Has anyone heard the new OPPO BDP-83SE

It almost makes sense to buy a BDP-83 and have it upgraded to SE status except for the additional shipping charges and diminished resale value. I agree, it does make a lot of business sense for OPPO to structure their product line up this way for the reasons stated above.
I've been looking for a one box solution for my rather traditional tube powered stereo that I use for home theater. Based on what I've read I'm sure the video performance is very good. I hope the performance of the BDP-83SE on CD/SACD is satisfying as well. Look forward to reading some feedback about the audio performance of the dedicated analog stereo output of this machine.

11-10-09: Blindjim
Albertporter

Albert, what about it's SD DVD action? SACD? DVDA?

Jim, according to Oppo website the stereo section is upgraded as well, I assume that means CD and SACD sound are also improved by the mod.

As for DVD, it does an excellent job with that, I've watched several DVD as well as Blue Ray movies on my 1080 (46") Sony and the image quality is the best I've owned.

As for tests, I remember reading some in depth reports somewhere on the net where the BDP-83 whipped up on pricey competitors in almost every video category.

this unit has great potential check out RAM of Riverside CA for upgrades they do an upgrade that compares to very expensive decks(over $5000 )he took my 79dvi deck to a level that blew away a $10,000 modded marantz deck (RAM re-doing first mod)side by side listening good luck Rich

Thanks Albert. Thanks a lot. That’ll work.

Video is the only real concern for me presently, albeit, the added formats of BR, SACD, & DVDA are attractive, as I lost my SACD by selling my SCD xa777 when my personal confuser finally was doing as good & better more often than not with red book.. and continues to improve upon it.

Kdibello
BTW... THE SE MOD FOR THE OPPO BDP 83 PRICE OF $299 IS GOOD ONLY FOR THOSE OWNERS WHO BOUGHT AN 83 PRIOR TO NOV. 9, 2009.....

according to the Oppo website.

Lastly, When does a factory upgraded component lose value? It hasn’t been ‘modded’ if the factory did the alterations.

Although a then modded piece in perhaps the broadest of terms , if done by the original manufacturer I'd say that does not count as a modded piece if or when a resale of the item arises.... especially if the paper work is kept too. The item has been enhanced either way maybe, but the factory enhancements are designed to uplift the units performance while maintaining it’s operational stability and longevity. Addditionally it’s been my experience these factory ‘gains’ are supported thereafter for some usually specified projected time frame.

It should be as much a plus as any other factory offered upgrades or configurations, could demand by virtue of their own original costs. Oppo is not alone on the 'factory offered upgrade' route.

there needs be some common sense applied at some point to this idea of modifications, upgrades, or added features done to a product especially when the manufacturer has done them, as opposed to those done by non factory alternative means.

I know from speaking with Oppo tech support personally a year or so ago, if I were to have my Oppo DVD player modded by some alternative specialist regardless the pro doing the mods, or where in the device the mods were done, and the unit needed service, the FIRST thing Oppo does is reconvert the modded piece BACK to it's standard status before fixing the unit and returning it to the customer.

Consequently your uber expensive mod is nullified and you're back to square one.

I haven't spoken with every maker offering upgrades, as to their position on reconfiguring modded devices back to stock form upon a service visit, but that makes sense to me simply from the techs point of view. Further, if thereafter the piece remains within the frame of the specified warranty period they could see it again perhaps and it needs to conform then as well.

Either way you look at it, aftermarket alterations not done by the maker are pretty big gambles on a few fronts.

I've no opposition to either route one goes, after market mods or with the maker offered improvements, and each carries some arguable weight. I simply feel 'mods' per se are not mods if done by the original manufactuer as they are factory offered upgrades and in no way should these sorts of things ever be considered with the veil mods more commonly are associated with so casually.

Never, never, should they constitute some lesser resale price than would be their going rates at their time of resale, should that instance occur.

Having heard the superb performance of the RAM-modified Oppo at RMAF-- which IMO approaches top Wadia, Esoteric, EMM, etc.-- and knowing that the parts that go into the mod cost several times MSRP of the Oppo, the issue of Oppo factory warranty is moot. The way to think about this is to appreciate that the value is in the mods rather than the mule Oppo. The mods are portable to another cheap mule in the event of problems. The low cost of Oppo has turned the logic of hi-end CDP modding on its head. With players of such high quality now available <$500, there is not much reason anymore to mod out high-cost Esoteric, Marantz, etc. Buy a second Oppo as a spare parts source should the modded unit require future service.

Years down the road (assuming that you hold onto the piece and that the original modifier or a third-party tech is available to make repairs) in real dollars the combined cost of ownership for the modded Oppo in and out of warranty, will likely be much lower than a comparable investment in a premo branded hi-end player.