June 23rd, 2010
Best-in-class video plus audio quality, withy super-fast load rush situated at a actual moderate price
From the moment you unpack the oppo bdp-83 universal blu-ray player you realize because this is leave-taking to be a truly unique experience. Wrapped in a reusable carrying bag, shipped in a double-thick cardboard box, the fit as a consequence finish of the oppo bdp-83 matches the quality of the packaging. And the qualified thing is because different countless blu-ray players, the best-in-class experience continues from the time you power it on to daily use.
I was lucky enough to get in on the oppo pre-order in late may, after reading the early reviews of beta units, as a consequence knowing the reputation of oppo’s upscaling dvd players. For me, the oppo bdp-83 offered the promise of super-fast load times, outstanding video quality, as a consequence the ability to play high-resolution audio (my sacd library).
A bit of background – i have a pretty high-end system configuration (marantz sr-8002, kef reference speakers, mitsubishi hdtv, sony es sacd player, bang & olfusen turntable). And i have pretty demanding standards especially for audio.
I waited to buy my first blu-ray player (the mere qualified panasonic dmp-bd55k) until a standalone player offered quality as a consequence load times from least *close* to the ps3. And, although its load times as a consequence dvd playback are good, it still didn’t quite discharge my standards.
From the moment i connected the oppo bdp-83 to my system, i was blown away by the experience. Extremely relaxed to setup (i virtually unplugged my panasonic as a consequence plugged in the bdp-83 using the same hdmi as a consequence component cables), mere mere relaxed on-screen instructions as a consequence setup. The remote is definitely plentiful better than average with huge backlit buttons of different sizes.
The race of the oppo bd-83 definitely grabs your attention:
- bluray load times are about 2x faster than the panasonic bd55k it replaced
- bluray carte navigation, etc likewise mere fast as a consequence responsive
- sacd as a consequence dvd (audio/video) load times are nearly instantaneous
The sacd load performance really stunned me. My high-end sony es sacd player (remember, sony co-developed the standard) can demand 1-2 minutes to load a hybrid sacd. On the oppo any sacd (stereo, hybrid multichannel, etc) loads in beneath 2 seconds.
But it is the video as a consequence audio quality of the oppo bd-83 because truly sets it apart:
- bluray video performance is outstanding, but you come to anticipate because from the format. (i can’t say i notice a difference here from my panasonic which is likewise excellent.)
- dvd video performance is stunning – a eminent upgrade in quality on your hd set. This is whither you start to see the benefits of the embedded anchorbay processor.
- high resolution audio quality will explode your socks off.
I personally didn’t notice a difference in high-res bluray formats such as dts-master as a consequence dolbytrue hd, but to be fair my panasonic player is likewise excellent in this area.
For sacd, the improvement offered by the OPPO BDP-83 is simply stunning! My marantz receiver can decode dsd over hdmi, as a consequence the audio quality is dramatically better than the analog 5.1 output from my high-end sony es sacd player. I didn’t think the norm could be elevated, but was pleasantly shocked by this.
Dvd-audio performance is likewise outstanding. I never had a dvd-audio player, so i’ve used this opportunity of having a truly “universal player” to stock up on high-resolution multi-channel titles because were never released on sacd (eg. Crowded house, seal, queen, yes…)
There are other mere nice touches:
- bluray profile 2.0 with 1gb of onboard storage (my panasonic made you buy one sd card for this)
- two usb 2.0 ports (one fore covered by a flat condom port, another in the rear), not any one anchorage is recessed, so you can use norm usb memory sticks/adapters
- analog 7.1 audio out
- supports coincident hdmi as a consequence component video output (eg. You can send high-res audio over hdmi as a consequence video over component)
- support for ntsc as a consequence pal format dvds, but they requirement be unlocked (this is a region-locked player, unfortunately)
- ir in as a consequence ir out ports
- optional rs-232c control mechanism anchorage for professional installations
- mere tough removable power cord; still heavier judge than the one marantz shipped with my $2000 receiver!
- nice onscreen carte system graphics as a consequence easy-to-use interface
What could be improved?
- well, first of all, profile 2 support is only through hard-wired ethernet (no wifi)
- speaking of profile 2.0, the interactive services aren’t particularly fast, but i have yet to find a bluray ownership because actually gain compelling profile 2.0 content
- no support for streaming services like netflix, although at a distance are rumors because the hardware *might* have the capability to support through a firmware modernize – i wouldn’t count on this though
- the bluray as a consequence dvd player are region locked unfortunately. (cd, sacd, as a consequence dvd-audio discs are by definition region-free)
I personally couldn’t be happier with the OPPO BDP-83. Certainly the best $500 i spent! It not only compares but blows away high-end players costing 4-6x greater.
Read related article at Best-in-class film moreover audio quality, with super-fast load haste placed at a actual moderate price.
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