Oppo Digital Folding.

[KG_Jag]

When Oppo and disc media become the next analog (TT and magnetic tape) revival, I will be well positioned with Oppo DVD & BR decks. ...except that I probably won't want to part with any of them.

Was disappointed when the latest (and apparently final) versions of the Oppo players dropped HDCD. Dead fans who play CD's will certainly be with me.

As an old guy, I have grown up with music in a physical form. Yes I like handling it; checking out album cover; reading inserts and CD booklets; etc. However, what I like best (and this still overwhelms the storage issues) is that I (at least de facto) own it. I don't have to rely on a third party to get it; worry about degradation of the quality; or keeping up and funding ever changing technology. I don't have recurring monthly bills. While I don't have everything, I have an extensive music collection in many still accessible formats that dates back to the mid/early 60's.

 

[Archguy]

Related: You should probably disconnect your Oppo from the internet as orphaned software is ripe for hacking exploits.

However, by the same token it's a vanishing target of diminishing value to hackers.

Once your stuff is adequately out-of-date you hardly need to protect it even.

The thieves have moved on to bigger, richer targets.

 

[E-Stat]

As an old guy, I have grown up with music in a physical form...However, what I like best (and this still overwhelms the storage issues) is that I (at least de facto) own it. I don't have to rely on a third party to get it; worry about degradation of the quality; or keeping up and funding ever changing technology. I don't have recurring monthly bills.

I'm an old guy too and still maintain an old vinyl library. My CD library sits on the shelf collecting dust because I've ripped all that content to my computer where I have instant access to any part of it - across multiple systems. No disc shuffling ever.

My last CD player ran $3k. My two current streamers together cost less than that and offer better performance. Yes, I do subscribe to Tidal HIFI for access to the other 40 million tracks I don't own. What's not to like about that?

 

[E-Stat]

I’d appreciate it if you would share a link to the articles by Kal Rubinson that explain his approach to server-based options. I’m always trying to learn.

It's not difficult to find his content. Click here for a link to his "Music in the Round" blog.

I’How much time and technical skill is required to copy multi-channel Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray, and multi-channel SACDs to a server-based solution (e.g., NAS drive), and manually edit the tags (metadata) for classical recordings (i.e., composer, composition, conductor, orchestra, soloists, etc), and concatenate multiple movements of a classical composition? [

Gee, that's very much a subjective call as to your needs. My dbPoweramp does a great job with metadata where I usually need to truncate track titles. It you're really into to rich metadata, I've been told Roon is the best solution.

I agree that “server based” music can, in some cases, be more convenient.

In all cases. You simply select content from phone or pad device. There's no physical movement involved. Across multiple systems. I once burned hundreds of CD-Rs to play on alternate systems. No longer.

I plug the USB drive into the front panel of my Oppo, and then access these downloaded files easily via the Oppo’s remote.

I have a 103 and find the UI clunky and limited as compared to LMS. Multi-channel requires ripping your MC SACD discs. Not a problem, but most certainly a detail.

When I want the convenience of network-based music (e.g., in order to explore music that is new to me), I use Spotify Premium or Youtube.

I enjoy that convenience for all my content, regardless of source. I use CD quality Tidal HIFI.

If you enjoy the ceremony of disk handling, go for it!

 

[guitarlvr]

I think you all are forgetting a couple of things. The majority of people that these companies are appealing to are young. The main focus is, and always has been, 18-34 year olds. These people don't care about physical media. They want streaming. If you were just getting into media recently, like I was again about a year ago, and had to decide between spending the money on all that gear plus going and buying the media. And being limited to just what you can afford. Or just paying a few bucks a month to stream basically anything you want, anytime you want. What would you do?

I bought a record player, and a DAC. The turntable won out for SQ. But the DAC won out for every other practical reason. I went with the DAC knowing I can buy a better one, and get better streaming equipment to make it very close to the quality of a turntable. Spend the money on either one, and most will be happy. Which is more convenient? Which takes up less space?

