worse, than the typical attenuation in most mass market players. You need to use the Oppo with the VC eliminated.

Kal

Homosapien
Honestly thats very strange, this is one of the most laid back and warm players I have ever heard!

Chalk another one up to impedance or system matching I guess.

04-07-08: Homosapien said:
"I just got OPPO 980 h and connect it directly to my EAD PM1000.
And I am very dissapinted - OPPO sounds very detailed but harsh and forward. My speakers are Proak 1.5, interconnets - Wireworld Eclipse, and speaker cable - Wireworld Equinox.
- Would you suggest to modify OPPO? (Ric Schultz (tweakaudio)
is working now on installing 32 bit AKM 4397 DAC to OPPO.)
- Get good tube preamp (eluminate digital OPPO volume control)?
- Get more expansive universal player?"

I think that a best next step would be to get the attenuation out of the digital domain into analogue by adding a preamp or Ric Schultz "Ultimate Attenuators". Almost any universal player is going to sound better with volume control in the analog domain.

I'd talk to Ric about his 32-bit DAC mod. He was very pleased with it a couple of weeks ago when I last spoke with him, but he thought that the modded Pioneer AV-58DV still sounded better. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he's worked with enough that he's now as pleased or more pleased with the Oppo.

Dave

My Oppo 980 is outstanding in reproducing cds via it's analogue outputs into my high end stereo - Cary SLI-80, Silverline Sonatina II's, etc. It's a very enjoyable sound.

Personally whenever I've tried going without a preamp or using passive volume control I am initially enamoured with the detail, but also find that it sounds thin, kind of threadbare, and lacking in dynamics. To me, preamps rule.

Art

I have to admit that I was wrong about OPPO 980 - you just can not connect it directly to amp. I got Integra 9.8 for MH, and OPPO sounds great!
For 2 ch audio I loan tube preamp Cary SLP-03 from a dealer, and could not stop listening - it was a great please, especially vocals (that's what Cary is known for). I absolutely agree with Art - player outputs a lot of audio information, but it's preamp that creates a music.
BTW, what tube preamp can you recommend? I'd like to have true HT bypass, but found only Cary SLP-05 which seems to be an overkill.
Thank you.
Boris.