OPPO BDP-103 Analog Outs to [insert musical 5.1 receiver here] - Looking for opinions, reviews, advice

[edisonbaggins]

I notice my OPPO has 7.1 worth of analog outputs. Do these analog outs sound good? Or is it better to let an AVR do some processing?
Do you have any recommendations for a very nice-sounding 5.1 capable receiver with analog inputs?

I know that most, if not all Marantz AVRs have analog ins. I was looking at an SR5001, but some reviews say it's a bit harsh for music(!!!).
I thought Marantz were supposed to sound nice?

I'd like to keep cost down, so no boutique receivers that cost a fortune, please. I'd like to find something that sounds great, but is high value for the money.

Thanks!

 

[salsdali]

or maybe just buy an amp with analog inputs since you don't need all the other stuff a receiver will have and you will not use. Receivers trade off amp capability to house all that other processing stuff.

I hear emotiva's get good reviews and are reasonably priced. Of course an old McIntosh would probably sound the best but to way pricey unless you know what to look for and get lucky on ebay.

 

[edisonbaggins]

or maybe just buy an amp with analog inputs since you don't need all the other stuff a receiver will have and you will not use. Receivers trade off amp capability to house all that other processing stuff.

I hear emotiva's get good reviews and are reasonably priced. Of course an old McIntosh would probably sound the best but to way pricey unless you know what to look for and get lucky on ebay.

I'd need two stereo amps or one quad amp, right? Or is there such thing as a dedicated 6-channel amp? Receivers are all I know, so I feel kinda stupid talking amps.
I can just run the OPPO's analog outs to an amp, then from the amp's speaker outputs to the speakers? That's it?

 

[perzon57]

I've been on the 7.1 out from my Oppo's for some years,and I will not go back.Found out with my 95 that it sounded better than my pre/pro costing three times as much.I have a 105D now,and it's even better.I use a Parasound P7 between the 105 and my amps.It has two 7.1 inputs and analog bass management.Also have front/back level adjustment on the remote,may come in handy. (It does)

 

[edisonbaggins]

Someone crazy-check me, please. Can the Emotiva A-800 be used as a 5.1 amp?
It sounds as though it can be fed the 5 analog channels from the OPPO and power 5 separate speakers.
Then, the SW signal would go straight from the OPPO to the SW?

Someone let me know! I'm very close to pulling the trigger on an A-800 on clearance.

 

[Mcallister]

Are you using room correction on the receiver you have your OPPO connected to currently? Using the analog outs into analog “in’s” bypasses room correction.

The oppo analog outs sound great however if you get all your distances set correctly. You can just run straight to amps and bypass any receiver at all.

 

[gene_stl]

That looks like a very good buy to me. It appears to be a linear (as opposed to switching mode) power supply and it looks to be a class AB amp for eight channels worth. That would all be my preference although both switching power supplies and class D amps are ideas whose time has come. I think at that price they are going to sell out fast. Since it is a straight power amp (times eight identical channels) it has no remote control capability other than trigger turn on.
If your sub has its own amp the setup you mention should work fine. If you are only using five channels you still would have enough channels with this to bridge two unused channels to double power for a non powered sub should you end up with one.

in a word Go For It!

as an afterthought I really like Emotiva's business model. They have as their target customers regular people, not the carriage trade.

edit: since its a "basic power amp" it not only has no remote but also no processing. That should all be done in a preprocessor

 

[Mcallister]

You control the volume through the OPPO when using the analog out and bypassing other processing.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Emotiva A-800 purchased!

 

[Beefalo]

You control the volume through the OPPO when using the analog out and bypassing other processing.

I've thought about using the analog outs on my Oppo. I have the separate amps. to pull it off.
I don't try it because I enjoy Atmos and I use Atmos Upmix for stereo playback. I would lose both of these if I bypassed my Yamaha AVR.

