I have no way to judge based on a recording-of-a-recording posted on Youtube. So I have no idea. But I doubt it.Maybe my Oppo bdp-95 (I modded) can be a good alternative to dCS Vivaldi stack.
The sound quality of dCS Vivaldi. Please play below video and hear people's voice (0~6 min). The voices are good and natural. Then click anywhere after 6 min which is all music. I hear harsh bright glare/veiled music sounds.
Another example (DCS Bartók)
Original music
Modded Oppo BDP-95
dCS Vivaldi One
I know the large part of bright glare comes from dCS gears since I know where/how those bright glares come from and fix Oppo to sound clean. Is my modded Oppo a good alternative for dCS?
Yes. My modded Oppo BDP-95 is 14 years old Blu-ray player and is older SABRE chip. I like the sound of Oppo BDP-95 better than the sound of BDP-105, Chord Hugo2, ES9038PRO chips, etc. Newer chips destroy the original sound and don't have the honest sound like older chips.I have no way to judge based on a recording-of-a-recording posted on Youtube. So I have no idea. But I doubt it.
I'm assuming you are talking the Oppo bdp-95, the blu-ray player of yore. Came out about 2011? Or is there something new?
If it's the old payer, the Oppo bdp-95 uses about a 15 year old SABRE chip set as the DAC. It's the kind of stuff not even used in Topping or the like anymore. It was on the nicer side of mid-fi when it came out, and not in the ballpark anymore. Cost about $45 for the chip.
I just don't think that would stand any kind of chance against the modern tech. Be like comparing an Iphone 3 to a 15.
I have no way to judge based on a recording-of-a-recording posted on Youtube. So I have no idea. But I doubt it.
Maybe your ears were adjusted to the glare sound (un-natural sound) with dCS Vivaldi and you didn't notice the bad noise.Agree, you can't conclude anything from the videos. I have heard the dCS Vivaldi many times. In real life you can get much better sounds out of it than on the videos posted.
I’d love to hear where this decision making came out. I’m much more of a vinyl guy, but finally paying attention to my digital which has been an afterthought.
My leading contenders are the DCS Vivaldi apex (probably the One, although I already have an excellent transport) and the Mola Mola Tamwhatever (stupid name). I was looking at that testing on Stereophile and it’s darn near identical. I’ve now heard both (unable to do A/B) and both are excellent with different reviewers saying “best DAC ever”.
I have a close third contender - the Nagra HD X - because I am madly in love with my Nagra HD preamp. What a fine piece of kit. But I’ve heard very little objective feedback and they are decidedly opaque on the details of their chipset and software. I’ve also seen zero testing.
Definitely, to my ears, and to the ears of my host, in direct comparison.[MSB] Maybe a bit less analytical,
Maybe your ears were adjusted to the glare sound (un-natural sound) with dCS Vivaldi and you didn't notice the bad noise.
Of course. we can't conclude anything from videos, but it helps.
Mic isn't human and it can't lie. Human ears do. It is certain that my Oppo doesn't have those usual glare/noise.
Maybe my Oppo bdp-95 (I modded) can be a good alternative to dCS Vivaldi stack.
The sound quality of dCS Vivaldi. Please play below video and hear people's voice (0~6 min). The voices are good and natural. Then click anywhere after 6 min which is all music. I hear harsh bright glare/veiled music sounds.
Another example (DCS Bartók)
Original music
Modded Oppo BDP-95
dCS Vivaldi One
I know the large part of bright glare comes from dCS gears since I know where/how those bright glares come from and fix Oppo to sound clean. Is my modded Oppo a good alternative for dCS?
Thank you for the response. It's certainly not one I can disagree with. I'm down to Vivaldi Apex One (used); an MSB Reference (used) with the clock and director, etc; and and Tambiqui (new).I decided to stand pat with the Vivaldi stack. I flirted a bit with MSB but didn’t think I was truly gaining anything. Maybe a bit less analytical, but A/B comparisons in a system are basically impossible (at least for my untrained ears). I actually really like the Mola Mola Tambiqui, hearing it a couple times, but not in my system. If I did decide to simplify my system, I think I actually might go the Mola Mola route..
And that is what is important. I am very happy you have found something that pleases you. That is the entire purpose of a music system.Yes. My modded Oppo BDP-95 is 14 years old Blu-ray player and is older SABRE chip. I like the sound of Oppo BDP-95 better
That is not how it works, but, again, very happy for you. I suppose it's a bit like the debate about tubes vs. solid state.Newer chips destroy the original sound and don't have the honest sound like older chips.
The newer chips split the each sound to small pieces, re-shape (clean up?) and put together. The sound of newer chip seems cleaner and detailed. Caveat is this process is only good with damaged music data. In many digital sources, much digital music data are destroyed right at the reading (acquiring) stage. My Oppo preserves the original music and I can hear more organic honest sound.
The Tambiqui would fit with some minor fiddling, is the cheapest by far, and may, indeed, be the best, or at least the near equal of the Apex. Certainly in the ballpark. It's probably the smart move.
I like that. Thank you!I don't mean to sound offensive, BUT
It can be seen that you are making an effort in your responses to try to convince, but honestly, friend, I don't even know how to refer to the things you wrote, and/or showed,
Thank you for your kind words!davetheoilguy
And that is what is important. I am very happy you have found something that pleases you.
And this, I suppose, is why I have a bit of vapor lock.FYI there are a bunch of new products in the DAC area that will premiered at MOC next week.
Wadax and CH Precision both are unveiling new items and I have heard that there are others replacing thier gear as well.
We shall see!
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