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Modwright Oppo 95 and Computer Audio

Jwm, Rfogel, Mike60, and others - Are you doing computer audio? I ask because I'm thinking if the Modwright Oppo is "good enough", I could just forget about getting into computer audio myself. At this point at least, I don't mind playing CDs. If the sound is significantly better with hi-rez computer files, though, then I want to be thinking about that too. I ask this question because I'm 1) Very "stupid" when it comes to computer audio - and, in fact, don't have a computer presently (and trying to figure out what to get); and 2) planning to get my Oppo 95 modified by Dan Wright or John Tucker (soon, I hope).

Thanks!

p.s. Do you any of you understand the advantage of the digital input Dan Wright is working on? I don't, since the Oppo already has a USB (and eStat, whatever that is)input.
jfz
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
The USB port on the Oppo is a USB host. It hooks up to other USB devices and "controls" them. This works with USB thumb drives and HDDs.

From my experience, playback of lossless files on the USB HDD ripped from CDs don't sound as good as the same CD played on the Oppo.

Playback of good quality HD tracks lossless does sound very good.

This is not the same as a USB client port on most modern DACs which allow the computer to work as a USB host and the DAC is the client.

What Dan Wright is working on is providing USB/SPDIF inputs to the Sabre32 DAC.

I am not sure if the design is finalised yet, but it was meant to provide an input to the good quality DAC in the Oppo partnered with Dan's tube analog output stage.

So this allows you to plug the Oppo to for instance:
a better CD only transport
a Logitech Squeezebox?
a PC with USB connection
davide256's avatar
davide256
400 posts
 
no ones saying computer audio is better than vinyl(today). But bang for the buck is definitely better with computer audio and digital has the market capitalization to breeze past vinyl with future R&D improvements
1) entry level for high quality vinyl playback is in the $4~5k range for TT, tonearm, moving coil and a decent MC phono preamp. You can get into high quality computer digital playback for about half that price(server, DAC, asynch USB converter)
2) computer audio is portable, convenient and recording can't degrade with play
3) digital will only get better... vinyl is mechanical science technology limited
4) Computer audio elimnates the transport issues with CD/SACD playback; exact copy software insures bit perfect copy
bgeofft-duplicate-0
174 posts
 
Davide256

How long did it take for Teflon V-Caps in CJ to break-in?
jfz OP
570 posts
 
Dan Wright responded to the USB input question by saying: "This can only be connected via USB and a standalone drive, but not a PC." It's surprising to me, because when the 95 came out I got the impression many people thought it was a great thing.
jwm
918 posts
 
Like I said you plug your portable hard drive with High Resolution music on it directly into the Oppo 95 with a USB cable. The only difference is you cannot see the titles on the portable hard drive with your computer, but instead need a tv plugged into the Oppo. This is the only difference. The Oppo is processing the same Hi RES files through Dan's tube mods.
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