tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I am using a Denon AVR 5800 (Flagship receiver from about 12 years ago). I love the way this receiver sounds, but it lacks HDMI and network capabilities. Can I use an Oppo 103 or 105 as the center of a system, and still retain the Denon for amplification, phono, etc? I know that it will work, but will it work easily, or am I being "pound foolish"? Here is what I envision: New TV (smart TV) and a projector. Hook the Oppo to my network so that it can access my server. A computer or tablet that can stream to the Oppo to listen to music and watch internet content that the Oppo cannot access (or is clumsy with). The Oppo only has 1 HMDI input. I assume that the new smart TVs have HMDI outputs for both video and sound (or is it just sound?) Is anyone using an Oppo as their center of their system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TasDom Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) I suppose my 105 could be considered the heart of my system. It's set up for the reference gear for HT via HDMI and thru the multi channel RCA outs. For 2 channel it's connected to my PC via optical and the USB DAC input and then in to an external amp via the dedicated stereo outs. There are actually 2 HDMI inputs. One in the back and one in the front. The front is also powered so it will charge a device or in my case it powers a ROKU streaming stick. All the OPPO's outputs are live at all times so there are a host of configurations allowing you to select a source for different preferences. Edited October 23, 2014 by Tasdom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) 105 out to the TV via HDMI and optical to AVR. I use HDMI out to Pre/pro when using that system but also use L&R RCAs out to my NBS preamp for dedicated two channel. I have an externally powered 1TB hard drive connected via USB to the Oppo. Second HDMI out from Oppo to TV so I can see the hard drive files. The wife uses the AVR to listen and I use the two channel. edit: I use the Oppo as the center of the digital world (DVD, CD, ripped lossless, on board apps, etc). It's that and the turntable, sold the CD player, DAC.... Edited October 23, 2014 by USNRET Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) I think that it will work. I just need to sort this all out. I will need to output to a TV and to a projector. Is there any need for the TV to output back to the Oppo? (If it is a smart TV I think that this will be necessary) I assume the 105 is worth the $700 price bump over the 103 Edited October 23, 2014 by tigerwoodKhorns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TasDom Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I assume the 105 is worth the $700 price bump over the 103 For HT AND music.........yes imo For HT only.........no imo For music only.......debatable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Is there any need for the TV to output back to the Oppo? (If it is a smart TV I think that this will be necessary)Look at a comparison of "smart features" between Oppo and TV. I don't use the TV's features but most TVs these days have them onboard. If you happen to want to use the TV thru the AVR I am pretty sure that new TV will have ARC (audio return channel) over HDMI and you should be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) heart of the system NO PROBLEM, when it comes to digital content. analog out to Denon. Edited October 23, 2014 by Schu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhetor Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Or . . . Just a thought . . . The Denon 4520, I have seen a couple of times starting on discounts and closeouts prices . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 I assume the 105 is worth the $700 price bump over the 103 For HT AND music.........yes imo For HT only.........no imo For music only.......debatable Huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Or . . . Just a thought . . . The Denon 4520, I have seen a couple of times starting on discounts and closeouts prices . . . Yea, but is it anywhere as good as the 5800? It also needs to be able to push 5 4-ohm speakers as well as 2 easy to drive rears. I know that the 5800 will drive these speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TasDom Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I assume the 105 is worth the $700 price bump over the 103 For HT AND music.........yes imo For HT only.........no imo For music only.......debatable Huh? It's fantastic for music. I'm just saying that for the price and if budget is an issue, one could get a lesser priced brand with a decent DAC (onboard or external) and save a few bucks. The 105 would suit your 5800 needs better as it has analog features that the 103 does not. https://www.oppodigital.com/KnowledgeBase.aspx?KBID=37&ProdID=BDP-105 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I am using a Denon AVR 5800 (Flagship receiver from about 12 years ago). I love the way this receiver sounds, but it lacks HDMI and network capabilities. The Oppo only has 1 HMDI input. I assume that the new smart TVs have HMDI outputs for both video and sound (or is it just sound?) Look at a comparison of "smart features" between Oppo and TV. I don't use the TV's features but most TVs these days have them onboard. If you happen to want to use the TV thru the AVR I am pretty sure that new TV will have ARC (audio return channel) over HDMI and you should be good. He can't use ARC to his AVR since it doesn't have HDMI. New smart TVs do NOT have HDMI output. They have ARC on one of the HDMI inputs, allowing you to send audio back to an HDMI-ARc capable AVR connected to that input. They have optical output. Do you use a sub with bass management? