Oppo BDP-83SE Special Edition Universal Blu-ray Player (The Perfect Vision 86)
This One’s For Serious Audiophiles
February 17th, 2010 -- by Chris MartensSource: The Perfect Vision
Important note: Buyers who plan on using digital connections only between their players and home theater or music systems would, for obvious reasons, be better served by purchasing Oppo’s standard BDP-83. The Special Edition version is geared specifically for those who want to use either stereo or multi-channel analog audio connections.
Ratings (relative to comparably priced Blu-ray/universal players)
- Video Quality DVD: 10
- Video Quality Blu-ray: 10
- Audio Quality: 10
- Features: 9
- User Interface: 9
- Value: 10
FEATURES:
Media Formats:
- Blu-ray Disc with BonusVIEW and BD Live support (includes 1GB of onboard memory).
- DVD-Video/Video.
- DVD-Audio.
- SACD.
- CD.
- HDCD.
- Kodak Picture CD
- AVCHD, MKV and other file formats from discs or USB drives.
Video Features:
- Anchor Bay Video Reference Series video processing technology.
- Scaling options: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and up to 1080p at 50Hz or 60z.
- 24p video options: for users with 24p-compatible displays.
- Source Direct mode outputs audio and video content as read, with no processing of any kind (intended for use with external video processors/scalers).
- Multiple Zoom modes: provides “multiple levels of aspect ratio control and image zooming, including a vertical stretch mode for customers with a 2.35:1 CIH (Constant Image Height) display system.”
- HDMI v1.3 digital video and audio outputs with 30-bit and 36-bit Deep Color support.
Audio Features:
- Improved power supply board.
- Improved audio circuit board with ESS Sabre Premier (ES9006) 8-channel DAC feeding the player’s 7.1-channel analog outputs.
- Improved audio circuit board with ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC (ES9016) feeding the player’s 2-channel outputs. Specifically, Oppo adds that, “the dedicated stereo output uses another 8-channel Sabre32 Ultra DAC chip by stacking 4 DACs for each of the Left and Right channels to achieve even greater audio performance.”
- Onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD with analog and bitstream outputs and (optional) conversion to LPCM.
- Onboard decoding for DTS-HD Master Audio with analog and bitstream outputs.
- SACD digital audio output either as DSD bitstream or in LPCM format.
- 7.1/5.1-channel analog audio outputs.
- Dedicated stereo outputs.
- Coaxial and optical digital audio outputs.
Other:
- Two USB 2.0 ports (one front, one rear).
- NTSC/PAL conversion (subject to DVD and BD region restrictions).
- Provides IR In/Out ports.
- HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) compatible.
- Universal voltage power supply.
- Back-lit remote control.
- Accessories include 6-foot HDMI cable and copies of the Spears & Munsil High Definition Benchmark Blu-ray Edition disk and of the excellent AIX Records Audio Calibration Disc/HD Music Sampler.
- (Optional) IR External Sensor Kit ($20).
- (Optional) Wireless Bridge Kit ($79).
USER INTERFACE
The BDP-83SE has a highly intuitive user interface that, on first-time start-up, presents an Easy Setup Wizard to walk users through basic setup procedures (though experienced users can bypass the wizard if they wish, to access a more advanced menu).
Once basic setup is complete, or whenever you press the Setup button on the Oppo remote, a menu opens up with seven clearly labeled options: Playback Setup, Video Setup, Audio Format Setup, Audio Processing, Device Setup, Network Setup, and Exit.
Following standard Oppo practice, menu options are extensive and, importantly, allow you to make on-the-fly adjustments so that you can see and hear what effect your choices have on sound and/or picture quality. I applaud this approach and offer the comment that I wish all universal players allowed real-time, on-the-fly adjustments.
After setup is complete, the Oppo will, on power up, take you to an all-new user interface screen that offers six options: Music, Photo, Movie, BluTV, My Network, and Setup. The BluTV option is of particular interest, as it provides a combination of Games and Internet Widgets (weather, clock, unit conversion tool, and biorhythm calculator), plus a Channel option that’s reserved for future use. While Oppo’s online content options are pretty minimal at this stage, the new interface obviously points the way toward a future when additional content options should become available.
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Comments
I don't post much anymore because I don't have the time, but I'll make an exception here because the subject is of such fundamental importance.
Will looping an huge RF/EMI emitter through your receiver or A/V controller and then on to the display degrade the 120db range sound quality? Are electrical loops formed? What if the HDMI audio was disabled and the HDMI video was send directly to the display?
Here the Oppo 83SE's analog outputs can be feed to the pre-amp using the mult-channel/analog outputs.
Any test comparing the sound quality should be done with your system optimally configured. DO NOT COMPARE Blu-ray (or SPD/IF) ANALOG SOUND WITH HDMI STILL RUNNING THROUGH THE RECEIVER.
My formerly obsolete Krell controller never sounded so good when mated with the Oppo 83SE. Further 1.5Mb DTS sounds better than HDMI "hi-rez" audio. No doubt HDMI will improve, but it is very difficult to even ground 3GHz signals.
And to think that so many high end companies have copied this player or the base oppo. Lexicon ,theta, ayre, and they all charge snake oil prices.
Had the Oppo -83SE Edition in house for 18 days on trial..........Ummmmm Audiophile???? -Not Quite..-----
by a long shot. My Quad CDP-2 crushed the Oppo for over all presentation. Using the ATC SAI 150 and the
ATC 40s speakers. Nordost Vishnu on the CDP and Nordost Brahma on the SAI 150. Cardas Golden Reference ICs. The Oppo is shall I say, high strung. The Quad CPD-2 had greater texture, depth and tonal balance.
