Oppo UDP-203 as a DAC?

[Ross6860]

Since I would like to have the ability to play SACD disks, and a nice multi-format player can't hurt, what about using it as a DAC connected to a HDD?

How does the AKM Velvet Sound DAC stack up against say a Schiit Modi2 Multi-Bit?

 

[Ross6860]

Well, the issue is you can only pass SACD through analog OR HDMI. If you have DSD/DSF files the OPPO will decode them.

The OPPO probably has a better DAC than either of those. The Multibit is only a 16 or 20 bit DAC chip in it. It will not do ANY high res files.

The "either" HDMI or analog for SACD isn't an issue for me. If I'm listening to music it will be analog out to my pre-amp. The HDMI would only be used for audio/video out from DVDs or Blue Ray disks to an A/V receiver.

The Oppo uses the AKM Velvet Sound DAC

I only have a handful of USB thumb drives I use in my vehicles, so I'm not yet invested in a server or any music files to speak of.

Just looking at getting into this digital storage and thought the integrated DAC and disk player might make more sense than a stand-alone DAC.

 

[SoNic67]

SACD is not all that different from correctly played CD. I was in that camp and 10 SACD's later (and few DSD's)... I cooled off.

 

[evsentry3]

The OPPO probably has a better DAC than either of those. The Multibit is only a 16 or 20 bit DAC chip in it. It will not do ANY high res files.

I'm wondering where you came up with this information. Should we notify Schiit their info is incorrect???

EV3

 

[evsentry3]

Reading the Stereophile reviews of the Schiit DAC. There has been some fireworks about it. Don't believe me look it up. The Yggdrasil on the other hand will do up to 192/24. But this is from the review of it -

"It's difficult to sum up the Schiit Yggdrasil's measured behavior. While the processor's analog circuitry is superbly well designed, its digital circuitry appears to have problems with high-level, high-frequency tones, and with the LSBs of 24-bit data. It's possible, of course, that the former will be rare with music, and that the latter will be obscured by the noise floors of recordings. But it does look as if the digital circuitry is not fully optimized. Hopefully, this could be addressed with a firmware upgrade."

Yup...this is the hazards of only reading others opinions rather than getting a chance to listen for yourself. Too bad there aren't more options to listen to more gear in general. Fewer and fewer ways these days to go see and hear things.

But if opinions are to be factored in at all...then Robert Harley is coming out with a review of the same Yggdrasil that says..."its one of the three best DACs I’ve heard regardless of price. (The other two are the $19,500 Berkeley Alpha Reference and the $35,000 dCS Vivaldi.... " So much for John's getting hung up on the numbers rather than setting down and listening longer.

The Modi2 is the bargain basement entrance priced DAC and I'd agree that despite the difference, the Oppo might well hold it's own between the two. But to say the Modi doesn't play high rez is just truly not factual.

EV3

 

[SoNic67]

Well, to be correct, it ACCEPTS the HiRes files but then it decimates them to the 16 bit that the chip hardware allows. I can see that this can affect some test tones (very seldom found in music) and it might be fixed by a firmware update.
To me that's not a real problem.

 

[Mamrak1]

Yup...this is the hazards of only reading others opinions rather than getting a chance to listen for yourself. Too bad there aren't more options to listen to more gear in general. Fewer and fewer ways these days to go see and hear things.

But if opinions are to be factored in at all...then Robert Harley is coming out with a review of the same Yggdrasil that says..."its one of the three best DACs I’ve heard regardless of price. (The other two are the $19,500 Berkeley Alpha Reference and the $35,000 dCS Vivaldi.... " So much for John's getting hung up on the numbers rather than setting down and listening longer.

The Modi2 is the bargain basement entrance priced DAC and I'd agree that despite the difference, the Oppo might well hold it's own between the two. But to say the Modi doesn't play high rez is just truly not factual.

EV3

I wouldn't hold my breath over Robert Harley's reviews. He has the annoying habit of proclaiming some piece of audio equipment as the best he has heard. Then a couple issues later he has discovered a new 'best' unit, replacing his previous favorite from a few issues past.

 

[evsentry3]

The issue was in the actual testing, which Oppo tried to play down. Not saying it is a bad unit, but one needs to go in with both eyes open. Hartley was saying this WAS NOT a dac for high res.

But it turns out...he makes a pretty good speaker!

EV3

 

[Ross6860]

Well....

The Modi2 is pretty highly thought of as a "starter" DAC

The Oppo players are pretty highly thought of as mid-level or better UDP.

I really don't care where it's made as long as the quality is there for the price. What is really made here anyhow? Pieces of this, parts of that. How much of a Harley is made in the US? There are probably more US parts in a Honda Accord.

Back to the original question. Using the new Oppo UDP-203 as a DAC connected to a HDD for handling music files. Any advantage to using a dedicated DAC, or disadvantage to using the Oppo?