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I am using a Denon AVR 5800 (Flagship receiver from about 12 years ago). I love the way this receiver sounds, but it lacks HDMI and network capabilities. The Oppo only has 1 HMDI input. I assume that the new smart TVs have HMDI outputs for both video and sound (or is it just sound?) Look at a comparison of "smart features" between Oppo and TV. I don't use the TV's features but most TVs these days have them onboard. If you happen to want to use the TV thru the AVR I am pretty sure that new TV will have ARC (audio return channel) over HDMI and you should be good. He can't use ARC to his AVR since it doesn't have HDMI. New smart TVs do NOT have HDMI output. They have ARC on one of the HDMI inputs, allowing you to send audio back to an HDMI-ARc capable AVR connected to that input. They have optical output. Do you use a sub with bass management? I beg to differ Check page 33 of the 105 manual for ARC use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) Okay, you can route the sound back to the Oppo, not the AVR, my bad. But honestly, you are the one who specified If you happen to want to use the TV thru the AVR I am pretty sure that new TV will have ARC (audio return channel). I didn't make that up. ;-) Still, does he use a subwoofer with speakers set to small? Is he happy with the bass management done by the Oppo and then using analog outputs? Is the AVR doing any digital post-processing such as room correction? Personally, I would buy a separate amp (probably pro with RCA inputs) and take the power factoring out of the AVR equation. Then I would buy the cheapest AVR that has all the features I want including pre-outs. I would plug everything in HDMI to the AVR and HDMI to projector and TV and be done with it. Edited October 23, 2014 by psg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 But honestly, you are the one who specified If you happen to want to use the TV thru the AVR I am pretty sure that new TV will have ARC (audio return channel). I didn't make that up. ;-) You are correct sir what I left out was the thru the Oppo on th eway back to AVR (via optical or whatever). I do this during heavy rains when I get satellite rainfade and switch over to OTA TV reception (but I use HDMI). Bottom line is the -105 is a great machine and very flexible, I don't make use of the "D" option on my 105D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 Okay, you can route the sound back to the Oppo, not the AVR, my bad. But honestly, you are the one who specified If you happen to want to use the TV thru the AVR I am pretty sure that new TV will have ARC (audio return channel). I didn't make that up. ;-) Still, does he use a subwoofer with speakers set to small? Is he happy with the bass management done by the Oppo and then using analog outputs? Is the AVR doing any digital post-processing such as room correction? Personally, I would buy a separate amp (probably pro with RCA inputs) and take the power factoring out of the AVR equation. Then I would buy the cheapest AVR that has all the features I want including pre-outs. I would plug everything in HDMI to the AVR and HDMI to projector and TV and be done with it. I want to avoid multiple amps. The AVR 5800 is worth about $500 right now, but it has very good dacs in it as well as a great amp and preamp (with phono). I don;t think that I can get an amp anywhere near as good as this for the money, in a new receiver or as a separate amp. No room processing going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 So you want to use the DACs of the AVR. In that case don't overspend on a player that is expensive because of DACs. What you want is a unit that will accept multiple digital inputs in various formats and output them via coax or optical to your AVR (so everything except the HD audio codecs), right? If you are using the AVR DACs, even the Oppo 103 is likely overspending. If you used your AVR as just an amplifier, using only the analog input and the volume control, then the 103 or 105 would be interesting used as processors. I assume they have good bass management otherwise there would be no point. I would then route video directly to the projector and TV and bypass the AVR altogether (avoid component conversions). For me, I just find that HDMI is so much simpler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 So you want to use the DACs of the AVR. Not necessairily. The Denon has excellent DACs, but I will have to use optical an d miss some of the high res formats that are only available using HDMI. I realize that the skipping the DACs makes the more expensive players not worth it, so if I buy one I will use its DACs. I just need to decide if keeping the Denon is worht is vs buying a new receiver (and I am guessing that it will be take a very expensive new receiver to drive my speakers and equal the sound that I have right now). The Oppo seems like a good solution to keep using the Denon 5800. I am using a Panasonic BTD500 rigth now (one of the last with 7.1 analog out), but it lacks the versatility of the Oppo as the "center" of the system. And this brings up an interesting point, if you have a new high end receiver, why get a high end Blue Ray? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) So you want to use the DACs of the AVR. In that case don't overspend on a player that is expensive because of DACs. What you want is a unit that will accept multiple digital inputs in various formats and output them via coax or optical to your AVR (so everything except the HD audio codecs), right? If you are using the AVR DACs, even the Oppo 103 is likely overspending. If you used your AVR as just an amplifier, using only the analog input and the volume control, then the 103 or 105 would be interesting used as processors. I assume they have good bass management otherwise there would be no point. I would then route video directly to the projector and TV and bypass the AVR altogether (avoid component conversions). For me, I just find that HDMI is so much simpler. Agreed. The big thing that sets the 105 apart is the superb DAC. If you aint gonna use that, why spend the $$'s. Since your AVR supports component video and SP/DIF, just buy a smartTV that has those for watching stuff from the SmartTV or cable box. Use the 105 analog outs into the analog RCA inputs of the AVR when watching bluray stuff. Connect the HDMI directly from the 105 to the Smart TV. Configure the 105 to send video via HDMI and sound via analog. Does that make sense? Edited October 24, 2014 by mustang guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Honestly, when you read the 105 feature list you get the feeling it is a pre/pro that can play Blurays and other media. Two HDMI inputs, but you'd really only use one permanently since the second plugs in front. USB input; I guess you can use it as your computer's sound card? That would make it a nice combo with a media server. Optical and coax inputs. Two HDMI outputs to feed your TV and projector without a $25 HDMI splitter. If you went that route, I would send analog audio to the AVR and video over HDMI directly to the displays. Your AVR would just be a glorified 7-channel amplifier with volume control. If there something I'm missing that would make this minimalist approach clunky? How is bass management on the Oppo 105? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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