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SET Excellence! (Read 21099 times)
DPC
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SET Excellence!
12/01/13 at 21:43:19
 
Listening to a DSD download of Holly Cole on the near field setup.  For this application I doubt there is a better amplifier on the planet!  I've not heard a vinyl player that is much better than this!  Having said that, I accept that vinyl can be addictive if a person has the bank to invest in a quality rig.

Thanks to all the many people who have guided this music lover on this journey!
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Lin
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #1 - 12/01/13 at 22:23:51
 
Good kit + good music = Smiley Smiley Smiley
Glad you are enjoying it today Dennis!
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Lonely Raven
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #2 - 12/02/13 at 04:47:20
 

Lin, I immediately heard this in my head when reading your post.

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hifitubes
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #3 - 12/10/13 at 04:44:54
 
Excellent. I'm using the Rachel with my Vega DAC; even PCM2DSD on the fly conversion sounds really good.
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Doorman
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #4 - 12/10/13 at 15:03:25
 
Inside anyone's head, including our own, can be a scary place to be
sometimes---
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Decware, Rega, Heybrook/Linn/Ortofon
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(eN) in DIY Mar-Ken cabs
NHT SB3’s
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DPC
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #5 - 12/11/13 at 01:14:53
 
"Excellent. I'm using the Rachel with my Vega DAC; even PCM2DSD on the fly conversion sounds really good."

In this house we are using the Teac UD-501 DSD DAC.  Don't have many DSD downloads but what we have sure sounds excellent to me.  Unless something goes wrong I think this might be the last DAC I'll ever need.  I'm very satisfied with PCM also.

Dennis
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Lonely Raven
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #6 - 12/11/13 at 16:17:45
 

I just realized I have no DSD files on my network, and I want to test that feature on my Oppo-BDP 105 to see how it works with those files.

A quick google and I found this:  http://dsd-guide.com/free-downloads

I'm downloading the free samples now and I'll test them when I get home from work late tonight.

Thanks for the reminder!

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DPC
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #7 - 12/12/13 at 00:40:14
 
Hey, Cool, let us know how it works out for you.
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deucekazoo
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #8 - 12/12/13 at 17:44:02
 
LR,
Check this out if you did not know about it,

http://www.oppodigital.com/hra/dsd-by-davidelias.aspx
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Lonely Raven
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #9 - 12/12/13 at 19:15:15
 

Thanks! I did not know about that link!


So it appears that Oppo doesn't quite have the DSD over Async working yet. It works fine when I play it off a hard drive attached directly to the machine - which is how I'm starting to do things now that I've sprung for a 2TB hard drive.

Playing files over the network has been hit or miss in general, since it doesn't always find my file server.

I have a feeling the next version of this Oppo player is going to be amazing, but in the meantime, I'll just have to live with fantastic.  :)
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DPC
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #10 - 12/13/13 at 01:12:08
 
Oppo has been on my radar for quite some time.  In that I'm now vested in the DSD deal I guess waiting a little longer won't hurt.

The only component missing here is a silver disk spinner.  Presently the only part here is the little Apple ripper and I'm sure Oppo could improve on that.
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Lonely Raven
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #11 - 12/14/13 at 03:44:40
 

The Oppo is quite fantastic. It's not perfect, but they got a lot of great features and sound in a $1200 box
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beowulf
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #12 - 12/14/13 at 07:45:59
 
Quote:
LR said,
So it appears that Oppo doesn't quite have the DSD over Async working yet. It works fine when I play it off a hard drive attached directly to the machine - which is how I'm starting to do things now that I've sprung for a 2TB hard drive.

Playing files over the network has been hit or miss in general, since it doesn't always find my file server.


