Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Oppo 83 HD621 Experience

Now that at least a few hitchhikers have their Oppos: What is your experience with the Oppo BDP-83 via HDMI->HD621?

I think it's definitely inferior to a G91A/G98 directly via MHR.

Even my grilfriend did here the difference after a few seconds and agreed.

Rupert

What were you playing? CD? Was secondary audio switched off? Did you try Pure Audio mode?

Also, did you compare to a G98 or a G91A? They are architecturally different.

CD and DVD-A. Pure Audio makes it slighty better but my G91A is clearly better. Don't have a G98. But could also try my G08.

Secondary Audio? I don't even know what that is. Thought it was some Bluray feature. Will try to deactive.

BTW, VK, does this mean your Oppo did finally arrive?

Yeah, my Oppo arrived. Edge too.

Turning secondary audio off could make a *huge* difference as the audio path is only 48k if the secondary audio is turned on. A bit annoying really, but as I never listen to commentaries and I don't like the clicks...

Edit: I'm not 100% sure that this applies to all discs, but I reckon it probably does.

Edit2: I'll test this with my modified CLUX tonight as it doesn't modify the incoming sample rate either up or down.

Thanks so much!!! Folks, forget everything I've posted about HDMI sound quality of the Oppo. With secondary audio turned off the Oppo sounds like the G91A. Maybe better. Need more time to test of course.

The manual says (page 54): High resolution audio will be converted to a normal resolution in order to mix with the secondary audio.

It seems that this also applies to CD. What is most confusing is that the output sample rate is the same irrespective the secondary audio setting. So I had 88k for CD and 96k for DVD-A on my G68 display with secondary audio on.

My experience with CD is that the Oppo via HDMI throught the HD621 is very close to my 800 via MHR directly into 861. I simply have not done enough comparisons to draw any definitive conclusions but it is very close.

Simon, Rupert,VK

which kind of music dit you compare?
Are the differences independent of the medium as CD, DVDA?
Please try to describe the difference.

Rupert, with the HD621 set to output higher rate audio (i.e. upsampled), you have no way of knowing what the Oppo is actually sending to it. The G68 will always display the sample rate output from the HD621 which will always be 44.1/48 or always be 88.2/96.

I tried a couple of DVDAs last night with my modified CLUX (HD621 substitute) which does *not* up or down-sample. I confirmed that high sample rates from DVDA are *not* downsampled when secondary audio is turned on.

However, it is possible that (1) the 48kHz restriction I talked about applies when lossless Blu-Ray soundtracks are decoded and mixed with other sounds, and that (2) this mixer is available at 24/96 for DVDA, but at a cost to the audio quality.

vk,
are you pleased with the edge,was it modified?

Not modified. I bought it for a single purpose - PReP for SD SkyHD broadcasts - and it seems to do a good job. 1080i50 deinterlacing, unsurprisingly, is essentially indistinguishable from the Radiance. Lots of optimizing and automation to do though in the whole of my system.

Joel
In terms of Automation, I'm not sure if you've seen the new Duo from Anchor Bay?? Not sure if you would have made any difference to your purchase anyway??

See table at link below, but essentially the Edge plus Serial 232 control and Dual HDMI Video Outputs, plus One HDMI Audio Out. Also an extra Coax out

People just receiving their first units in the US

DVDO - Comparison Table of VP50 v Duo v Dual

Thanks Ronnie. I wasn't aware of the Duo, but it's not going to be on my shopping list. The Radiance is, and will continue to be, my primary investment in video processing.

Integration of the Edge is pretty straightforward because it has auto-on and auto-off features, so it come on and off with my SkyHD box. I may end up sending component to the Edge for SD and HDMI to the Radiance for HD, but we'll see. If I want HDMI for both SD and HD, I have a little more automation to do (to get Edge to output different things for SD and HD), but it's doable.

I'm not sure if I'm going to keep the Edge long term; I felt a "need" to evaluate whether or not PReP was worth it for me and that is questionable in light of the amount of SD material I view these days. Unfortunately, the PSU is dying on my Thomson SkyHD box (known issue; I've a repair kit on the way) and it's having all kinds of picture quality effects which means that critical evaluation is difficult.