Oppo BDP-95 sounds GREAT?

UHh ! Oh! my 95 has been powered up for just about a year now!. There will be a difference via 2 channel playback since you enabled the FL/FR option, no matter the source movies,usb, sacd, redbook ect.. there is an updated maual of the new features on Oppo's site. keep in mind you where only using one of the two Ess Sabre dac's if you where using the multi-analog outs for 2 channel. If you are using rca cables you now need to move them to the dedicated stereo rca outs( There's no need to move them back using this option as it provides the quad stack for 7.1 on the FR/FL speakers ) and now you tap the second dac chip giving you the quad out put per stereo channel, each chip is capable of running eight channels. one chip was for the 7.1 analog outs and the other for the dedicated analog stereo outs. Now that its enabled you should hear a higher fidelity from the player it really is a super sweet feature. As the other poster said usb on repeat is a great way to burn it in ,also Pandora if you are connected to the internet. Post your findings and enjoy this outstanding player!

Regards Jeff!

Thanks to all again for your help. The FL/FR option definitely made a difference. IMO, they really need to re-write that section of the owner's manual; as it's pretty confusing.

It would be nice if they just devoted one page to all the optimal setting for best sounding 2 channel audio. I THINK I'm there now! At least I had the brains to use the dedicated stereo outputs from day 1!

My initial listening with the change seemed to show a moderation of the tone on USB Flac hi-res (a good thing), & a wider & more 3d soundstage on red book cd.

The power cord is supposed to be here tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the local power co shut off electricity today all day for cable repairs. From past experience I need to re-power up the system for at least 3 days before doing any serious listening.

Just a couple quicky comments: I'm at around 5 weeks powered up. Using the Venom power cord, & 90's $200 Tara Analog standard interconnect.

While very sensitive to the mastering quality of what it's playing, on hi res this puppy is STAGGERING. I only better front end I have ever owned was an entry level ($2k in early 90's dollars I think) Well Tempered Record Player with a Blue Point standard; & that's by an OLD memory as I had to sell the TT in 1995.

I haven't done much redbook listening due to time constraints. Did a quicky comparison tonight between my old but beloved Esoteric P-10->Illuminati->PS Audio SL3 & the BDP 95. The comparison was a bit flawed as somehow the PS Audio had been powered down (I don't know for how long). Under those circumstances the Oppo was more refined & had a better soundstage (IMO soundstaging is this puppy's #1 strength).

For the price this puppy is amazing; especially if you look at it as a $500 Blu-ray player & $500 audio player!

At this point I'd say it has 4 main weaknesses, all of which I can live with at this price point:

1. Unforgiving of bad mastering

2. Occasional lock ups & glitches with the eternal computer

3. Apparently parts of the HDCD licensing have changed since the 90's; HDCD red book is AT LEAST the uncorrected 3db quieter than regular cd; it feels like considerably more than 3 db.

4. 1/2 second or so pause between tracks when playing computer files. Usually this is no big deal, but it made side 2 of Abbey Road (as an example) pretty unlistenable!

Oppo tells me this is a known issue that they DON'T plan to fix.

While it took several emails to get them to understand what i was asking, it appears that we were wrong on this,

"When using the dedicated stereo or the XLR outputs, the four DAC channels are stacked in parallel automatically.

When using the Front Left and Right output from the multi-channel analog outputs, then you can't stack the DAC channels. It is a single DAC channel per output.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc."

I own neither but have this question. Did anyone do BLIND testing? If not, it's all a bunch if hooey IMO.

*remember the little jar of rocks?

feh