EVS Oppo BDP-105 Mods, Ground Enhancers, Black Discus & Mounting Tweaks

[Barry2013]

Hi Tom,

Will be replacing my Cary 306 SACD in the near future.

Was thinking about the Esoteric K01, the Playback Design MP5, or the Dcs Puccini with clock.

How would you compare the above three units with a fully modded DVS 105?

Assuming it's close, $3K or so seems like a real steal?

Also, do you have a contact information for DVS?

Best.

I found an earlier Esoteric X03 SE too clinical and unable to render any emotion or communication. Can't really comment on the MP5, but can highly recommend th DCS Puccini/UClock pairing. Lovely sound more reminiscent of analogue than digitalwell built. good looks.

[tmallin]

Question - have you tried the Oppo without the Black Discus in position? I know several people who tried his sample products in various places in the rig, and everyone had almost the same feedback: while it offered a slightly blacker background, the dynamics and soundstage became much more restricted. I had the same experience, but I will admit to not having put them on top of capacitors.

Of course I tried the unit with and without the Black Discus. Positioning is critical and it is easy for the Black Discus to slip out of position. I use tiny bits of Blutac between the Discus and the top edges of the caps to seat the Discus precisely above the DAC chip on the quad of caps which surround it. It does not touch the DAC chip, just the caps, maybe, although the Blutac is what the Black Discus really contacts. The rough side of the Black Discus should be up. In this application, and so positioned, I hear no downsides at all of using the Black Discus. In fact, the spatial presentation of the player sounds "broken" without it--only by comparison of course. Tonality is at least as good, as are dynamics. Clarity is considerably enhanced, backgrounds are blacker, and every aspect of the spatial presentation is improved.

The player set up is critical. You probably won't hear what I hear here if you don't take the type of care I do with the physical set up. Would that it were not so, but this is consistent with what I've heard from optical disc players from the beginning of the digital age.

[DSkip]

Of course I tried the unit with and without the Black Discus. Positioning is critical and it is easy for the Black Discus to slip out of position. I use tiny bits of Blutac between the Discus and the top edges of the caps to seat the Discus precisely above the DAC chip on the quad of caps which surround it. It does not touch the DAC chip, just the caps, maybe, although the Blutac is what the Black Discus really contacts. The rough side of the Black Discus should be up. In this application, and so positioned, I hear no downsides at all of using the Black Discus. In fact, the spatial presentation of the player sounds "broken" without it--only by comparison of course. Tonality is at least as good, as are dynamics. Clarity is considerably enhanced, backgrounds are blacker, and every aspect of the spatial presentation is improved.

The player set up is critical. You probably won't hear what I hear here if you don't take the type of care I do with the physical set up. Would that it were not so, but this is consistent with what I've heard from optical disc players from the beginning of the digital age.

I might give them some more trials then. Was that the only position you tried it in? I'm just trying to gain a perspective on what I experienced vs. what you experienced, as the results were as different as the applications. My applications were focused on the cables (all variants) and a handful of locations on my monoblocks.

[rbbert]

In my opinion, the most cost effective way to get SOTA SACD/DSD playback, is to get a modded Oppo with DSD digital output board (Vanity103HD from audiopriase) and use is as a digital transport into a DSD capable DAC.

Still not up on their website, though; I wonder why not? Is it truly a finished product?

It does seem likely that modifying an Oppo will give you the most cost-effective improvement in disc playback, but I doubt it would be competitive with carefully designed and built units costing 2-3x more. JMO, though.

[edorr]

Still not up on their website, though; I wonder why not? Is it truly a finished product?

It does seem likely that modifying an Oppo will give you the most cost-effective improvement in disc playback, but I doubt it would be competitive with carefully designed and built units costing 2-3x more. JMO, though.

The reason it it more cost effective is transforming the Oppo into a digital DSD capable transport allows you to leverage downstream hardware (DAC) many already own. The carefully designed 2x3 times the price modded Oppo is used in a different application, i.e. integrated player. I'd rather have a very good DAC, allowing me to use multiple digital sources. If the Oppo is your only digital source, and you don't own a DAC this advantages don't apply of course.

[rbbert]

The Oppo is also a DAC, like most disc players these days. But do you know why that DSD-out board isn't on their website yet?

[edorr]

The Oppo is also a DAC, like most disc players these days. But do you know why that DSD-out board isn't on their website yet?

Not a clue. I own to Vanity Digital boards, but not the most current DSD capable 103HD version. I know they are shipping them.

[CKKeung]

In my opinion, the most cost effective way to get SOTA SACD/DSD playback, is to get a modded Oppo with DSD digital output board (Vanity103HD from audiopriase) and use is as a digital transport into a DSD capable DAC.

I agree.
I auditioned such a Vanity board-Oppo103D last week. It played SACD flawlessly with the MSB IV signature dac and a Rockna Wavedream dac.

However, the switching psu of 103/103D is the limiting factor of its sonic performance.
There are several linear psu-mods in the market.
The OPPOMOD is quite popular in Hong Kong because of the reasonable prices. http://www.oppomod.com/

Ben Lau of Volent is developing an external linear psu for 103D which is said to be more sophisticated and with better performance.
It should be available for audition next week. I will post some photos and the audition report here.

[bonzo75]

Hi, so with these oppo mods, I can play SACDs without downsampling through a DSD capable dac?

[CKKeung]

Hi, so with these oppo mods, I can play SACDs without downsampling through a DSD capable dac?

Yes, this Vanity add-on card can output PCM signal when playing CD or Pure Audio BluRay discs.
When playing SACDs, it outputs DSD signal in DoP format.

There are many DSD-capable DACs that can accept and decode DSD signal received from their spdif digital input (coaxial, bnc or AES).
Examples are MSB, Invicta, Benchmark DAC2, Mytek ... etc.