HDMI to Multi-channel audio adaptor

I don't understand. These boxes must have DACs in order to output via RCA analog connections. I also have no idea what "pre-HDMI" means.

Yes, they have DAC's built-in with RCA multi-channel output connections. "Pre-HDMI" is a term for components designed without HDMI engineering.

The first artical I read on the OPPO 95 stated it only had HDMI multi-channel outputs. That's what got me looking for a pure wire, high-end HDMI to RCA adaptor to connect the 95 to my Pro for 32-bit stereo and multi-channel.

Fortunately, after reading OPPO's information directly, it actually shows both HDMI and standard RCA multi-channel connectors, plus balanced out L/R main outputs. Balanced stereo outs on a multi-disk SACD player is quite rare - I'm looking at the 95 to match my Pros' balanced analog L/R inputs.

Although the Proceeds DAC's are great, adding both Blu-Ray and 32-bit multi-channel DAC's along with balanced main L/R DAC's offers considerable promise that's hard to resist.

The sound quality of HDMI to RCA convertor's mentioned earlier is a significant concern. Now, knowing that the OPPO 95 has standard RCA outputs plus HDMI audio, it eliminates my need for a convertor. In summary, one of the OPPO 95s' HDMI outputs will go directly to my TV, and the balanced stereo and standard RCA multi-channel connectors can connect directly to my Pro.

OK. I did not appreciate that meaning for "pre-HDMI" in the context of the statements. (Also, did you mean "multi-disk SACD player" or multichannel SACD player?)

As for the Oppo players, all of them have always had multichannel analog outputs, even the "pre-HDMI" Oppos, so I do not know how an article can say otherwise.

As for the Oppo 95, my comments about it appear in the September issue of Stereophile.

Kal

Kal, I meant multi-disk SACD/DVD-Audio player/transport combo. I did not reference a Stereophile Magazine write-up and I cannot recall the exact source. There is a possiblity that I mis-read the writers' intent. I looked at my most recent deliverd copy of SM - it's July 2011.

In the magazines' September 2010 edition, your interesting write-up included two OPPO's - the 83 and 83SE, and Sony XA 5400ES. I didn't find the OPPO 95 mentioned anywhere in the write-up. Yet, many of your 83 analog/digital and connection comments can be applied to the 95s' output connections.

However, I do have analog pass-through, distance and volume levels in my pro's set-up menu, plus my speaker's are equidistant from the listening position. For analog pass-through, I must turn the SUB off. That's not much of problem as my main's have 15 inch bass drivers.

I'm focusing on the potential of the OPPO 95 as a three-fold upgrade - First, upgrading to Blu-Ray video performance. Second, adding the 32-bit DAC's for multi-channel (SACD, DVD-Audio and Blu-Ray Audio). Lastly, adding the rare 32-bit balanced L/R main DAC's for analog pass-through. I'm hoping the OPPO 95s' 32-bit DAC's may occasionally be a very welcome alternative to using my Proceed PDT III transport to feed the Proceeds' matched 24-bit 2-channel DAC's.

In your testing, have you possibly ABX'd/compared the sound quality of the OPPO 95s' 32-bit DAC's in 2-channel or multi-channel on a nice analog pass-through system with great 24-bit DAC's, by chance?

Dan

The SEP 2011 edition arrived and thanks for the review. My OPPO 981 just bit-the-dust and the 95 looks like the best selection for my system. The two 32-bit DAC's and fully balanced L/R main outputs with other improvements is a solid upgrade. I would recommend that OPPO adds a AES/EBU digital output to the new 95 or a successor.