Now that Oppo is dead, which universal player is a good one?

[Phineas Newborn Jr.]

I'm now curious about the blu-ray audio and the dvd-audio, so just when I decided to get into it, I find out that Oppo has ceased to be.
Any recommendations on decent currently-produced universal player?
Thanks

 

[DonH56]

Define "universal". There are a number of really great players; far fewer do SACDs, and even fewer have analog outputs. The recent Sony and Panasonic offerings have been highly-regarded on various fora I visit.

 

[Phineas Newborn Jr.]

Well, cd blu-ray dvd-audio dvd-video sacd PLUS digital inputs and USB would be nice.

 

[DonH56]

The limiter in that list is likely to be DVD-A... I am not sure how many players include digital inputs (I mean that literally, I do not know). The Sony 700/800 do SACD, I think, and the Panny 9000. Not sure either does DVD-A. Most any BD player will also handle DVDs and CDs.

USB I am not sure either -- some only use it for FW updates, more allow you to play from a stick but not from a USB drive.

I still have my Oppo UDP-203 so not shopping and the contender was the Sony 800 a year or two ago.

 

[SMc]

The Sony 700/800 do SACD, I think, and the Panny 9000. Not sure either does DVD-A. Most any BD player will also handle DVDs and CDs.

The X800 does and the X700 does not do DVD-A. No analog outputs.

 

[Guermantes]

The Cambridge Audio CXUHD is apparently based on the same digital hardware as the Oppo 203. It appears to handle all the optical formats including DVD-A and SACD. It lacks the Oppo's analogue outputs.

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/en/products/cx/cxuhd
https://www.avforums.com/review/cambridge-audio-cxuhd-4k-ultra-hd-blu-ray-player-review.14103

 

[tmtomh]

Honestly, if I didn't already have an Oppo unit, and if I didn't already have a small collection of SACDs, DVD-As, and Blu-Rays - in other words, if I were just now confronting the choice of whether or not to get into high-res optical discs - I probably would save myself the money and aggravation, and just get a good DAC and decent CD player or transport. I would use that setup to play my CDs, and for high-res I would rely on streaming digital files from a computer or dedicated streaming device.

Not trying to take the thread off-topic - it's just that there are now vanishingly few choices for truly universal disc players, particularly ones that offer all the features of the Oppo 105/205 and are affordable. What there is now - for example the Pioneer and Panasonic units - are basically Oppo 103/203-level machines, at prices that are close to Oppo 105/205 prices. Not worth it IMHO.

 

[graz_lag]

I'm now curious about the blu-ray audio and the dvd-audio, so just when I decided to get into it, I find out that Oppo has ceased to be.
Any recommendations on decent currently-produced universal player?
Thanks

Sure, a second hand Oppo, either the 103 (or the 105 if you are on the hifi as well) or the 203 ...
The 205 was sold on small scale so not sure it can be found so easily on the 2nd hand market.

 

[Guermantes]

The limiter in that list is likely to be DVD-A... I am not sure how many players include digital inputs (I mean that literally, I do not know). The Sony 700/800 do SACD, I think, and the Panny 9000. Not sure either does DVD-A. Most any BD player will also handle DVDs and CDs.

The Panasonic UB9000 does look quite good . . . but no SACD or DVD-A apparently.
https://www.avforums.com/review/panasonic-dp-ub9000-review.15435#sectionAnchor57210

 

[graz_lag]

Honestly, if I didn't already have an Oppo unit, and if I didn't already have a small collection of SACDs, DVD-As, and Blu-Rays - in other words, if I were just now confronting the choice of whether or not to get into high-res optical discs - I probably would save myself the money and aggravation, and just get a good DAC and decent CD player or transport. I would use that setup to play my CDs, and for high-res I would rely on streaming digital files from a computer or dedicated streaming device ...

You are exactly right and that is the reason for which Oppo pulled out from the player industry.

I am now replacing my Oppo 105, of which I do not use its audio capability anymore, with a 203.

 

[Hugo9000]

There is a Yamaha Blu-ray/"almost universal" (lol) player for around $500, model BD-A1060. It won't play DVD-A, but otherwise supports quite a laundry list of discs. It has stereo analogue outputs, both RCA and balanced XLR. For multichannel SACD, it has to go out via HDMI to a compatible DAC or AVR, whereas OPPO had multichannel analogue outputs. But even very expensive SACD players seem to be restricted to stereo on their analogue outputs these days, unlike my old Denon DVD-2910 which is still going strong after 14 years of use.

https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews...aha-bd-a1060-universal-blu-ray-player-review/


https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/blu-ray_players/bd-a1060/features.html#product-tabs

Edited to add: No USB input, and it does not play UHD Blu-ray discs, it only upscales to 4K. It does play 3D Blu-ray discs, though, for any who have those.

 

[vitalii427]

Unfortunately nothing comes close to Oppo these days. 103/105 2nd hand still very good choice. 203/205 quite pricey, but there is one worthy offer here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/fs-oppo-205.6442/

 

[graz_lag]

Unfortunately nothing comes close to Oppo these days. 103/105 2nd hand still very good choice. 203/205 quite pricey, but there is one worthy offer here:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/fs-oppo-205.6442/

I am purchasing my 203 at 900€ second hand, selling my 105 at 750€ ... This is the life in the dark second hand market world ...

 

[SMc]

The Cambridge Audio CXUHD is apparently based on the same digital hardware as the Oppo 203. It appears to handle all the optical formats including DVD-A and SACD. It lacks the Oppo's analogue outputs.

The Sony X800 is also based on the MediaTek platform used by Oppo and Cambridge.

 

[Sal1950]

It's become exceedingly hard to find a reallly quality Betamax machine and damn near as hard for VHS.

 

[Guermantes]

Pioneer have a couple of contenders: UDP-LX500 and UDP-LX800. They seem to be pegged against the OPPO 203 and 205 respectively but without multi-channel analogue outputs, if that's important for you.

https://www.techradar.com/au/reviews/pioneer-udp-lx500-4k-uhd-blu-ray-player
https://www.techradar.com/au/reviews/pioneer-udp-lx800-4k-uhd-blu-ray-player

Based on cost-performance, the Sony X800 is starting to look quite good. Then there is Sony's "audiophile" version, the UBP-X1000ES.

 

[DonH56]

It's become exceedingly hard to find a reallly quality Betamax machine and damn near as hard for VHS.

I'm having a hard time finding an upgrade to my 8-track player, too, since I don't "do" streaming.

I just started getting more into SACDs; sucker for a lost cause... It has so much promise but just doesn't seem to get traction.

 

[LightninBoy]

I was in the same boat last year. I ended up getting the Sony X800. Also considered the Yamaha BD-A1060, but I just don't see the point in buying disk spinners with good (and expensive) analog sections anymore. I just need something that will retrieve the bits and send it to the HT processor.

I like the X800, but wish it had a display with some front panel controls. Otherwise, its fine.

 

[yummy]

a thing called PC

 

[restorer-john]

I'm having a hard time finding an upgrade to my 8-track player, too, since I don't "do" streaming.

I know I'm showing my age, but 8-tracks were the original streamers- I used to see that tape streamed down the highways, along the road edge in the 70s as a young boy. I think the first 8 track cart I picked up was one thrown out of a car window when it chewed up.

Funny, just yesterday, I saw some cassette tape tangled along the road near us- so rare these days.