Oppo BDP-205 should I keep? Best steaming svcs and methods

[Terry Stahly]

I am going to keep my Oppo although tempted so sell and get a Panasonic for the prices they sell for. But supposedly they are worth it but how can an older machine be up to snuff with all the new formats?

On a second note, since we have become addicted to Apple TV and watching Netflix, Prime and Apple TV which provides the best picture and best surround sound. I am adding four Revel C783's in the ceiling to try atoms as other formats with two Krell S300i's they are only $1,100 on ebay now and pack a wallop and these speakers are rated for 150 watts ea.

My system is credible 3 monster Krell's 700cx 450mcx & FPB 300 using Revel 328be's 426be and F206 surrounds with a pair of Martin Logan Balancedforce 212's and two Lumin streamers a T2 & T3 with Marantz AV8805 and my Oppo.

I really know nothing about the surround sound on streaming and could use some advice. Thanks

 

[MLaranjeiras]

I am going to keep my Oppo although tempted so sell and get a Panasonic for the prices they sell for. But supposedly they are worth it but how can an older machine be up to snuff with all the new formats?

On a second note, since we have become addicted to Apple TV and watching Netflix, Prime and Apple TV which provides the best picture and best surround sound. I am adding four Revel C783's in the ceiling to try atoms as other formats with two Krell S300i's they are only $1,100 on ebay now and pack a wallop and these speakers are rated for 150 watts ea.

My system is credible 3 monster Krell's 700cx 450mcx & FPB 300 using Revel 328be's 426be and F206 surrounds with a pair of Martin Logan Balancedforce 212's and two Lumin streamers a T2 & T3 with Marantz AV8805 and my Oppo.

I really know nothing about the surround sound on streaming and could use some advice. Thanks

There is no Oppo BDP-205. There are Oppo BDP 105, which I have and love and the Oppo UDP 205, that I wish. If you have last one, If I was you, I´d keep it both for stereo music and streaming (you can even use its HDMI to install your Apple TV and take advantage of its video processing). A great machine.
Do you really have five amplifiers on only one set?

2 Krell S300i
1 Krell 700cx
1 Krell 450mcx
1 Krell FPB 300

You can plug Oppo´s XLR dedicated stereo out right on the Krell 700cx to reduce one step on the music way (Marantz pre)

For surround sound you can use the 7.1 discrete audio out available on the Oppo and plug them the B speakers inputs of your Krell 700cx and on the other amplifiers, creating a 5.1 set. This scenario turns the Marantz pre unnecessary. Just one option, of course.

 

[Terry Stahly]

There is no Oppo BDP-205. There are Oppo BDP 105, which I have and love and the Oppo UDP 205, that I wish. If you have last one, If I was you, I´d keep it both for stereo music and streaming (you can even use its HDMI to install your Apple TV and take advantage of its video processing). A great machine.
Do you really have five amplifiers on only one set?

2 Krell S300i
1 Krell 700cx
1 Krell 450mcx
1 Krell FPB 300

You can plug Oppo´s XLR dedicated stereo out right on the Krell 700cx to reduce one step on the music way (Marantz pre)

For surround sound you can use the 7.1 discrete audio out available on the Oppo and plug them the B speakers inputs of your Krell 700cx and on the other amplifiers, creating a 5.1 set. This scenario turns the Marantz pre unnecessary. Just one option, of course.

It is the UDP 205 I would sure like to know how to install my Apple TV so it can take advantage of the video processing I have the latest one gen 4 or 5 Apple TV.

The three Krells are for L C R rear surrounds and I will use two Krell KAV-150's for my two pair of Revel C783 in ceiling speakers I just got. The Krell S300i is a separate system for my Lumin T2 which I use Tidal Connect to Lumin to Krell S300i to Revel Performabe 126be speakers I have on my patio. I am going to have a clear waterproof finish applied per Revel so the paint does not weather but they are under an awning out of the rain.

