Oppo 105 as Primary Disc Player and DAC

[Joe Appierto]

Originally Posted by eljr

The Oppo using one Dac chip for stereo.

Just looked it up. The the MCD1100 uses 4 DAC chips per channel for stereo so the noise floor must be considerably lowered.

The Oppo 95 used four stacked chips also for stereo playback. You're correct, the 105 only uses a stereo pair for the two channel analogue outs. But the chipset isn't the only criterion, in my opinion it's how they're executed and the McIntosh may very well sound better. For what it's worth, having owned both the 95 and the 105D, the latter sounds appreciably better to me. Just my 2¢, naturally.

[Researcher]

Has anyone seen the 105 in silver? In some online photos in looks grainy.

Thanks,

[Joe Appierto]

Not exactly sure what you mean by grainy. It isn't a mirror finish if that's what you're saying -- mine is silver and I like it but then I'm hardly impartial.

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by Joe Appierto

Not exactly sure what you mean by grainy. It isn't a mirror finish if that's what you're saying -- mine is silver and I like it but then I'm hardly impartial.

Perhaps metallic would be a better description. Is the color similar to Bryston aluminum or silver?

[2fastdriving]

Originally Posted by eljr

THe $10,000 McIntosh player, MCD1100, uses the same Dac, ESS SABRE32 Reference Audiophile DAC, correct?

So what DAC/product does one need to upgrade to in order to achieve "more in terms of a DAC?"

There are lots of products that sound better than the Oppo. They just cost more.

The chip itself means nothing. The implementation is everything.

By "more", I mean more involving - deeper and wider soundstage, more palpable instruments and voices, space around the instruments. The oppo has gobs of detail, but don't confuse detail for musical involvement.

[Joe Appierto]

I've never seen any Bryston equipment in person but from photographs it seems to have a horizontal texture to it. The Oppo, on the other hand, has a different finish. The Bryston looks like solid aluminum while the Oppo is a speckled finish. The color is even on the Oppo but it's been painted on, not bare metal as the Bryston appears to be.

Hope this helps.

[o0OBillO0o]

Originally Posted by 2fastdriving

There are lots of products that sound better than the Oppo. They just cost more.

The chip itself means nothing. The implementation is everything.

- Single factors are certainly "a way" to simplify the problem. There is a good deal of other technology going on here, can anyone quantify the differences*?

i.e. Analog output stage, power supply, etc.

*differences to Disc Players such as the McIntosh MCD1100 or Esoteric Disc Players.

[eljr]

Originally Posted by 2fastdriving

There are lots of products that sound better than the Oppo. They just cost more.

The chip itself means nothing. The implementation is everything.

By "more", I mean more involving - deeper and wider soundstage, more palpable instruments and voices, space around the instruments. The oppo has gobs of detail, but don't confuse detail for musical involvement.

Thanks Marc. My question was what products, specifically.

Also, could you expand on this a bit for a novice? "The chip itself means nothing. The implementation is everything."

Thanks

[Researcher]

Originally Posted by Joe Appierto

I've never seen any Bryston equipment in person but from photographs it seems to have a horizontal texture to it. The Oppo, on the other hand, has a different finish. The Bryston looks like solid aluminum while the Oppo is a speckled finish. The color is even on the Oppo but it's been painted on, not bare metal as the Bryston appears to be.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the description.

[2fastdriving]

Originally Posted by eljr

Thanks Marc. My question was what products, specifically.

Also, could you expand on this a bit for a novice? "The chip itself means nothing. The implementation is everything."

Thanks

Products? I only have experience with a few... Mcintosh D100, auralic vega, ARC cd6, esoteric k03...

Implementation? Lots of things. Power supplies (type and quality) , clock accuracy, number of dacs, configuration of dacs, chassis rigidity, etc.