Oppo 95: Burn-in...and Fan

I own the stock Oppo 95 and as many have said, it's a very good player "for the money". I bought mine specifically for video but I do enjoy it for casual listening. On the other hand, I couldn't live with it for everyday use and despite what some may think, there's no way it competes with the true high-end stuff, which unfortunately, is usually priced accordingly.

For serious listening, I have a Modwright Sony 5400 with a few upgrades, including NOS tubes. It absolutely stomps the stock version the same way the Modwright Oppo stomps it's stock version; no contest, none! I've heard JWM's modified Oppo enough times to know what I'm talking about.

As for balanced vs unbalanced, I've listened both ways through my Atma-Sphere gear, and the differences are mostly sutble. If you're running single-ended amp/preamp, I wouldn't worry about it.

Jdub, I am not commenting from complete ignorance --- I have an Oppo95 in my system. I have also had many higher end players in my system including Ayre, Gamut, dCS, and models from Esoteric including my current K01. The Oppo is outstanding value but I think it is misleading to say it can take on the really high end players. However I would highly recommend it to anyone in and above its price point.
Mike60

There is noway I cant respect that company of components,but my ears tell me it wouldn't be entirely misleading to think it can't walk the same halls as some you mentioned. I'm not saying its the best out there, not by a long shot!The thing just loves its job!and does it with passion!

When you guys say stomp in what terms do you mean?

Is it more resolution and top octave air?

Deeper and better shades of bass, realistic tympani strikes, fast double bass and plucks from bass guitars and uprights?

Tonally rich mids with increased harmonics that give way to better byte to brass strings and such?

Lower noise floor?

Increased dynamics?

I only ask as I find the stock player capable of highly resolving characteristics and dead neutral. Also if attention is paid to cabling and such mods may not be necessary, if desired results are obtained having said that I'm curious about the mods and may have a second 95 done or wait to see what Oppo does to top the 95.

Jdub39, yes to all the improvements you listed and more. With good recordings, it's the difference between good "hi-fi" and something more akin to live.

Both Modwright units(Sony 5400 & Oppo 95) sound waaay more refined, better resolution, more open, transparent and detailed, than the stock units. Also, more power and weight to the music.

The stock unit is very good "for the money" but if the rest of your system is up to the task, the modded players will take you to a much higher plane.

As for cabling, yes good cables should bring out the best in any component but they're not going to turn a $999 player into a serious contender. Don't waste your money on band-aids.

I wouldn't consider good cables band-aids, I believe it all starts at the outside box and have heard tremendous increase in fidelity by addressing it as a foundation to which it all sits, from there I do whats in my power to insure signal purity from the individual components all the way to the speakers, from there good placement and acoustical treatments further what I consider true refinement. Now the components themselves have the best chance of yeilding what could be there true potential. My gear is by no means what many here would consider highend "that's by todays standards of course" But over my 28yrs of listening to great gear ( some where price to performance is greatly diminished) I have finally put together something that has left me at times speechless and dumb founded that it didn't take the dream system I always thought it would, and oh man! don"t let me play the Reference stuff.I guess the good thing for me at this point is I have the live sound and If I get any closer I might get burned !