Which is my other point. Who has the room for all that media? I know many do, but more don't. I certainly don't. I see DVD collections on Craigslist all the time. Many of them due to people moving. The low pay is forcing people into smaller spaces. And young people will only know small spaces for many years. The world is changing, as it always does.

The way I see is. The only constant is change. And I can go kicking and screaming into the future. Or embrace the change, and make the most of it . I decided to make the most of it. I'm building a really nice streaming setup for not much money either. I'm doing a Raspberry Pi/Allo Digione with linear power supply. This can do basically any streaming service. Act as a Rune endpoint, squeezebox, etc. And even do room correction. It will go spidf out to my DAC. I'm eventually going to get a Scott Nixon Tube DAC. SQ is great with all of this gear.

And don't forget. You can get streaming services for free. I'm on a 6 month free trial of Tidal HiFi right now. So it's all about money, which affects our housing. And our changing culture. The kids drive the market. This is their world. We're just living in it.

OLD dog stuck in his ways. First I have the money to spend in fact I usually spend 300 bucks a week on CD's and records.
So I will go kicking, screaming, biting, punching. Right up to the end. But I have seen this before remember when vinyl came to a end. Well for guys like me it never did. I hung on to all I had and then went second handshopping. Now for the time being and I'm sure it will be short vinyl has made it comeback. Streaming is not even in my bandwidth so to speak before I pay a monthly fee I will just keep listening to my old out of date CD's and records. Why would anyone want to pay more for less? There are many times I can buy the actual disc for less then Amazon wants for the MP3. All that is, is air no disc no cover no book no nothing.
Like my grandparents would say to me in the old days, "If your friends jumped off a cliff would you?"

 

[slobmw]

My 105 replaced my pre amp.

It has a volume control, all the decoding/equalizer/speaker controls, so many digital inputs, a great DAC, 7.2 analog outputs, balanced stereo outputs, plays any disc, connects to the internet, it does whatever I want.

Some company needs to keep this technology going...

Yep, that's how I view it. I needed to get multi channel audio from a new 4k TV to my minidsp and surround system, so just pulled the trigger on a 203. Cheapest hdmi 2.0 compliant pre/pro I know of, and it comes with a universal transport as a bonus.

 

[Slewfoot]

Ooof. Very sorry to hear this. I spoke to a rep today and they say they are guaranteeing all warranties and that there will occasionally be firmware upgrades. He also said the iphone app should be fully functional. But after three years once warranties run out it's tough to say.
I guess before I go and buy a backup 205, I might as well ask the residents about alternatives:

- If I am playing music through my Oppo it is usually Grateful Dead or other live music so gapless is important.
- A lot of what I play is through an External Hard Drive which I connect directly to the Oppo and then use Oppo's remote control app on my iphone to navigate the files and play Gapless.

Is there another player out there that can play FLAC files gapless via an External Hard Drive that has a great built in DAC?

The app on my iphone acting as a remote is a BIG plus for me to browse through the files on the external drive and I fear that app may eventually crash out after the 3 year period.

Curious of anyone has any thoughts regarding this scenario. Thanks!

 

[E-Stat]

Is there another player out there that can play FLAC files gapless via an External Hard Drive that has a great built in DAC?

Tons once you let go of spinning shiny disk capability.

The app on my iphone acting as a remote is a BIG plus for me to browse through the files on the external drive and I fear that app may eventually crash out after the 3 year period.

Can't say about Oppo, but I certainly agree that phone/pad based selection of all content - internet radio, subscription service (Tidal HIFI) and local music server is a beautiful thing.

 

[nj pheonix]

Apparently 205s are drying up faster than South africa.

 

[bobschneider]

I’m glad I ordered mine yesterday- Oppo’s website now says “out of stock”. Audio Advisor is saying “ships in 3 to 5 days” but if that means drop shipped from Oppo likely out of stock there too.

