A little home theater integration help please

[johnsonad]

I'm finally at a point where my wife and I want to upgrade our little 32" TV to something more enjoyable.  We have found a TV, a 51" Samsung 8500 plasma which should work well for our room and move well enough every few years with the Navy.  I had considered having a separate HT set up from the Hi-Fi but this seems unpractical and my questions focus on an all in one system. 

I would like to integrate a TV into my two channel system.  This seems simple enough by placing the TV between the speakers and using the current 2 channel system as the sound (I'm not interested in surround sound at the moment).  My questions center around integration and from reading threads here it seems like an Oppo 103 (D?) or 105 (D?) would do well along with a simple computer like a Mac Mini.  We have a large collection of DVD's (2k plus) and less than 100 Blu Ray discs.  I would like something that up scales well and can take a hard drive input as well as a computer input.  There doesn't seem much out there that bests the Oppo from my limited research.  I'll probably purchase a (D) version as the difference is little and you can dial it up as you like. 

Sound wise, I have a wonderful but aging Meridian 508.24 CD player.  The goal would be to replace it with the Oppo as either a stand alone player, 105D or, with a 103D and a DAC using the Oppo as a transport for both 2 channel and TV stereo sound.  This may be reaching and it's currently my biggest dilemma. 

Any recommendations and experiences are welcome.  Thanks!

Regards,

Aaron

[Doc B.]

I haven't done all the comparisons necessary to give a definitive suggestion, but I can at least share my perspective. In my oddball system with a CRT projector with a custom HDMI converter the oppo seems to have a little bit better video quality than less fancy bluray players. After buying the Darbee version I would say that to use darbeevision without it intruding you have to set it so low that you really don't see it doing much. Not sure that I would spend the extra $100 again. Re 103 vs 105, I haven't heard a 105. The 103 sounds good for surround in our HT. Maybe not quite as good as our DAC, but considerably better than the samsung bluray player it replaced - unless that player ran thru our DAC. Then they are pretty even. I guess my point is that the oppos are really marvelous if you need to use their built in DACs and analog outputs. But if you never go surround I don't know that there is that much advantage from an audio perspective. You might do almost as well with a less spendy bluray player with very good video and TOSLINK or coax digital outputs. All that said, the 103 is pretty reasonably priced and a quality piece of gear.

[corndog71]

Don't forget that the oppos can play pretty much every disc out there.  I want a 103 myself.

[phames]

I just made the switch from an AVR to using the OPPO BDP-105D to control everything.  I bring my DirectTV box into the rear HDMI input, my Roku into the front HDMI input and my Squeezebox into the digital optical input.  I take 5 channels of audio out to external amplifiers, including a newly built ST70 tube amplifier for my front left and right NHT Super Zero speakers.  I went ahead and got the Darbee because I figured that at the total cost for new amplifiers and the OPPO another $100 was not going to break me.  Also, when you get this option, the OPPO is supposed to be able to decode DSD streams, although I have not tried to prove that yet.  I have heard that the non Darbee versions do not do this.  Go figure.

Going this way removed the Audyssey control of the multiple speakers, but I am not sure that is all bad.  I have been able to use a SPL meter and trim the levels of each speaker so that they all match at the center of our couch.

I have the unit connected to our fairly new Panasonic ZT60 plasma display.  We have spent some time, but not a huge amount, watching a couple of BD movies and listening to a couple of CDs using the OPPO.  The unit replaced our OPPO BDP-83 player, which was no slouch.  I think the picture is a little better, but between the OPPO, the ST70 amplifier and the NHT speakers, with the NHT subwoofer, the audio is excellent, although not up to the level of my Crack with Speedball driving Senn 650 headphones.

[xcortes]

I also went from an AV processor to an oppo 103 only. Since you're going two channel a dac is a no brainer if you plan to do concerts or operas. For movies only the dac of the oppo is perfect.

[johnsonad]

I'm going to borrow a buddies 105 this weekend to listen to the DAC. A nice sounding one box solution sure would be nice.

[BNAL]

Aaron,

I'll be interested to hear your impression on the 105. I have been thinking aout getting one myself.

Brad

[johnsonad]

I've heard this 105 one other time when new and I prefered the Meridian over it for CD's. It will be interesting to hear it after break in of a few months.

[johnsonad]

Brad I've got that 105 for the weekend.  With just a couple of hours of A/B the 105 is very detailed as compared to my Meridian.  Both Rio and I find it edgy though in comparison.  The Meridian is a little more defused and is easier to listen to for longer periods of time while still sounding great.  No verdict yet....

[BNAL]

Aaron,

Thanks for the update. I look forward to your final impressions.

Did you just compare silver disks or have you streamed any music from your computer? Would like to know if there is a difference. When I went from a very good transport to streaming there was a big difference in favor of steaming.

[johnsonad]

Just CD's for this comparison.  I'm not set up to stream anything at the moment.

[Jim R.]

What would be interesting is a side-by-side comparison of the 103 and 105 to see if the audio quality is worth twice the price, especially when you can add a decent dac for less than the price difference of the two players. I plan to connect the MyDAC to the 103 for streaming music. I'm guessing this only works if you run two channel and not surround, but we have no room for surrounds so that makes it easy.

-- Jim

[johnsonad]

I bought the 103D today and will compare the two sometime in the future. I plan on using an outboard DAC with the 103 at some point. The transport mechanism is robust and impressive and hopefully does a good job.

[johnsonad]

The 103D is here.  With little burn in a prefer the DAC in the 103 over the 105 in my system.  The Darbee effect is subtle but present for video.  I like that you can with a little software play any region DVD's in the Oppo. My only compliant is that it doesn't have any audio in jacks.  That will be solved once the BH DAC is released and I can run the TV and Oppo into the DAC.

One other new discovery at least for me.  You can't have a tubed preamp within three feet of a plasma TV

[BNAL]

Aaron,

What is the issue with the plasma and pre-amp?

Brad