I hear ya ... which is why I still use a PC that's dedicated to music and movie playback.  JRiver MC 19 is the bomb (do people still use that phrase? Grin) and carries it's own room correction software.  I have no doubt the Oppo will get there though ~ an interesting combo would be a JRiver version that came installed with the Oppo. Hmmm, if the Oppo came with a version of Windows and JRiver installed with a 2TB hard drive it would kill off an entire industry Huh
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Lonely Raven
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #13 - 12/14/13 at 16:22:07
 

Yeah, apparently Oppo is big into software, as well as hardware development. Apparently they even have their own Smartphones, that they let the general population hack and play around with to come up with new features.

See what they do with the BDP-105, I could absolutely see them coming up with a really nice, Mid-Fi Surround Sound Receiver that's fully internet capable.

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Lon
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #14 - 12/14/13 at 16:35:34
 
Oppo will soon be launching a new headphone amp/DAC. Some people on another board are really looking forward to it.

http://www.oppodigital.com/future/HA-1_Headphone_Amplifier.aspx

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/attachments/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/8...

If this sounds good to someone it seems this one could be the answer to a CSP preamp and ZMA: connect all your digital components to this, use the other input for the phono preamp, there you go.

I wish Oppos I've heard had impressed me analog out-wise but those I have really haven't. No question they are technological marvels at great price points. But I was looking for SACD and Blu-ray players and prefered the sound of the Sony ES models and the Denon 100th Anniversary ones.

But then again, I'm not using files (hate the damned things) so that may explain a lot.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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jameskk
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #15 - 12/23/13 at 12:42:55
 
And for us that can't afford the Oppo cdp 105 get the cdp103 at $499 just as good , at least stereophile couldn't tell the difference, rated them together. c'mon man!!! Sorry this thread is about the Racheal.
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beowulf
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #16 - 12/23/13 at 21:32:44
 
Quote:
jameskk said,
And for us that can't afford the Oppo cdp 105 get the cdp103 at $499 just as good , at least stereophile couldn't tell the difference, rated them together. c'mon man!!! Sorry this thread is about the Racheal.


I would like to read that article ... is the article online and/or do happen to have a link for it?  

I have a BDP 95, but have been contemplating purchasing either the 105 (or 103 as I already have a DAC that I like quite a bit, so I was figuring maybe I could get away with the 103) ...
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jameskk
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #17 - 12/25/13 at 16:44:23
 
stereophile October 2013 500 recommended components ,however I read where DIY audio , that the 95 was configured better than the newer players hence sounding better , so I would do a ton of research before jumping for the newer players....... Merry Christmas to all!!!
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Lonely Raven
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #18 - 12/26/13 at 02:12:47
 
Stereophile October 2013 -

Oppo BDP-105: $1199
Oppo BDP-103: $499 $$$
Oppo’s latest universal disc players offer a host of
versatile and powerful features. The BDP-103 has
two HDMI inputs; two HDMI outputs; a DLNAcompatible
Ethernet port; three USB ports to handle
hi-rez audio, video, and picture files; and an RJ-45 jack
to access the Internet for audio and video streaming. It
offers bass management, channel-balance and -delay
settings, and remote control of input selection and
volume. In a larger, heavier chassis, the BDP-105 adds
three digital inputs (asynchronous USB-B and S/
PDIF on coax and TosLink) and has two eight-channel
Sabre32 ES9018 DAC chips—one for its 7.1-channel
RCA output, the other for its dedicated two-channel
outputs on RCA and XLR jacks. Compared with
the ’103, the ’105 sounded cleaner, smoother, and
more detailed, regardless of source or number of
channels, said KR. Though the ’103 was “no slouch,”
Kal was more impressed by the more versatile ‘105.
“I know of no other high-quality player with such
a comprehensive feature set,” he said, deciding that
Class B was appropriate for the ’103. A free firmware
upgrade provides multichannel DSD capability and
supports exFAT drives, but doesn’t currently offer
gapless playback of DSD files. KR was thrilled: “The
electricity and communication I experienced were
unprecedented.” (Vol.36 Nos.5 & 7 WWW)
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jameskk
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #19 - 05/11/14 at 13:26:56
 
the oppo 103 is a poormans levinson, and not sure about that!!!
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Lon
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #20 - 05/11/14 at 14:01:42
 
After reading posts from a jazz lover on a jazz board or two that has an all Levinson system, I would hope Oppo isn't the poor man's Levinson. This guy hates the sound of almost every cd he puts on, only audiophile stuff seems "okay" to him. I'd hate that, I'd sell it in his shoes but he thinks it's the world's best and cd manufacturers are plotting against him putting out all these releases he can't enjoy. Sigh.