But I am most interested in what the Oppo will due for my Apple TV as we watch almost everything via the Apple TV Netflix, Apple TV, Prime, Hulu, Youtube, Fox Nation etc. What benefits I will have and then what remote I will have to use the apple or Oppo?

 

[Chrispy]

At the prices they go for used these days, I can understand the temptation, I can do well if I sell my 203 but would just rather keep it as there's not a lot of alternatives at this point that are as capable nor any "new" features I particularly need. Good luck!

 

[JSmith]

my 203

I've still got an Oppo BDP-83... although the reader/laser needs to be replaced unfortunately. I'll have to get the ol' bird fired up again one day.


JSmith

 

[MLaranjeiras]

It is the UDP 205 I would sure like to know how to install my Apple TV so it can take advantage of the video processing I have the latest one gen 4 or 5 Apple TV.

The three Krells are for L C R rear surrounds and I will use two Krell KAV-150's for my two pair of Revel C783 in ceiling speakers I just got. The Krell S300i is a separate system for my Lumin T2 which I use Tidal Connect to Lumin to Krell S300i to Revel Performabe 126be speakers I have on my patio. I am going to have a clear waterproof finish applied per Revel so the paint does not weather but they are under an awning out of the rain.

But I am most interested in what the Oppo will due for my Apple TV as we watch almost everything via the Apple TV Netflix, Apple TV, Prime, Hulu, Youtube, Fox Nation etc. What benefits I will have and then what remote I will have to use the apple or Oppo?

See the attached image. I suggest you to attach your Appletv on the Oppo, test and and check the pros and cons.

 

[GXAlan]

I would sell and get a Marantz AV 10 instead.

1) The UBP205 is great but you can get standalone DACs with better performance. For physical SACDs, the noise shaping at DSD64 means that even the UB9000 will be transparent.

2) HDMI CEC and ARC are game changers for convenience. The Marantz line is very good at compatibility and you then can use your regular TV remote to control your BD player, AppleTV, etc.

3) AV10 has SINAD of 106. Lower but you get room correction and the benefit of matching your usability with your equipment

4) Once you add Atmos, the analog outs of the Oppo stop being the flagship.

 

[delta76]

Selling a discontinued product with no warranty left and probably poor serviceability, making a profit and can buy new replacement with no loss in features? Count me in!

Oppo 203 is great but I would have no problem departing it with a tidy sum. But I understand the sentiment of attaching to a relic

 

[Terry Stahly]

I would sell and get a Marantz AV 10 instead.

1) The UBP205 is great but you can get standalone DACs with better performance. For physical SACDs, the noise shaping at DSD64 means that even the UB9000 will be transparent.

2) HDMI CEC and ARC are game changers for convenience. The Marantz line is very good at compatibility and you then can use your regular TV remote to control your BD player, AppleTV, etc.

3) AV10 has SINAD of 106. Lower but you get room correction and the benefit of matching your usability with your equipment

4) Once you add Atmos, the analog outs of the Oppo stop being the flagship.

So are you saying the video and sound would be as good as the OPPO UDP-205 or even better. Can briefly explain please. Also can I run the Apple TV through it since 95% of what we watch is one of the apps on Apple TV or Apple TV itself. I am very interested in answers to all of these if anyone knows. Thanks

 

[GXAlan]

So are you saying the video and sound would be as good as the OPPO UDP-205 or even better. Can briefly explain please. Also can I run the Apple TV through it since 95% of what we watch is one of the apps on Apple TV or Apple TV itself. I am very interested in answers to all of these if anyone knows. Thanks

Your AppleTV should have proper HDMI CEC with your AV8805 already. With native 4K content your TV is doing the video processing. So you should be able to use your TV remote to control the ATV already if you had the ATV connected directly to the AV8805.

The problem is that the AV8805 is >90-ish dB SINAD while the Oppo hits >110 dB SINAD. While it may be hard to hear the difference in all content, it’s very possible that you can hear subtle differences with real world content.

That is actually a good trial to start. See if the usability of the ATV through your AV8805 with all HDMI CEC features enabled.

