Opinion/Advice Sought for Upgrades - Cables or Player Mods

[HedgeHog]

Hi all,

Need some sage advice on which one makes sense or seems like a good option. For about the same $$$, I can pursue two pairs of MIT Shotgun S1.3 speaker cables (bi-amped) or go with the Modwright Oppo BDP-105 modifications. Which upgrade would one think a more noticeable enhancement would be achieved? IOW, if you were pursuing this, which would you go for? So...

1) Modwright Oppo BDP-105 mods
2) MIT Shotgun S1.3 Speaker Cables
3) Neither, get more music
4) Neither, buy more fuses and magic stickers
5) Who let this riff-raff on our boards?

Thx in advance.

BTW, I was told that MIT is raising their prices significantly. In light of their other thread where the Shunyat Zitron lines are less than their previous offering, is this a surprise?

Cheers,
-Hedwig

 

[LL21]

Hi all,

Need some sage advice on which one makes sense or seems like a good option. For about the same $$$, I can pursue two pairs of MIT Shotgun S1.3 speaker cables (bi-amped) or go with the Modwright Oppo BDP-105 modifications. Which upgrade would one think a more noticeable enhancement would be achieved? IOW, if you were pursuing this, which would you go for? So...

1) Modwright Oppo BDP-105 mods
2) MIT Shotgun S1.3 Speaker Cables
3) Neither, get more music
4) Neither, buy more fuses and magic stickers
5) Who let this riff-raff on our boards?

Thx in advance.

BTW, I was told that MIT is raising their prices significantly. In light of their other thread where the Shunyat Zitron lines are less than their previous offering, is this a surprise?

Cheers,
-Hedwig

Hi HH,

My two cents on upgrading and how i approach my own system:

1. How much better is the new one i am contemplating compared with my current?
2. Do i think its level is high enough that it is going to keep me satisfied for a long, long time?
3. If i had the money for the next level up, or to do something else in my system right now...would i do that? Or would i still do this smaller upgrade now because i think its the one to go for?

For some systems and audiophiles, either 1 or 2 above could be long-term keepers. Oppo 105 modd's will undoubtedly be special and its got every format including great inputs.
Cables are (for me) long term keepers...my old TA Ref cables were 13 years old before i finally got around to upgrading them last year and this year.

In general, i like to wait and wait until i can do a massive upgrade with a 2nd hand piece I have been hunting. It took me 5 years to finally go from $60 dvd player (which broke)/Oppo transport to my Zanden transport. I had been tempted by so many people (incl myself) so many times to 'just get an old Esoteric'...the P70 super modd'd, X01SE 2nd hand, Krell KPS25, even Kalista Reference 2nd hand...then reclocked this or that...passed on all of it and happy i did.

And having been fortunate to bring the system to fully evolved status other than possible once-ina blue moon speaker upgrade...i have been focusing more on getting cheap 2nd hand CDs on Amazon while they last. I have elected to go for the best redbook i can and enjoy it...and leave hi-res for when the hardware stabilizes and the software proliferates a bit more (for me).

Happy to keep dialogue running on this if you wish to share further info about system, where you want to go, etc...

 

[zztop7]

Your Ears

Hi Hedwig,
Maybe I am entering a Quagmire, but here are my feelings:
>>>Every reproduction of sound is heard differently by the nature of YOUR ears & Your brain from everyone else.<<<
>>>Now let us make it more complicated by throwing in the fact that every component of your system is blending & working with or against the above.<<<
Therefore, if we are talking about the actual quality components and not BS marketing components, the difference will be actually heard IF [IF, IF, IF,] the cable works to the advantage in your system.
I use a Manley SkipJack to instantly jump between cables. The SkipJack is not perfect for comparison, but it sure is a lot better than most other methods. You can clearly tell the difference between a $10. cable and a $100. cable. $100. vs. $1000. - minimal. It is there, but you have to listen for it. Again: Ears / Brain / System.
I have some extremely expensive speaker cables [many have been sold], and right now I am using cables that I build for under $2. per foot [my ears my brain my system]. Remember that the material cost of commercial cables is actually extremely low.
My suggestion: borrow cables to try / or rent from the Internet company that rents almost every cable.
I am NOT in the audio / visual business - end user only.
Best to you,
zz

 

[HedgeHog]

Thx for the replies, guys! I really appreciate this.