The " Blue Ray " playback had a cartoon-like quality which is basically UNnatural. Just one opinion. The Oppo
was returned.
You most likely had a defective unit, and/or your system (video) is not calibrated, and/or you didn't use the HDMI interface, and/or used bad HDMI cable (inferior HDMI cables can impart a cartoonish character). Upon comparing the Oppo with the $6,000 Denon Player I found it identical in video quality on an ISF Calibrated DarkChip 3 projector and only slightly less textured in an audio system very similar to yours. The Oppo at its asking price has no equal. Recalibrate your video setup.
I enjoyed your review. Question: I purchased the original Oppo 970HD as my digitial source for my living room. I run it through my MSB upsampling DAC and then to my integrated amp. If I purchased the BDP-83SE, is it no longer necessary to use the MSB upsampler in view of the superior DAC and playback characterisitcs of that unit? Thanks
I have the original 83. I just love it and use it with my front projection system. I wondered if the original could be upgraded and if so, at what cost? And I think OPPO could do us all a great favor if they put out a kit that handy guys (like me) could use to ugrade it.
This higher end equipment is a whole new world for me so you'll have to excuse any lack of knowledge I show here. Anyway, here is the question regarding the se version of oppo bdp-83:
Could one have the best of both worlds? Have analog connections for music (2.0) with no avr interps and just pass thru for music and have HDMI hooked up at the same time for movies (5.1) with the normal dolby settings in the avr for that? I could then program my harmony remote to do it's stuff according to what I'm using the oppo and avr for. I'm just in the process of building my first lowest of the low "high-end" system and I'm super stoked with everything Having a great time!!. So far a Samsung un8500 for video portion and am just ordering the paradigm studio 60's for fronts w/ cc490 center and studio 20's for rear. I own a pioneer vsx model for avr. I do 50/50 music/movies. I know it would be a mess of wires to have hdmi and analog hooked up simultaneously, but I have a closed cabinet with glass doors for devices to where none of that mess would be showing.
Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks everyone,
Jeff
The reviewer speaks of using the unit as a digital transport with a Decco Nova. This makes little sense.
The SE variant is specifically designed for analog audio out, not to be used as a transport. That is a waste of money as it is identical to the BDP-83 for those purposes.
From a circuitry point of view, the Nova uses the Sabre32 ES 9006 for conversion whereas the BDP-83SE uses the Sabre32 ES 9016. What's the difference you say? The 9006 is a less expensive and slightly older chip. It is designed for 8 channel sound although it has a 2 channel mode which is what the Nova uses (the Nova only converts to stereo). The 9016 is DESIGNED for higher quality stereo output. Plus, unless I'm mistaken, you can't output SACD or DVD Audio over the digital out to the Nova, so you're going to lose those. Assuming the analog circuitry after the DAC is comparable (and it should be given that this is what the SE is being sold for!), you will have better conversion in the BDP-83E rather than in the Nova.
I have both the Peachtree Nova (which I use as a DAC and preamp) and the Oppo BDP-83SE.
My own listening tests confirmed this, although the difference was nothing huge. This would suggest that if you have a lower end speakers and don't care to listen to higher resolution audio content you might be better off with a BDP-83 (now discontinued) and a Nova.
I have put in a better set of speakers since then so perhaps I'd hear a greater difference but alas am too busy to go out and confirm this.
About 3 years ago I rediscovered how nice it is to watch a good movie with 2 speakers instead of surround. My system is now comprised of a Marantz HD Projector, 180" fixed screen, 2 Magnepan 1.7Qr, Marantz 2 channel tube amp (MA2275) and this new Oppo BDP-83SE DVD player.
Watching a movie on this system results in a wonderful experience.... Awesome Video (size and clarity), Wonderful Dialog, Good Ambiance and no distracting fake surround effects or silly bass. If you are tired of watching your movie on a 50" plasma and blasting your ears with low quality surround, please try a 2 channel system. By not having a center speaker you are making the entire setup easier and allows for a larger screen. No longer will you find yourself adjusting and worrying about the sound, you will just watch the movie, understand what was said, and enjoy yourself.
Concert videos are just awesome.
As for this Oppo player... I had bought an expensive Marantz blue-ray player and returned it because it was very slow and in the end it stopped reading discs. They sent a replacement that was equally slow, so I returned that one and waited for this Oppo. I think that the video from this system is better than the Marantz, and the sound is very, very good to me.
Am I missing something? No internet streaming or even internet connectivity? No 3D? At this price?
OK, so you have a great DAC, but so what?
Can't see this competing with a $220 Panasonic with all these features, including 7.1 and a wide range of playable formats.
Everybody has different wants and needs. OPPO made this upgraded player for those who wanted better 2 channel analog outputs. 3D and internet connectivity are new fads that many want, but I, for one, would pay extra to NOT have those "features" on a DVD player.
I have an OPPO BDP 83 which I bought before the SE came out. I use it as a transport only connected by HDMI to my SONY 5200 receiver.
Although I am very happy with the sound I get from SACD /DVD-A and also red book CDs (with their limitations) I wonder if a BDP-83SE would make a significant improvement.
Please share your experiences with me
Wimp
I was wondering the same thing; however my straight 83 seems to sound real good as is. I run it with Emotiva products.
jtmj
jtmj
Does anyone know how long the break-in time on this unit is? Also, according to Oppo, one does not need to use the menu to just play music thru the rca outputs. That was NOT my experience. I had to hook it up to a tv set first. No sound came out when I plugged it directly into an amp and used the volume controls. Would it sound better coming out the multichannel outputs?? A bit confused by Oppo's customer service rep's response.