 

[edisonbaggins]

I've thought about using the analog outs on my Oppo. I have the separate amps. to pull it off.
I don't try it because I enjoy Atmos and I use Atmos Upmix for stereo playback. I would lose both of these if I bypassed my Yamaha AVR.

I read a guy's review on Amazon, where he says he uses an A-800 to power his surround and height channels, for Atmos. I guess that means his fronts and center are powered off his AVR. So, maybe it is possible? In the channel assignments of your Yamaha?

 

[Audiowannabee]

I use my analog outs from oppo 203 into my analog ins on my old pioneer avr...sounds great to me...use volume control on avr

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Since I'm not experienced with "separates", if you run direct from the oppo, will you have any control over individual channel volume?

 

[Beefalo]

I read a guy's review on Amazon, where he says he uses an A-800 to power his surround and height channels, for Atmos. I guess that means his fronts and center are powered off his AVR. So, maybe it is possible? In the channel assignments of your Yamaha?

The way I figured it (and certainly could be wrong) Is If I'm trying to go all analog out and still get the 4 extra channels of Atmos then my Oppo would need 9 analog outs.

 

[edisonbaggins]

The way I figured it (and certainly could be wrong) Is If I'm trying to go all analog out and still get the 4 extra channels of Atmos then my Oppo would need 9 analog outs.

Oh, that makes sense. I guess I was thinking HDMI to the AVR, then to offload some channels to a separate amp.

 

[Beefalo]

Oh, that makes sense. I guess I was thinking HDMI to the AVR, then to offload some channels to a separate amp.

This is fun. I might try that.
Not sure if Oppo would put out both analog & HDMI together....would there be time delay issues. Digital to one amp. and analog to other(s)

 

[MCDave]

Are you using room correction on the receiver you have your OPPO connected to currently? Using the analog outs into analog “in’s” bypasses room correction.

The oppo analog outs sound great however if you get all your distances set correctly. You can just run straight to amps and bypass any receiver at all.

Maybe I'm reading that wrong, but all of the speaker setup and processing in the Oppo is specifically for the analog outputs only. In fact, when using the digital outputs, the Oppo is little more than a very good disc transport and input switcher. The only audio setup item that applies to the digital outs is Dynamic Range Control.

FWIW, my system consists of an Oppo 205 connected directly to 3 power amps (two stereo and one mono) and to a pair of powered subs in a 5.1 configuration. I've used numerous Oppo players in every configuration imaginable over the years, and the analog outs directly to power amps is definitely the best. Even the x03 series of Oppos have really good DACs and analog stages that are better than you'll find in practically any real-world priced receiver or pre/pro.

The Emotiva products are excellent bang for the buck, but for even more value I'd look at the Monolith amps from Monoprice.

 

[Mcallister]

If you use an AVR with analog inputs from the analog outs on the OPPO do still use the volume control on the AVR. I was just saying if you run straight analog out of the OPPO into an amplifier that’s how you would control the volume.

There is really no need to use the multichannel analog outs anymore really. They were first used on players because you couldn’t play DVD-A and SACD multichannel over SPDIF or optical digital outs. You would have to settle for only 2 channel. This was pre-hdmi.

Now with HDMI connection you can decode all codecs and still use auto room eq, and all other processing your avr/pre pro offers.

 

[Beefalo]

Someone crazy-check me, please. Can the Emotiva A-800 be used as a 5.1 amp?
It sounds as though it can be fed the 5 analog channels from the OPPO and power 5 separate speakers.
Then, the SW signal would go straight from the OPPO to the SW?

Someone let me know! I'm very close to pulling the trigger on an A-800 on clearance.

Using the Oppo analog out to A-800 in quad room...
Your X-800 & Denon in HT room ???

 

[edisonbaggins]

Using the Oppo analog out to A-800 in quad room...
Your X-800 & Denon in HT room ???

Yep. I also recently purchased a back-up X800 for $110 (refurbished - 3 year warranty)!