I'm in this "quagmire" simply because I cannot audition neither to determine synergy with my current setup. I know MIT offers a home trial BUT not in Canada. And the sucky part is that one dealer (who offers significant discounts) is telling me pricing have gone up so I have to decide pronto. I wished I had time; then I would have contacted The Cable Company for trial runs. But that's the cable side. The Oppo mod option is definitely not available for audition. I'm know the consensus is that this makes the player a real competition to the big boys. But as mentioned above, long-term keeper would be a big deciding factor. However, players/DACs can't possibly be considered long-term components with all the latest technological advancements, can they? I mean, I have the Oppo BDP-95 and recently just upgraded to the Oppo BDP-105. Now I am considering mods to the 105. What's next? Maybe by next year, there might be a BDP-115?

But current owners - like MarinJim - says this is a really worthwhile upgrade.

On to the cables...these 'should' be considered good long-term investments unless I make a bad choice - which we be a long-term boat anchor. What I hate is getting a set then realizing the next model up is a smarter purchase.

Wish I was more certain of what either of these may result in.

FWIW, I have two setups.

Family Room:
Oppo BDP-150 -> Audioquest Pearl HDMI and White Zombie Audio zeroPointzero XLR -> Classe Audio SSP-800 -> White Zombie Audio zeroPointZero XLR -> Classe Audio CA-5200 + 2 x CA-M400 -> Clear Day Double Shotgun speaker cable -> B&W HTM2D2 (C) + B&W 802D2 (L/R) + B&W CCM-818 (Surround) + JL Audio F113 (Sub)

* the 802D2 are biamped with two channels from the CA-5200 to the mid/tweet and a CA-M400 to the woofer


Living Room
Oppo BDP-95 -> Tara Labs Space & Time RCA -> Pathos Acoustics Classic One Mk III -> either Tara Labs Space & Time speaker cable or diy Mundorf gold/silver 1.5mm wire -> Evolution Acoustics mmMicroOne


I have no set objectives other than to make it sound better.

If I didn't have to decide by tomorrow morning for the cables then I would take my time to see which makes more sense.

Cheers,
Hedwig

 

[treitz3]

I have no set objectives other than to make it sound better.

What's more important than that?

Tom

 

[LL21]

Wish I was more certain of what either of these may result in.

FWIW, I have two setups.

Family Room:
Oppo BDP-150 -> Audioquest Pearl HDMI and White Zombie Audio zeroPointzero XLR -> Classe Audio SSP-800 -> White Zombie Audio zeroPointZero XLR -> Classe Audio CA-5200 + 2 x CA-M400 -> Clear Day Double Shotgun speaker cable -> B&W HTM2D2 (C) + B&W 802D2 (L/R) + B&W CCM-818 (Surround) + JL Audio F113 (Sub)

* the 802D2 are biamped with two channels from the CA-5200 to the mid/tweet and a CA-M400 to the woofer


Living Room
Oppo BDP-95 -> Tara Labs Space & Time RCA -> Pathos Acoustics Classic One Mk III -> either Tara Labs Space & Time speaker cable or diy Mundorf gold/silver 1.5mm wire -> Evolution Acoustics mmMicroOne


I have no set objectives other than to make it sound better.

If I didn't have to decide by tomorrow morning for the cables then I would take my time to see which makes more sense.

Cheers,
Hedwig

Both good set ups...your cables i cannot comment, but i have read good things about them. Also depends on how you like to upgrade...some upgrade frequently. Me, not so much unless a great deal comes my way that is in my long-term plan anyway. Digital does move quickly...having heard modd'd Oppo 83 and stock 95, i do think the mods can be tremendous upgrades and produce long-term 'keepers'. The base archiecture of 105 i am told is probably even better than 95 long-term. i have not studied. I just know how good these can sound when modd'd. Inclined to lean that way...

 

[flez007]

If spending is inevitable - Why not start with the closest upgrade from the source?, in this case, the Oppo mods. Don't blame me...it is what guys from Linn or Naim, for example, recommend to their customers. Sounds wise at least for me.