Hits,
I'm a little confused about your system and desires:
1. Do you currently have no preamp in your system and exclusively use the Oppo 105 as a preamp?
2. If so, and you use your tape deck for music playback, how is it connected to the Oppo?
I currently use an Oppo 105 in my system and know it has very limited inputs. This works for me since for music I only use 2 sources: the Oppo's internal player for optical discs and a NAS that contains ripped files of all my CDs and a handful of hi-res FLAC files. I use the Oppo's wireless USB connection for all NAS file playback. But I don't understand how an analog tape deck could even be connected to the Oppo.
In my opinion, the only reason to use a separate dedicated preamp with an Oppo 105 is if your system requires additional analog inputs. The preamp section really does, as advertised and reviewed, perform at a high-end audiophile level.
I originally used a quite good dedicated tube preamp, a VTL 2.5 unit with 4 NOS Mullard tubes inserted for the standard issued Russian or Chinese tubes, when I first inserted the Oppo 105 in my system. A new VTL is slightly above your stated budget with an MRSP of $2,500 (add $200+ for 4 NOS tubes of your choice) but it has plenty of analog inputs and a HT bypass switch/inputs. This preamp, combined with my class D amp, performed beautifully for 2-channel music playback and I never thought I'd not include it in my system. Also, I had just inserted a 'new' set of NOS Mullards about a month prior when I purchased and inserted the Oppo 105 in my system. Needless to say, I was not planning on not using it.
However, just to be fair and objective, I compared the sound of my system with and without the VTL playing several very familiar CDs. Letting my ears decide, and with an admitted bias toward using the VTL, I reluctantly was forced to conclude that all tracks sounded just as good without the VTL in the audio chain. The sound was a touch warmer and more dimensional through the VTL but it became clear that these qualities were added to the sound. The Oppo was very neutral but had no trouble portraying warmth and dimensionality (think 3D and very real) when the recordings had these qualities.
So, I removed and sold my beloved preamp about 6 months ago. I can honestly state I haven't missed it since.
You certainly don't need a preamp/processor, such as an Anthem or Emotiva, since the Oppo's line stage is likely better and also has a very good internal surround processor that utilizes the highly regarded Saber DAC chips; separate chip sets for up to 7.1 decoding of DTS/Dolby Digital surround and another pair for 2-ch music digital-to-analog conversion.
My point is that a $1-2k dedicated preamp really won't result in better 2-ch music performance. Each will add its own qualities to your music but that's a lot of money for basically a buffer stage. I'd only suggest a dedicated preamp if you required additional analog inputs or listen to vinyl. I decided to adopt the most direct approach and eliminate all unneeded components and cabling.
The above is just my impressions on my system and your mileage may vary.
Thanks,
Tim
