Posted on 04/21/2018 8:19:47 AM PDT by Oldpuppymax
Perhaps you could call it a coda to an outstanding symphony of audio/videophile tech.
Oppo Digital, the company whose products have won it many awards over the years – and which deserved them – has announced it's winding down its operations.
Say it isn't so, Oppo!
The announcement on the company's website as of April 2, came as a big surprise to me. I've been reviewing the company's products since they first appeared on the North American scene and have yet to find one that wasn't a great addition to whichever market niche it was invading. From TV's to DAC (digital-to-analogue converters) and high-end headphones, the company has offered a consistent string of remarkable performance and value, culminating in their release last year of two 4K UHD universal networked disc players.
Those two UHD players, to me, at the high-water mark of Oppo's presence, but they're also merely logical next steps in the company's line of products. I first reviewed one of their up converting DVD players when the company was just getting established here, the DVD-970HD, and noted at the time that it offered more bang for the buck than it really had any right to.
Shortly after that I tried what I believe is the only TV Oppo ever offered, a 20 inch LCD unit that came with a DVD player built in and offered so much flexibility of connection it wasn't funny. The only real issue I had with that TV was that it was "old fashioned" "full frame" at a time when TV's were going widescreen, yet it still made an excellent bedroom or kitchen TV.
Oppo has also created a line of DAC's, including a portable one that works with smart phones, and the HA line of headphones. I never tried the phones, but if...
(Excerpt) Read more at thecoachsteam.com ...
There’s the problem.
I was thinking that I don’t recall ever seeing this brand.
I stopped reading ‘Stereo Review’ and ‘Audiophile’ about 16 years back when I got married. Just about the time they came out.
Funny, after I got married I just didn’t have the money for high end audio and video equipment anymore (or the place to use it).
This sucks,Oppo made the best. They set the standard for high end consumer electronics. I’m really sorry to see this. Out of reach for most people but it was great they were there to show the state of the art.
Bummer..I have a couple of Oppo DVD/BD players and they were always way ahead of the mass market products you could buy at BB in terms of technical capabilities..
One Oppo just did bite the dust this week though..guess I won’t be sending that in for service anytime soon!
Owned two of their universal DVD players, one regular, one Blu-ray. Best money could buy. Big bang for your buck. They will be missed. It’s a changing landscape. With all the streaming options not much need for a high end DVD player.
“With all the streaming options not much need for a high end DVD player.”
As I understand, all streaming uses compression.
The video quality may not be the same, but when you’re watching Gone With the Wind on your phone or tablet who cares?
“The video quality may not be the same, but when you’re watching Gone With the Wind on your phone or tablet who cares”
LOL! If I watch a movie it is on my 75” QLED!
I upgraded my audio video system over the last 6 months. The big thing was HDR and Dolby Vision (DV). Bought a new TV, AVR and Blu ray. The only thing truly DV compatible was the AVR. The Sony TV and Blu ray will update its firmware in the future. I looked at the Oppo-203 because it was somewhat DV compatible (not yet with Sony DV), but I could not justify the price about $560 (and they never go on sale). It also lacks streaming, which many predict will replace the blu ray DVD.
I guess too many of the competitors were successful in their Oppo research.
I’ve had an Oppo DVD player for about seven years. I was just checking out their BluRay players a few days ago when I saw the farewell message on their web site. I’m truly sorry they’re going out of business. So few companies make superior products and provide flawless customer service these days.
LMAO
So does DVD and Blu-ray. But I get what you mean, streaming uses more compression. I thought I would continue buying discs but I limited myself to movies I’d want to watch several times, went from buying a disc per week to maybe one a year.
With my current internet speed, I’m not seeing a significant difference between media and streaming. But I have a 4k TV and streaming services can see that and send 1080 video with less compression.
Blu-ray provides better audio.
I have a 4k TV and streaming services can see that and send 1080 video with less compression.
Never heard of them.
50 inch Pioneer Kuro Elite plasma here.
oh no!
Oppo made THE best DVD/CD players, period! You could buy one off the web and if there was anything wrong with it, mail it to Oppo with $50.00, and no matter what was wrong, they’d fix it and mail it back. Best damn service in world. Only warranty service that’s comparable is for Dillon reloaders ...
If you have the system to reproduce it.
My hifi gear is still packed away in boxes and I’m using a sound bar with satellites right now, I’m not hearing the missing bits.
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