B_limo, I appreciate the complement; there are many years of budgeting and many, many components tried working up to the current rig, but all worth it.
The issue is that players do die, and if you put all your eggs in one basket you will sooner or later likely watch your entire digital source go kaput. I had the 2900 and used it very lightly; it was about as new as one can find on the market. Yet, it died on me about six months ago. (Same with my Xbox, which made me conclude that's about the last dime Microsoft gets from me for a game machine).
If the unit is at least three or four years old fixing it is diminishing returns, as the players continue to improve sonically.
Having a good DAC is worthwhile for a couple reasons, one of which Elizabeth alluded to; the DAC tends not to go kaput, but can last a while longer as it is not mechanical like a transport/laser assembly. As I said earlier, the quality of the transport is important. But you can also obtain some great advancement through upgrading the DAC. Trust me, there is a LOT of room for sonic improvement between the DAC internal to the 2900 and the newer 32 bit DACs. Using the 2900 as a transport to a $1K DAC will absolutely be an improvement.
Now, Oppo makes a good product, and their player is not bad. So, this is definitely a compellig option. I would not say it's a bad move, because all things considered it would yield a well-rounded experience in regards to several goals you have and not break the bank. Would the 2900 and a good DAC outperform the Oppo? Perhaps, perhaps not; too many variables to say easily, including the dig. cable, power cords, etc.
So... you're not going to get a nice tidy answer to the problem. Only a direct comparison would say which way would be superior. In terms of audio only, I assure you that you can get transport/DAC combos which would very likely stomp the Opppo, but it may take a fair bit of experimentation to find it.
Ask yourself if the Blueray improvement is a major goal, or is the ultimate sound quality long term the major goal. That may help you make your choice.
The issue is that players do die, and if you put all your eggs in one basket you will sooner or later likely watch your entire digital source go kaput. I had the 2900 and used it very lightly; it was about as new as one can find on the market. Yet, it died on me about six months ago. (Same with my Xbox, which made me conclude that's about the last dime Microsoft gets from me for a game machine).
If the unit is at least three or four years old fixing it is diminishing returns, as the players continue to improve sonically.
Having a good DAC is worthwhile for a couple reasons, one of which Elizabeth alluded to; the DAC tends not to go kaput, but can last a while longer as it is not mechanical like a transport/laser assembly. As I said earlier, the quality of the transport is important. But you can also obtain some great advancement through upgrading the DAC. Trust me, there is a LOT of room for sonic improvement between the DAC internal to the 2900 and the newer 32 bit DACs. Using the 2900 as a transport to a $1K DAC will absolutely be an improvement.
Now, Oppo makes a good product, and their player is not bad. So, this is definitely a compellig option. I would not say it's a bad move, because all things considered it would yield a well-rounded experience in regards to several goals you have and not break the bank. Would the 2900 and a good DAC outperform the Oppo? Perhaps, perhaps not; too many variables to say easily, including the dig. cable, power cords, etc.
So... you're not going to get a nice tidy answer to the problem. Only a direct comparison would say which way would be superior. In terms of audio only, I assure you that you can get transport/DAC combos which would very likely stomp the Opppo, but it may take a fair bit of experimentation to find it.
Ask yourself if the Blueray improvement is a major goal, or is the ultimate sound quality long term the major goal. That may help you make your choice.