The problem is that you MIGHT not like the sound of the AV8805 as compared to running the same ATV through the Oppo.

The AV10 according to manufacturer data is 106 dB SINAD. This means for 1 kHz test tones, it’s much closer to the Oppo BUT it will have room correction and more channels.

To get the most out of the AV10, you should add front height speakers if you don’t already have Atmos. The Krell Showcase era multichannel amps are great options for an all-Krell setup.

You may find that the HEOS ergonomics are good enough to downsize the Lumin.

You will lose SACD/DVDA playback

A midrange Panasonic UHD player will have better video than the Oppo for UHD BD.

 

[MacCali]

I am going to keep my Oppo although tempted so sell and get a Panasonic for the prices they sell for. But supposedly they are worth it but how can an older machine be up to snuff with all the new formats?

On a second note, since we have become addicted to Apple TV and watching Netflix, Prime and Apple TV which provides the best picture and best surround sound. I am adding four Revel C783's in the ceiling to try atoms as other formats with two Krell S300i's they are only $1,100 on ebay now and pack a wallop and these speakers are rated for 150 watts ea.

My system is credible 3 monster Krell's 700cx 450mcx & FPB 300 using Revel 328be's 426be and F206 surrounds with a pair of Martin Logan Balancedforce 212's and two Lumin streamers a T2 & T3 with Marantz AV8805 and my Oppo.

I really know nothing about the surround sound on streaming and could use some advice. Thanks

I used to stream everything since I didn’t have a bdp. After getting a BDP I will never go back to streaming unless the title is unavailable.

I have yet to try regular blu ray discs, but I am certain there the audio quality is not taxed or anywhere near streaming.

I think you do not realize what you have, but on my end it may have merely been my AVR. I still haven’t streamed with my new processor, so I am not sure if that will be the same dramatic difference between stream vs hard copy.

In addition my TV does not have eARC not sure if that’s another factor, it also may have eARC I am not 100% sure

I recall previously telling people that using HEOS on my AVR had a night and day difference in sound, via AirPlay. Now I realize it wasn’t HEOS, it was the extreme poor quality of the stream which made the night and day difference in audio.

 

[Terry Stahly]

Your AppleTV should have proper HDMI CEC with your AV8805 already. With native 4K content your TV is doing the video processing. So you should be able to use your TV remote to control the ATV already if you had the ATV connected directly to the AV8805.

The problem is that the AV8805 is >90-ish dB SINAD while the Oppo hits >110 dB SINAD. While it may be hard to hear the difference in all content, it’s very possible that you can hear subtle differences with real world content.

That is actually a good trial to start. See if the usability of the ATV through your AV8805 with all HDMI CEC features enabled.

The problem is that you MIGHT not like the sound of the AV8805 as compared to running the same ATV through the Oppo.

The AV10 according to manufacturer data is 106 dB SINAD. This means for 1 kHz test tones, it’s much closer to the Oppo BUT it will have room correction and more channels.

To get the most out of the AV10, you should add front height speakers if you don’t already have Atmos. The Krell Showcase era multichannel amps are great options for an all-Krell setup.

You may find that the HEOS ergonomics are good enough to downsize the Lumin.

You will lose SACD/DVDA playback

A midrange Panasonic UHD player will have better video than the Oppo for UHD BD.

I am running the Apple TV through the my AV8805 via the blu ray HDMI port and out of the AV8805 from the Monitor out ARC to the Sony 85". How should I be routing this stuff and what you are saying I believe is yes the AV10 will improve video, sound especially surround formats or both? Will it be so close to the OPPO that it does not matter while giving me other benefits I presume this to be the case. But what other benefits I do not listing to CD's of SACD's Apple, just TV or Lumin for two channel. Not sure what you mean downsize the Lumin I just ordered the T3 and will be using my T2 strictly for my outdoor speakers on my patio with a Krell S300i. Thank you

 

[GXAlan]

I used to stream everything since I didn’t have a bdp. After getting a BDP I will never go back to streaming unless the title is unavailable.

