Have your say & ask the experts

Andrew Everard:

hammill:

My Onkyo 875 supports DSD. One of the reasons the Oppo is so appealing.

And indeed why I am using one of Oppo's DVD players into an 875 myself...

My Denon 3808 will accept a DSD signal as well over both denon link and HDMI.  I'm not sure if all Denons do or just the upper end ones, but I have a feeling that all the ones that can decode HD audio formats can recieve DSD.  This is why I am interested in a universal BD player that will send all the formats over HDMI.  (well that and the fact that my current BD deck, a panny bd30, was the first that could output all the BD audio formats as a bitstream, so an upgrade to a more mature deck would be nice)

My Yamaha DSP-AX861se can decode DSD via HDMI (2/5.1ch 2.8224 MHz, 1 bit).

 

 

I just noticed Kris Deering has announced the 83 as his standing reference source component.

Dasp

Oh dear WHF, you don't really want to be the last magazine to review this player do you? It's good to break rules every now and then, we dare you!

das:

I just noticed Kris Deering has announced the 83 as his standing reference source component.

Who?

pete321:

Oh dear WHF, you don't really want to be the last magazine to review this player do you? It's good to break rules every now and then, we dare you!

As I said, we're extremely keen to review this player – but only in an official European version, not as a grey import.

Andrew Everard:

As I said, we're extremely keen to review this player – but only in an official European version, not as a grey import.

Andrew, I'm sorry to pull you up on this but the Oppo sold by CRT Projectors is NOT a grey import and to suggest it is casts an aspersion on Henry’s business that is quite unwarranted. CRT are an official distributor of Oppo in the UK. The BDP-83 is not a grey import it is an authorised import by CRT from Oppo America. You'd be right in stating that it is the US version not the much awaited European version but it is not a grey import nor is it sourced from the grey market (from whence the term derives). You are actually doing Henry a disservice by continuing to state something that is incorrect and implies that CRT Projectors do not have a direct relationship with Oppo.

Will Harris:

Andrew Everard:

As I said, we're extremely keen to review this player – but only in an official European version, not as a grey import.

Andrew, I'm sorry to pull you up on this but the Oppo sold by CRT Projectors is NOT a grey import and to suggest it is casts an aspersion on Henry’s business that is quite unwarranted. CRT are an official distributor of Oppo in the UK. The BDP-83 is not a grey import it is an authorised import by CRT from Oppo America. You'd be right in stating that it is the US version not the much awaited European version but it is not a grey import nor is it sourced from the grey market (from whence the term derives). You are actually doing Henry a disservice by continuing to state something that is incorrect and implies that CRT Projectors do not have a direct relationship with Oppo.

I did notice a reply from Oppo Digital Inc to a UK user in another forum suggesting he contact CRT Projectors re purchasing an  83.

Dasp

 

Well, OK, since the CRT Projectors fan-club is so insistent, and has now changed tack from its previous accusations of us bowing to pressure from the well-known manufacturers, I'm going to contact Oppo's European office and get clarification on whether the player the company is selling is an authorised import, and if so authorised by whom.

I'll also be asking Oppo whether CRT offers full servicing of this machine, and whether the modifications it's offering are also authorised by the manufacturer.

I'll report back when I have a reply.

Andrew Everard:

Well, OK, since the CRT Projectors fan-club is so insistent, and has now changed tack from its previous accusations of us bowing to pressure from the well-known manufacturers, I'm going to contact Oppo's European office and get clarification on whether the player the company is selling is an authorised import, and if so authorised by whom.

I'll also be asking Oppo whether CRT offers full servicing of this machine, and whether the modifications it's offering are also authorised by the manufacturer.

I'll report back when I have a reply.

Andrew

Out of interest can you also ask if a product bought via Oppo Shop (Sweden) is  my purchasing (contract) governed by English or Swedish law ?

Dasp

Andrew Everard:

Well, OK, since the CRT Projectors fan-club is so insistent, and has now changed tack from its previous accusations of us bowing to pressure from the well-known manufacturers, I'm going to contact Oppo's European office and get clarification on whether the player the company is selling is an authorised import, and if so authorised by whom.

I'll also be asking Oppo whether CRT offers full servicing of this machine, and whether the modifications it's offering are also authorised by the manufacturer.

I'll report back when I have a reply.

Andrew, Oppo Europe are in fact Oppo Sweden. They don't produce the player. Why would you contact them and not Oppo USA, the actual company? But nonetheless, I'm sure that Oppo Sweden will confirm that all is well with CRT Projectors.

CRT are a retailer. What sort of servicing would you expect them to do other than the usual of taking in the player and either returning it to the parent manufacturer for repair or the manufacturers own authorised service centre in the UK?

