2. digital
  3. 1242584562

Killing BluRay, new Oppo BR 83

OK, I have been vocal on these forums with my opinion that BluRay is a short term media, and will not become the dominant media format. My reason:

1) There is not a mind blowing difference in BluRay quality
over the existing domintant format of DVD. That's not to say BluRay is not better, but it's not the difference between VHS and DVD, where you couldn't believe what you were seeing. Does it look and sound better, yes. Does it change your life, no. Especially with the quality of the upconverting DVD players available.

2) Given my first point, I don't think there is a big call to replace any purchased DVD's with BluRay. Any videophile who had a bunch of VHS tapes did that immeadiately with DVD, but why do it again? Basically the same disk, great sound, and small size, with excellent picture. I don't think that investment is going to be made again, and that means the market for BluRay discs is MUCH smaller for classic movies.

3) The advenet of internet based movie downloads is already available in HD. Granted, it's only 720 and no HD soundtracks, but does anyone believe that is not coming, and quickly. I love using my AppleTV to rent movies, never leave the house, and don't have to return. Honestly, I have bought a bunch of movies that way, since I have such a big network storage capacity. I think this will be the dominant AV format going forward, both movies and music. More high res video and music available faster. I believe that the rise in the market for outboard DAC's will become even greater, and they will have he ability to decode the new higher res music, and possible video soundtracks in surround. Output to analog preamps for Audiophile grade sound will become the norm for audiophiles, or hybrid HT/2 channel systems, as is becoming the norm.

I whole-heartedly believe this since recieving my new Oppo BluRay player. It is a great player, and it's the second BluRay I have had in my system so it just has re-inforced my previous hypothosis regarding the future of BluRay. Don't get me wrong, the player is STELLAR in every way. Considering the price, it's almost criminal especially on SACD and DVD-Audio (which I have not had any of the problems that the first firmware owners had). I have not gotten to use it as a CD transport yet, I am waiting on one of Paul G's (TubeAudioDesign) new DACs and the redbook CD sound on it's own was just OK.

That said, after watching several movies in both BluRay and DVD on the same player, the difference is just not that huge. It is better, but not enough to make me run out and buy any of those movies again on BluRay. It's the difference, to me, between the Magnepan 3.6 and 20.1. It's definitely better, but they are both excellent.

OK, those are my thoughts, FWIW.

I came to these conclusion
macdadtexas
sufentanil's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
sufentanil
776 posts
 
I find it odd that in a forum of audiophiles who purchase $3000 power cords for a very small, yet noticeable improvement in sound that the original poster contends that Blu-Ray is not much of an improvement over DVD's.

I got my Oppo Blu-Ray player the other day, and I've been thrilled with it thus far. And I can attest to the improved quality of Blu-Ray over DVD (and the DVD's with Oppo's 983H player were excellent, a clear step up from my previous upsampling DVD player). As televisions get larger, I expect the chasm between Blu-Ray and DVD's to only increase. When you have a 3240p TV at some point in the future, which would you rather watch on it: An upsampling DVD player or an upsampling Blu-Ray player?

I think Blu-Ray is the way of the future right now, as it offers high-resolution audio and video on archival media. (For most home users who aren't computer experts, I don't consider a hard drive to be archival, and wonder what the typical lifespan of downloaded music or movies is for them.)

Just my 2 cents.

Michael
macdadtexas OP
1,794 posts
 
The fact that many of you are saying that I am not close enough to a 52" 1080p LCD TV to see the difference speaks volumes. It's not a 32" display that I am 20' from, it's a 52" display that I am 8 - 12' from depending on where I sit. It just verifies to me that the difference is just not that great.

It does look better, but it's not VHS to DVD better, no way no how. You could see that difference on a 20" TV from 2 blocks away.

It ain't gonna make it. I give 4 yrs on the over/under for when the last BluRay disc is produced. I'm going to take the under.

Downloads, that's the way it's going to go. Storage gets cheaper and more reliable all the time, bandwith grows and the technology to send large chunks of information gets cheaper and easier. I'm going to pull this thread up again in 2012 and see where we are.

The Oppo is a good player though, if you want a true multidisc, it's a no brainer.

Also, I have never spent $3k on any cord. I didn't pay that much for my speakers.
queg
55 posts
 
I agree with the O/P. I just went from an Oppo 981 to the BluRay (thus skipping the 983), and standard DVD was so much better on the Oppo BluRay player that the comparison of standard DVD to BluRay wasn't all that impressive. Kinda like a very good redbook DAC can almost fill the gap to a mediocre SACD player.

For what it's worth, the 2 channel audio is also better compared to the 981, making it a modification candidate for sure. As usual, it sounds better after some burn-in. 48 hrs from ouch to somewhat listenable.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Modwright has a solid state modification in the works for the Oppo BR83.
macdadtexas OP
1,794 posts
 
Tvad, that is good news. The chasis is so much bigger than the other Oppo's they should be able to do whatever they want. Then when they stop making BluRay discs a few years from now, the player will still be relevant for me.
More to discover