So don’t expect any close out deals on this one!

 

[Slewfoot]

Tons once you let go of spinning shiny disk capability.


Can't say about Oppo, but I certainly agree that phone/pad based selection of all content - internet radio, subscription service (Tidal HIFI) and local music server is a beautiful thing.

Well that's the thing: I do also need the shiny disc capability! The Grateful Dead do still put out CD releases. :^)

 

[E-Stat]

The Grateful Dead do still put out CD releases. :^)

Which can be ripped in a couple of minutes. Like all my other CDs.

Never having to futch around with jewel cases and transports ever again.

 

[awillia6]

Which can be ripped in a couple of minutes. Like all my other CDs.

Never having to futch around with jewel cases and transports ever again.

Just sent my 4th copy of "Blonde on Blonde" CD back to Amazon for refund/exchange. 4 for 4 cracked cases. One padded envelope even had the tire tread marks of a robot, cart, car, truck, or tank (or all of the above) on it. Not much left of that case. BTW, I ripped the 2nd one (since they didn't make me send it back like the 1st, 3rd, and 4th ones (so that's 7 one-way UPS ships!). Number 2's been all tucked away in long-term storage in a brand new jewel case from the stack of them I keep around to re-house brand new Amazon CDs. I've never had one shipped in from Europe damaged in any way...

 

[BigElCat]

Would have liked to been a fly on the wall ... at the corporate meeting where this decision was made. Wonder if anybody thought "holy ****, they're really going to close it down" ... or did they see it coming for years?

I'm wondering the same thing.

The day before the announcement, the stock market took a 'reported' dip in the technology sectors based on new trade tariffs.

Not to go political, but is that a coincidence ? It does seem too fast to be a reaction, doesn't it ?

 

[E-Stat]

Streaming is not even in my bandwidth so to speak before I pay a monthly fee I will just keep listening to my old out of date CD's and records. [Why would anyone want to pay more for less? There are many times I can buy the actual disc for less then Amazon wants for the MP3. All that is, is air no disc no cover no book no nothing.

Two observations:

1. You can rip your CDs as I have done and have instant access to any content via phone or pad device across multiple systems. Eliminating the time consuming disk shuffling gyrations is a beautiful thing.
2. While I have about 9,000 of my favorite tracks on the music server, subscribing to Tidal HIFI adds another forty million. That may not be important to you.

 

[E-Stat]

Just sent my 4th CD copy of "Blonde on Blonde" back to Amazon for refund/exchange. 4 for 4 cracked cases.

A cracked jewel case means absolutely nothing to me so long as the disk itself is good enough to rip.

I have a closet where all my CDs are put to pasture once ripped never to be used again.

 

[awillia6]

A cracked jewel case means absolutely nothing to me so long as the disk itself is good enough to rip.

I have a closet where all my CDs are put to pasture once ripped never to be used again.

Never is a long time. Just ask Marantz, Kenwood, Sansui, Pioneer et al. aficionados...

 

[BigElCat]

The closing bell in Shanghai; clang, clang clang.

Conference call via smart phones; "Did you see that ? That is the last straw ! There will be no more Gratitude from us".

(Oppo is the Greek word for gratitude).

 

[reddog48]

The OPPO-SITE of music is throwing up their short hands and walking away? <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Mod: And ANOTHER troll Post deleted

I warned you 2 days ago I would delete any off topic, thread craps that appeared
- and YOU GOT THE HONORS -
besides, "their short hands" sound like a racist rant to boot!

Skating on thin ice, pilgrim, thin ice!

 

[Archguy]

The OPPO-SITE of music is throwing up their short hands and walking away? An unalloyed good to these ears. Never liked the sound emanating from their deplorable dung boxes.

Sound wise? What total dreck - what sewage - what deplorable second rate, screechy, flat, tizzy and harsh dung. Cannot believe that anybody ever bought one of their units for audio playback.

Going out on a limb here...I take it you don't like them very much?