As for the mod, it's at the owners own risk. So no doubt you'll be able to pick holes in the offer if you do you darndest, which you seem to be awfully keen to do. Of course, you'll find out that CRT warranties the machine for 12 months and no-doubt you'll consider that to be substandard when compared to an "official manufacturer authorised" modification. So yes. Go ahead and pick holes and give yourself a few excellent bureaucratic reasons to continue not to test it and therefore keep your readers in the dark. So far you appear to be more keen to do the leg work on why you shouldn't test it, than to get one in and stick it on your test rig.

Why can't we go back to the days of embracing products that bust out of the straightjackets the industry sometimes impose. The hardware mod will never be an authorised modification because Oppo are bound by the BluRay Forum rules. So they can't make a multi-region player. So what do you expect to find? Only the obvious. Oppo are unlikely to explicitly state they endorse it or they could have their license removed. What they did do, was leave very easy to use connections inside the player, to supply power and connectivity to any mod someone might like to cunningly add at a later date. Rather good of them if you ask me, and about the nearest you're likely to get to an endorsement of the modification by the manufacturer.

Got this from OPPO servive the other day CRTProjectors.co.uk is selling modified BDP-83 players which can be
made region free, but these players are not supported bi OPPO Digital,
Inc

Whilst I understand and just about agree with the official stance WHF are taking on the testing eligibility of this particular Oppo, can I ask if the website, forum and indeed the magazine is restricted to Europe ?

Will Harris:

Fair point. They have indeed had a few more cottage industry products in the mag, but none of them tended to threaten the established hierachy of big names. .

Will, I know you subscribe, so will have seen the latest, August, issue, where the stereo-speakers Group Test is won by EB Acoustics, a direct seller start-up company (which offers a money-back guarantee).

Those EB Acoustics speakers beat rivals from huge names like Dali, Dynaudio, Klipsch and Mordaunt-Short.

We've also had awards - Products of the Year, even - won by tiny companies like Vita Audio, Clearer Audio, Leema, Plinius etc, who are a fraction of the size/have fraction of the budgets of the 'big boys'.

We're out to bring you the best, as long as those products meet our review criteria of availability and try-before-you-buy. 

Will Harris:

Andrew Everard:

Well, OK, since the CRT Projectors fan-club is so insistent, and has now changed tack from its previous accusations of us bowing to pressure from the well-known manufacturers, I'm going to contact Oppo's European office and get clarification on whether the player the company is selling is an authorised import, and if so authorised by whom.

I'll also be asking Oppo whether CRT offers full servicing of this machine, and whether the modifications it's offering are also authorised by the manufacturer.

I'll report back when I have a reply.

Andrew, Oppo Europe are in fact Oppo Sweden. They don't produce the player. Why would you contact them and not Oppo USA, the actual company? But nonetheless, I'm sure that Oppo Sweden will confirm that all is well with CRT Projectors. CRT are a retailer. What sort of servicing would you expect them to do other than the usual of taking in the player and either returning it to the parent manufacturer for repair or the manufacturers own authorised service centre in the UK? As for the mod, it's at the owners own risk. So no doubt you'll be able to pick holes in the offer if you do you darndest, which you seem to be awfully keen to do. Of course, you'll find out that CRT warranties the machine for 12 months and no-doubt you'll consider that to be substandard when compared to an "official manufacturer authorised" modification. So yes. Go ahead and pick holes and give yourself a few excellent bureaucratic reasons to continue not to test it and therefore keep your readers in the dark. So far you appear to be more keen to do the leg work on why you shouldn't test it, than to get one in and stick it on your test rig. Why can't we go back to the days of embracing products that bust out of the straightjackets the industry sometimes impose. The hardware mod will never be an authorised modification because Oppo are bound by the BluRay Forum rules. So they can't make a multi-region player. So what do you expect to find? Only the obvious. Oppo are unlikely to explicitly state they endorse it or they could have their license removed. What they did do, was leave very easy to use connections inside the player, to supply power and connectivity to any mod someone might like to cunningly add at a later date. Rather good of them if you ask me, and about the nearest you're likely to get to an endorsement of the modification by the manufacturer.

 

Will, I want a review of the Oppo as much as you do - probably more, since you have already ordered one, so a positive review will just give you a warm feeling wheras it will influence my purchasing decision. Reviews of products like this which I have no chance of personally demoing are a prime reason for me to subscribe to the magazine. However, I would humbly suggest that berating the staff is not the best way to achieve this end.

SC:

Whilst I understand and just about agree with the official stance WHF are taking on the testing eligibility of this particular Oppo, can I ask if the website, forum and indeed the magazine is restricted to Europe ?

Nope - which is another reason we have to be sure when we review something that there's going to be reasonable availability and support! A positive review from WHF - which if the Oppo is as good as everyone says is a possibility - creates enormous demand for a product. If Will's worried about CRT being overwhelmed by a Forum thread, wait until it's published in a review section.

I'm awaiting this Oppo as eagerly as anyone - i'm itching for a better Blu-ray at home! - but we need to make sure, as ever, we're looking all aspects of the product, and that includes how it's sold and supported.