I'm not a fan of the Sabre DAC sound and Oppos haven't really impressed me much but you can't beat the features for the buck ratio. . . if the features are useful to you. (For me, not so much).

SE34!.3 owners: would you say that the amps are "somewhat forgiving?" I wonder if they still share that characteristic; my .2 was and it made my listening to so much of my collection really nice.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Syd
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #21 - 05/12/14 at 14:20:52
 
Hm, somewhat forgiving ?
I played a side of Charlie Parker, mono, and the drums sounded like a boomy tea chest, one note thump, not much the SE`s could do about that.
Soundstaging goes as wide as is recorded so no glossing there
I like to think what I hear is the cartridge being amplified....and if a more analytical one were in place then the SE`s would  be upto the job. So far there`s nothing to suggest otherwise. Of course, not hearing other p/amps n Decwares range it`s me thats forgiving by gettiing immeresed without questions except one...." When will you stop dithering and pull the trigger on  that new cart that`ll blow you away.......make your mind up "

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Decware: Rachaels x 2 bridged, C. SP2+, ZP3, ZMC1, DHC-1 pw/cbl`s Michell Orbe + SME V + M.Benz LP s, Arcam CD33, Nakamichi LX5, Lowther acoustas DX2`s, WE 16g sp/cbl`s, Isotek mains substation, M & K subwoofer, Belden 8402 interconnects.
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Lon
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"Love without
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #22 - 05/12/14 at 14:30:22
 
Thanks. My .2 was definitely more forgiving in comparison to the Rev. A Zen amp and the Select and the SE34  Monooblock Decware amps I had before. Not immensely so in that it didn't color or veail much at all, but it did sweeten the high end and open the midrange up a bit more which aided my worst recordings to be just a bit more than they were. It was all digital for me at that time, if I was doing vinyl it was in a B&O system.

My guess is that the .3 IS a bit less so than the .2--that is the direction that the Decware amps seem (to me) to take as they are progressing through model numbers: more and more clarity and precision. For me that's not always the best path to musical satisfaction. But they're all amazing amps.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Syd
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #23 - 05/20/14 at 13:01:35
 
Well I`ve taken the leap. The cheque is in the post for a Micro Benz LP.
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Decware: Rachaels x 2 bridged, C. SP2+, ZP3, ZMC1, DHC-1 pw/cbl`s Michell Orbe + SME V + M.Benz LP s, Arcam CD33, Nakamichi LX5, Lowther acoustas DX2`s, WE 16g sp/cbl`s, Isotek mains substation, M & K subwoofer, Belden 8402 interconnects.
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4krow
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #24 - 05/20/14 at 16:09:40
 
No doubt, analog would be a great path to follow with the SE in mind. I miss it. In the meantime, I am loving the fact that I can use digital source and get away with it. So much so, that I forget the source am amazed by the music.
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Decware 34I.3 integrated amp/Forte' 3 bass amp/Velodyne SMS-1 bass mngmnt system/Decware ZOB speakers/Audio Nirvana 8" bass drivers/Xiang Seng DAC/ LR Audio Computer/Rega Apollo R CDP/Emotiva ERC3 CDP/BPT 3.0 power cond.
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hifitubes
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Re: SET Excellence!
Reply #25 - 05/28/14 at 11:57:52
 
I'm happy with my Saber-based Vega DAC, and I know some folks think Saber can be fatiguing but maybe it's the quality output stage on the Vega that makes it all work. My 34 is straight no gain and it has VCAPS.
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