Ethernet connection for best sound quality

@joes44 

You can absolutely use the UDP-205 as a streamer. I've done this with my UDP-203 in the past. What you need to do is connect the Oppo to your network using either wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Go to the setup menu and test the internet connection (it may take a while for the Oppo to obtain an IP address from your router).

Once the test is successful, the Oppo will advertise itself on your network as a UPnP renderer. Cambridge Audio has a good explanation of UPnP (link).  Now that the UDP-205 is a renderer, you can stream to it using an app installed on your mobile device. I use BubbleUPnP on my Android phone or mConnect HD on my iPad. You will need to log in to Tidal on the UPnP app and select the Oppo as your rendering device (tap 'Play to' on mConnect or the cast icon in lower right in BubbleUPnP). Then just search for some music and hit play.

If your music is stored on a PC using Windows, you can enable the built-in UPnP sever so that you can use BubbleUPnP or mConnect to browse your music files stored in your Music folder and stream those to the Oppo over your local network (link). If music files are stored on a Mac, you can download an app called Kodi that can turn the Mac into a UPnP server (link).

@joes44 

I also forgot to mention that the UDP-205 can also function as a USB DAC. You can connect your PC directly to the Oppo using a USB cable. See p.20 in the user manual for details. Don't forget to change your audio output device to the UDP-205 in Windows.

Thanx for ALL the input.

Since the last time I used Tidal it was 2018. I’ve since moved. The only DSL line is in the living room so I’ll have to connect a 25ft. cat 6 ethernet cable from the tv router to a second router Asus RT-AC3100 in my listening room.

Then a dedicated ethernet connections to the desktop computer and another to the Oppo-205.

Now I’ve just listened to the cd’s I burned back then.

DSL to desktop computer to

Oppo to

Tascam cd-rw900mkII cd burner.

As far as SQ is concerned from the Cd’s the only complaint I have are the dynamics.

The music I download now is from youtube stored on a SSD lacks clarity.

So until I save up for a streamer, This will have to do in the meantime.

I would like to use a coaxial cable between the streamer and the Oppo.

In My minds eye I’m hoping for both an improvement of clarity and dynamics.Akin to a phono amp which amps the volume a bit more than without, especially with a MC cartridge. The streamer will be the phono amp. The Oppo is capable of wide dynamics.which will be the pre amp.

The streamer will be dedicated to my hifi only. Strictly for music.in one room not for the whole house.

Joes444,

I read every post in this,,, discussion, and when I finally got to the end was about to just close the tab/page, when I read your last post! What a time waster I thought. All this BS when you're listening to music saved from streaming from YOUTUBE!!! You can't be serious maaan?!?!! Through TWO routers no less!!! Then you come out with the rediculous statement that the ONLY complaint you have is about the dynamics, presumably NONE?! What a surprise - NOT!

My take on this - I started streaming with my home built super duper super fast PC, and was gobsmacked at the SQ improvement when I got it out of the music chain completely.

Don't use a switch, don't use ethernet cablles, or LPS's, as you don't need them, at all. Just buy a streamer with a USB input and copy your music files to it - a saving of $$$k and get better SQ without going through that other non essential stuff. No LPS's required either. Out of your streamer (mine is a Cambridge Audio 851N) to either a DAC 1st or straight into your amp or pre-amp. Done. The CA phone interface is superb too.

A coaxial connection between a streamer and the Oppo is possible. Just make sure you use the coaxial input jack on the rear panel. I suggest using the USB input, however. It supports higher sampling rates and DSD (if you're interested in that format) as well.

Music from YouTube is compressed using a lossy algorithm called Advanced Audio Coding (AAC). This means that some of the information in the original file is thrown away so the file size is minimized. Most likely it won't sound quite as good as listening to the same track from a CD or streaming from Tidal.

If you're looking at a somewhat long run of Ethernet, I also suggest looking at Blue Jeans Ethernet cables (link). Each one is tested to ensure that it meets or exceeds the spec it's rated for and you're given a test report with the cable.