I have yet to try regular blu ray discs, but I am certain there the audio quality is not taxed or anywhere near streaming.

I think you do not realize what you have, but on my end it may have merely been my AVR. I still haven’t streamed with my new processor, so I am not sure if that will be the same dramatic difference between stream vs hard copy.

In addition my TV does not have eARC not sure if that’s another factor, it also may have eARC I am not 100% sure

I recall previously telling people that using HEOS on my AVR had a night and day difference in sound, via AirPlay. Now I realize it wasn’t HEOS, it was the extreme poor quality of the stream which made the night and day difference in audio.

+1

Most streaming services apply dynamic range compression to the mix, even if it is Atmos. This is where physical media is still superior.

Likewise, streaming 4K has lower bitrates. The animated version of The Grinch was done in 2K but on streaming, the characters look Pixar animated while on UHD BluRay, you can tell they are supposed to have fuzz.

eARC is largely useful for PS5/Xbox since you can run the console to the TV and then have the audio passed onto the AVR in uncompressed 7.1. You MIGHT benefit from the mixing that doesn’t require a re encode.

Plain ARC is fine for Netflix/HBO Max, etc. depending on your TV, Disney+ may artificially ignore Atmos flags. When you run a Shield or AppleTV through the AVR/AVP, you don’t need eARC.

ARC and HDMI CEC are separate but overlapping. CEC is what does auto input switching and synchronizes remote controls. This is subject to compatibility between vendors and products.

 

[GXAlan]

@Terry Stahly
Do you have HDMI control turned on on the AV8805?

https://manuals.marantz.com/av8805/na/en/GFNFSYkabkahie.php

And HDMI CEC turned on your ATV
Apple TV: Settings﹥Remotes and Devices﹥Control TVs and Receivers﹥On

And then the feature turned on your TV?
“Bravia sync, SimpLink, Anynet, etc”

 

[Chrise36]

I am going to keep my Oppo although tempted so sell and get a Panasonic for the prices they sell for. But supposedly they are worth it but how can an older machine be up to snuff with all the new formats?

On a second note, since we have become addicted to Apple TV and watching Netflix, Prime and Apple TV which provides the best picture and best surround sound. I am adding four Revel C783's in the ceiling to try atoms as other formats with two Krell S300i's they are only $1,100 on ebay now and pack a wallop and these speakers are rated for 150 watts ea.

My system is credible 3 monster Krell's 700cx 450mcx & FPB 300 using Revel 328be's 426be and F206 surrounds with a pair of Martin Logan Balancedforce 212's and two Lumin streamers a T2 & T3 with Marantz AV8805 and my Oppo.

I really know nothing about the surround sound on streaming and could use some advice. Thanks

If streaming is your goal there is no point keeping the Oppo as the sound and video are both lossy in streaming platforms. If you had Bluray there is a point keeping it utilising its high SINAD with high SINAD amps. I would sell it and buy a midrange Panasonic and an Oppo clone if you need the same usability or a good measuring Denon avr. Or use the Panasonic for video and the Oppo for audio.

 

[MLaranjeiras]

I would sell and get a Marantz AV 10 instead.

1) The UBP205 is great but you can get standalone DACs with better performance. For physical SACDs, the noise shaping at DSD64 means that even the UB9000 will be transparent.

2) HDMI CEC and ARC are game changers for convenience. The Marantz line is very good at compatibility and you then can use your regular TV remote to control your BD player, AppleTV, etc.

3) AV10 has SINAD of 106. Lower but you get room correction and the benefit of matching your usability with your equipment

4) Once you add Atmos, the analog outs of the Oppo stop being the flagship.

OPPO UDP205 comes with two ESS ES9038PRO flagship dac chips, supports MQA and has a top notch building. If we only see it as an preamp (that it really is), I am not sure that will be easy to find a good improvment without spending 5 or 6 grants. Sometimes for 10% of quality increasing. After that, add streaming, 4k BD player and SACD player. Hard to beat.