# Your opinions would be most appreciated



## porthopeguy (Jan 19, 2011)

Good morning.

Want to start off by saying a "BIG THANK YOU" to you all for providing me with countless hours of entertainment whilst reading these forums. 

So if I may seek your opinion on the following:
I presently am going through "updateitis" in the worst way and was wondering what opinions other members have as far as spending a thousand dollars on a new amp (considering the Emotiva XPA-5), or the soon to be released Oppo 95.

Nothing particularly wrong with what I am using currently (Yamaha 3800 / Samsung Blu-Ray player/
Yamaha SV657 SACD player), just well you know how it is, just gotta scratch that itch sometimes:bigsmile:

Opinions


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Those are both fine products. The 95 may finally get me into BD (although I swore I'd never jump in after the format war). Depending on your speakers and room, you may get some more oomph out of upgrading the amp, since you have a BD player already.

I used to have upgradeitis, and I still do. Sadly it's kitchen and bath upgradeitis and not home theater upgrades now 

Welcome aboard!


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## porthopeguy (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks Anthony for your reply - and welcoming comments.

The speakers I am currently using are all Athena's (F2.2 fronts/C1.2 centre/R1.2 surrounds & P400 sub), and while more then adequate for the size round they are in - approximately 900 sq.ft, just don't seem to sparkle as much as i'd like them to. I spoke to someone at a store locally who sells Oppo products, and when I told him what receiver I would be connecting the Oppo to, he mentioned something about the Yamaha not having the best onboard DACs. This caught me somewhat off-guard as I thought that the Yammie sounded good - at least to me. So sufficed to say, this brought on the case of "updateitits".


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

porthopeguy said:


> Thanks Anthony for your reply - and welcoming comments.
> 
> The speakers I am currently using are all Athena's (F2.2 fronts/C1.2 centre/R1.2 surrounds & P400 sub), and while more then adequate for the size round they are in - approximately 900 sq.ft, just don't seem to sparkle as much as i'd like them to. I spoke to someone at a store locally who sells Oppo products, and when I told him what receiver I would be connecting the Oppo to, he mentioned something about the Yamaha not having the best onboard DACs. This caught me somewhat off-guard as I thought that the Yammie sounded good - at least to me. So sufficed to say, this brought on the case of "updateitits".


Hello,
I really do think the DAC's in the Yamaha would be just fine. However, you can always configure the OPPO to where it handles the Decoding of the HD Codecs from Blu-Rays and all other Source Material.

If the upgradeitis is particularly acute, Yamaha's new Avantage line is quite impressive and had it been available when I purchased my TX-NR3007, I would have had a tough call about whether or not to get an A300 instead.
Cheers,
JJ


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

If your choices are simply between just the Blu-ray player and an amp then being that you allready have the Blu-ray then i'd go for the amp or possibly better yet a newer more powerful AVR.:T


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## porthopeguy (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks all for your replies.

Boy, decisions, decisions, decisions....

Since both machines (Oppo 95/Emotiva XPA-5) are both available sometime in February, i'll keep on
reading wha information I can on both machines, and decide when they are released. And who knows, 
maybe by that time both of them might be doableonder:


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
If you do not own an Amplifier, I would definitely get an Amplifier before an expensive BDP. Don't get me wrong, the BDP-95 will be fantastic, but the differences between a 200 Dollar BDP and a 1000 Dollar one are not as profound as the differences between AVR power and a dedicated Amplifier.
Cheers,
JJ


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

More power is better than less as it can cope better with the dynamics of movies than any AVR would, if your current AVR has pre outs then definitely upgrade with a new power amp, the Oppo BD players are just very good and probably the best around atm and if you want to get into 3D TV then that will do a fine job, I'm debating whether to go for a 93 or wait and get the 95 :scratch:


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## ddgtr (Nov 1, 2009)

I agree with everyone above. You already have a Bluray player. The Oppo, although with lots of bells and whistles, arguably will not give you a better PQ as far as playing BLURAY DISCS is concerned. You will get more enjoyment out of the amp at this point. Good luck with your decision!!


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

Though I love my Oppo blu-ray player, I think you'd find the improvement that comes with a seperate amp to be more worthwhile than with the new disc player.


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## porthopeguy (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks all for your input. 

I find myself now leaning more towards the Emotiva XPA-5. Now all I have to do is figure-out as to whether or not my stand will handle an additional 66 pounds on it - man that thing is a brute !!!


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

The XPA-5 will not dissapoint, i have one and love it. Good choice!:T


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## porthopeguy (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks again everyone for your replies.

Just received an email from the fine folks at Emotiva telling me what the damage is for purchase/delivery of a brand new amp. Now all I have to do is somehow sneak it into the house without the wife noticing:innocent:


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## Tufelhundin (Jan 25, 2010)

porthopeguy said:


> Thanks again everyone for your replies.
> 
> Just received an email from the fine folks at Emotiva telling me what the damage is for purchase/delivery of a brand new amp. *Now all I have to do is somehow sneak it into the house without the wife noticing*:innocent:


For me this would be the easy part....just write BEER on the box and mine wouldnt think otherwise.:rofl:

As for the Oppo...I have an 83 and I like it so much I may try to get another "used" for our living room instead of the going with the new ones. My Oppo was one of the best investments in home theater.


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## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

I just had the Emo for review and found the amp to be quite competent. I also have an older, smaller Yam reciever, and the difference in the dynamics was impressive. You would have less difference with the 3800 but I think you would be please with what you hear. 

Good amp and a good value, IMO.


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## porthopeguy (Jan 19, 2011)

So, I ended-up buying the Oppo, and boy have I not been disappointed. It is by far the best sounding, looking and ultimately satisfying player I have ever owned - and will likely ever to own. Movies have now become clearer, and for music, the nuances that were once hidden, are suddenly brought to the surface - an example of that last statement came from listening to the opening track of the SHM-SACD version of the first Dire Straits album. My old SACD Player (Yamaha S-687) would pick-up the first couple of notes, whereas the Oppo picked-up the other 3 or 4 that were hidden away...Truly a wonderful piece of electronics...


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

porthopeguy said:


> So, I ended-up buying the Oppo, and boy have I not been disappointed. It is by far the best sounding, looking and ultimately satisfying player I have ever owned - and will likely ever to own. Movies have now become clearer, and for music, the nuances that were once hidden, are suddenly brought to the surface - an example of that last statement came from listening to the opening track of the SHM-SACD version of the first Dire Straits album. My old SACD Player (Yamaha S-687) would pick-up the first couple of notes, whereas the Oppo picked-up the other 3 or 4 that were hidden away...Truly a wonderful piece of electronics...


Hello,
OPPO's new Industrial Design is absolutely amazing. They went from looking like relatively modest looking machines with hearts of gold to truly looking like BDP's that cost multiples of what they actually cost.

I especially love the new Disc Loaded that was Co-Developed with the Tohei Group of Japan. OPPO spent countless hours working on it and it truly shows. Congratulations on your new OPPO. I absolutely adore mine. I have a BDP-83, but never have really cared for it the way I do my BDP-93.
Cheers,
JJ


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