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EVS modified Oppo 105D

I sent my Oppo 105D to Ric Schultz of EVS for his all out mod including his basic mod package, new low jitter clocks, an Audio Magic Pulse Gen ZX installed on AC input, J-fet buffer output stages installed on balanced and single ended stereo outputs and center channel out and new linear power supply.

The unit was well broken in before sending it to Ric. The modified player I received back is much improved in all areas including sound stage, detail, separation of instruments, etc. Blu ray video is sharper with better color saturation and depth.

I play 2 channel and multichannel SACD and DVD audio disks, red book disks, blu ray audio only and blu ray video. All are improved. I am hearing details in some disks for the first time - fingers sliding on guitar strings, very faint bells and cymbals, etc.

I feed my Epson 8700ub projector directly from the Oppo. Analog audio is fed from the Oppo to the single ended multi channel analog inputs of my modified Onkyo 5508 prepro. All processing is done in the Oppo as the prepro is used only as a multichannel analog preamp. Other digital sources are fed directly to the Oppo through its two HDMI inputs.

I use Dunlavy IVs for left and right front channels with a Dunlavy IVA for the center. All three Dunlavys are driven by Odyssey stratos glass ceiling monoblocks. I consider the Dunlavys to be the weakest link in my audio chain.

Check out Ric's web site at tweakaudio.com or just search for EVS Audio. He is very easy and interesting to talk with. He does custom modifications of Oppo players and other equipment and is developing a line of open baffle planar magnetic speaker kits.
hhop
agisthos
506 posts
 
Lissnr, I do the same thing with a Cambridge Audio 752, which uses the Oppo's mainboard. Its transport only, feeding my 2 channel system via the RCA coax output.

My experience is, you can still get gains in sound quality by cleaning up the power supply that feeds the digital mainboard boards. I use a custom LPS from Oppomod.com and I disconnect and remove the audio board.

I have also heard the Oppo transport can get more performance with a clock mod. I have not done this but will be in a few weeks.

EVS does all this, they now have their own custom Linear Power Supply, and can do a mainboard only clock mod, while ignoring the analogue audio side of things.
lamark
1 posts
 
Another happy EVS customer. Did the complete set of 2-channel mods. I mostly listen to Redbook, with a smattering of SACDs and DVD-Audio. Dramatic improvement in low-level detail, and most sonic attributes. Ric was a delight to work with.
lissnr
365 posts
 
Thank you Agisthos, you have confirmed what I had suspected...I was sure there must be room for improvement(s). Lamark, I'm happy for you and the many others who have utilized Ric at EVS.
kiefer74
1 posts
 
All out 2 channel EVS mod here. Happy with the results. I'm running the Oppo balanced into My Sanders Sound System...2 Magtech amps, Sanders pre, 10c electrostactic speakers with the digital xovers including an excellent equalizer. I love the versatility of the 105 with it's HDMI ins and outs. I have both cable and Apple TV connected and and Roku stick around for extra measures.

When I listen to music I mostly listen to redbook CD's, but the occasional SACD and Bluray disc are played and fully enjoyed. Great unit!

Regards,
Jon
boukman
13 posts
 
Ric Schultz has been modding digital players for me for well over a decade. I have had my EVS 105D with the all-out two channel mods for about two and a half months now, and am absolutely delighted with the results. Going through many dozens of my favorite cds, I continue to be amazed by the plethora of ambient cues/microdetails, transparency, and air and spaciousness of this player, and how real the instruments sound in my system. Down the road I will exploit the video capabilities of this player (I have only a small monitor at this time and my collections of dvd and blu ray concert discs is not large), but I had these mods done mainly to get the best possible two-channel sound from my cd collection. Ric’s mods provide me with a terrific one-box source, and what I consider a great bang-for-the-buck price.

I know this is audiophile heresy, but--as is the case with my Zu Def4 speakers and ASR Emitter Exclusive Version Blue amp--even if I won the lottery I doubt I would feel compelled to seek out a better digital player than the one I am now enjoying.
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