Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 3x S/PDIF modded HD-DVD player in the works...

It certainly works in the 980 as I have a few installed in them. Should work in the 981 too. The only unknown with the 981 is if Oppo is doing anything odd with the signal levels as they do with the 970. In the 970 the max digital signal is about -20dB below 0dBFS which is why I don't recommend that player.

Shawn

Shawn,

Do the 980 and 983 send a digital signal out over coax when playing SACD; i.e. internally convert DSD to PCM for playback through the digital out (and in to Meridian processor)?

Also, can anyone compare the build quality of the 980 and 983 to the Toshiba XA2?

"Do the 980 and 983 send a digital signal out over coax when playing SACD; i.e. internally convert DSD to PCM for playback through the digital out (and in to Meridian processor)?"

Through the 3x SPDIF digitals outs yes. In that case you get PCM output at 88.2kHz sampling rate. I haven't had a 983 here yet but it uses the same DAC so it must convert to PCM as well as the DAC is not DSD capable.

Using the built in SPDIF output I don't think the Oppos output anything when you play back SACD.

"Also, can anyone compare the build quality of the 980 and 983 to the Toshiba XA2?"

That kind of depends upon how you look at it. On first glance the XA2 seems far more robust. But that is mostly from the very heavy aluminum panels that are attached to the cover/sides of the unit. Below that the XA2 looks pretty similar to most other units out there. Its chassis is very similar to what the 980 has, just that the aluminum plates on the top/sides make it feel a lot more solid. The first generation HD-DVD players actually had a far more substantial multiple layer chassis then what the XA2 has. It is a PITA drilling the outputs on an A1 as you have to go through the outer skin layer then through the much thicker gauge inner chassis. On the XA2 it is just a thin piece of sheet metal that can be removed to be drilled as it is on the 980.

Shawn

According to what Oppo told me today the 983 has the audio quality of the 980 and improved video quality over the 981HD.

Without Shawn's mod neither Oppo will produce anything out of the stock SPDIF outputs when playing SACD's. You have to use the analogue outs.

The 983's audio quality is superior to that of the 980, as well.

Kal

bump

Vince doesn't have his card yet? What is up with Meridian these days? It's like they fell off the end of the earth.

Ron

Does any unmodified player capable of playing SACDs convert DSD to PCM to stream over the digital output?

Hey all,

I'm trying to be cool about it. However, after waiting 10 weeks now and still no "in-stone" you'll-have-it-on-this-date answer, I'm becoming somewhat choked. Both the Canadian M distributor and now M USA have dropped the ball. Despite repeated follow-up calls from my great local shop, Aralex (M distributor) managed to "lose my order" for six weeks, blaming it on Meridian UK. I gave up on 'em and decided to purchase the ID20 from the US. M USA checked stock for me, stated they had the card, and then referred me to one of their largest US installer/dealers to transact the purchase expeditiously. When one week became two+, M-USA sez, "Oops, we didn't have the card after all. Sorry, our bad. We'll expedite one from the UK and pick up the freight tab." That was 10 days ago and the US dealer still doesn't have it in hand. C'mon, even if you stuck it in a bubble pack and went with 3-day courier service rather than overnight, I would have it already. [censored]?

Happy Trails!
Vince@Freewheelcycle.com

Have you auditioned the 983? I was told the audio sections of the 980 and 983 were essentially the same.

Ken

Maybe they don't want him to buy it because they are getting ready to introduce something that would make it redundant, like an HDMI card. Here's hoping...

Apparently, only for the analogue outputs. I asked this question of Oppo support:

Q) Your website states that, although the 980 is optimized for high quality audio, the 983 contains some higher quality audio components. Would these be entirely or primarily for analogue audio processing and output? In other words, is there minimal difference between the two players for *digital* audio over S/PDIF and HDMI?

A) The performance difference applies to the analog outputs only. HDMI and S/PDIF will have the same performance as the DV-980H.