How do you check your channel assignment?

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Last time I checked the Oppos only went up in price after being discontinued, even the used ones and there is not many of them for sale where I live.
How is the sound quality from the analog outs on the Oppo?

Used Oppos are commonly for sale on the used market in North America. I didn't know they are rarer in Europe. I followed used 103 pricing for a while when I was looking for an SACD ripper (eventually settled on a new Pioneer). They did seem to hold their value well, but they could be had for significantly less than new cost. I have an old 83-SE that I seldom use anymore (all my music playback is via rips now). The cost for that model on the used market or even the next 93/95 series Oppo is considerably less. It would do all your Marantz can do now plus added HDMI capabilities and blue ray (does your Marantz play BR now?). Lots of new releases on BR now.

The sound quality of the analog section is one of the big plusses with all the Oppos, that along with the utility of offering DAC processing from external sources. Upgraded DACs are in the xx5 models. So if that's important to you look for 95, 105s or 205s, which are significantly more expensive. Its not clear to me though if the upgrade in DAC quality is as large with the MC performance as it is with Stereo performance. There may be differences in the stereo vs MC DAC specs in Oppo units, There certainly is with the stereo DACs in my 83SE being more high performance.
 
Last time I checked the Oppos only went up in price after being discontinued, even the used ones and there is not many of them for sale where I live.
How is the sound quality from the analog outs on the Oppo?
Sorry, donā€™t know your market for Oppos in your area. Over here in the USA, the 103 currently sells on eBay for around $450 on average.
The sound quality is very good out of the Oppo. And actually I canā€™t speak directly about a 103; however plenty of folks here love theirs, I have a 205 (and am thinking of purchasing a 103 as a backup because they can also rip SACDs.) So if that concerns you (understandably), hopefully some folks here can chime in and give a direct opinion. I only run my audio analog from my Oppo and it sounds great to me. Also, to be perfectly straight with you; I believe the Denon had better (robust) bass than my Oppo; which I corrected with manual adjustment of my sub. Depending on your speakers that is something else to look into. I have bookshelf Martin Logan fronts; so with larger speakers that may not be as much of an issue. Iā€™m sure it would be a good idea to take your time and research your options carefully. Personally, Iā€™ve been looking at Turntables for over a year, and am only now ready to pull the trigger on one. Iā€™m also one of those guys that after setting up a dedicated Quad system; feels that center channels can muddle up the front sound field depending on the source material.
 
I wonder if there are DVD-Vs with 5.0 or 4.0 on them (or DVDA with them as lossy tracks). Those would be another test of your system. Your player decodes DD/DTS internally and outputs it as analog PCM.

I should add, I know for sure there are DVD-A with 4.0 and 5.0 (ML)PCM (e.g, the EMI Turangalila is 4.0, the 2001 Brain Salad Surgery has 5.0 tracks)....I just forget whether the corresponding DD/DTS tracks have the same channel properties.
 
Last time I checked the Oppos only went up in price after being discontinued, even the used ones and there is not many of them for sale where I live.
How is the sound quality from the analog outs on the Oppo?
There's one on ebay USA right now for $550 + shipping..just to give you an idea.

https://www.ebay.com/p/129040002
Oppos are very highly regarded in terms of audio/video quality and build quality and features. (Though honestly, I don't put much stock in the claims of DACs sounding different. Build quality and features matter more, in the real world. Analog outs from two players shouldn't sound different, unless they have different output voltages....and absolutely should not display audibly different frequency response ,e,g more robust bass or treble, unless user settings are different, output filters are radically different, or something is broken.)
 
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Thanks for the suggestions and feedback, I'll check out Oppo players.
I'll be in NYC in a week or so, so maybe this will provide the opportunity to get one - if I have any money left after visiting the Jazz Record Center, that is. ;)
I have two more 5.0 authored SACDs on the way, Herbie Hancock's Thrust by AF and Analogue Productions The Doors Waiting for the Sun, so I will need to be able do something about the glitch in my player somehow.
 
I have two more 5.0 authored SACDs on the way, Herbie Hancock's Thrust by AF and Analogue Productions The Doors Waiting for the Sun, so I will need to be able do something about the glitch in my player somehow.

Thrust is indeed 5.0, but Waiting For The Sun is 5.1, so it should play fine. The lead vocals are isolated in the center channel on that one, so you definitely want that information down-mixed into your mains.
 
Thrust is indeed 5.0, but Waiting For The Sun is 5.1, so it should play fine. The lead vocals are isolated in the center channel on that one, so you definitely want that information down-mixed into your mains.

Thanks! The Acoustic Sounds website actually states specifically it is 5.0, so I assumed that is what they mean, but I guess then it is 5.1 authored with LFE silent? Thanks for the heads up!
 
My 7inch LCD monitor arrived today. Its only purpose is to allow me to change the center channel setting on the fly, as I don't have a TV.
Should help quite a bit with my quirky Marantz player.


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