From a fellow (ex)obsessor…
Just let the kit do its thing over time and enjoy the process.
Burn ins a real thing with new kit…let it be.
gazjam, Afraid you missed the point on this one.
Maybe get a more technical answer to your question on an Oppo forum Gene, as it’s quite specific to that unit?
Im not aware of how the Oppo works with regards to its outputs myself, my experience with the Oppomod card was it sounded great right away.
The Oppomod card connects to the internal dac’s ribbon cable, so that could be a starting point?
With my unit, I fitted a new HDMI cable at the same time, so didn’t think about burn in knowing the canle was a factor too.
Got better sounding after a couple of weeks, was it the card or the cable who knows.
As I said though, sounded great from the get-go.
Mine is only 13 days in, including settling time. Waiting for it to come down to earth. Hearing first signs hopefully. Should be able to report in another week to ten days.
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Look forward to that.
(moved by me to new thread - I2S sound: What to expect?
Just to be clear: does the Oppomod card work with the 205? The site only lists 103/203. Thanks.
Id assume 203 only as its what the website says?
Worth contacting Jaehong at Oppomod to confirm though, hes a good guy and will respond.
Let us know what you find. I would have thought 205 too, since the digital sections are virtually identical, but what do I know.
I checked with Jaehong direct and this is what he said: (which I didn’t find particularly helpful)
“ HI!
oppo 205 and 105 (d) have good dac boards.
so it is not so much needed to extract to i2s signal out of oppo 205 and 105 (d).
If some want to extract i2s signal, much cheaper oppo 103(D) and 203 are better cjoice.
And there internal signaling is a little different.
so buy used OPPO 103(d) you really want to extract to i2s signal out.
i can make the best CD/SACD transport machine from oppo 203 and 103(d).
best regards
Jaehong”
I don’t know your set up, but assuming a DS dac, my question back to him is what if you’re not using the 205’s dac section, just the digital?
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His English isn’t the best Steve, so an extra layer of interpretation is sometimes required.
He’s coming from a good place though.
Long story short, no i2s board for the 205.
Hear him on the improved Dac in the 205, but doesn’t really answer the question!
Digital output wise, only difference re: 203/205 is the Dac.
I.e. no difference digitally.
Which in Jaehong’s roundabout way of saying…is the same thing.
(I think!)
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Yes, it wasn’t helpful because I want the DSD and hi-res digital steam out of the Oppo.
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It’s been awhile… I and someone else had commented about the DSD output being very atmospheric and, at least in my case, emphasizing the top end if not a bit bright. In late November, I picked up the Purist Audio Design Neptune s/pdif cable and their (copper and inexpensive) HDMI cable to use with the Oppomod I2S card. Now that they are well on the way to being burned in, I can say both not only represent substantial improvements over the Snake River Boomslang and PS Audio I2S-12 in my system, but also the differences between the two routes narrowed considerably when playing non dsf files. While the nature of the spatial difference hasn’t changed, now some music sounds better with one or the other, and with some the difference is too close to call. In general, the atmosphere makes the HDMI/I2S route more “exciting” or alive. If the recording is on the bright side, the HDMI cable will still be somewhat unbearable and I’ll switch. Interesting is that at a low-moderate volume, the I2S route is better, but when I jack up the volume about four or five clicks on the DS, the difference with the s/pdif pretty much disappears; that is, the latter becomes fuller.
The Oppomod board quit on me a couple of days ago. Opened the 203’s case today and discovered that the HDMI port had come completely loose from its soldered bearings (it had become tilted up its opening). Since I had only plugged and unplugged an HDMI cable into it two or three times, on first install and then changing cables Nov 27, this seemed odd. Even more so considering that I have had HDMI cables in and out of the external board, DS dac and Oppo dozens of times without problem. Of course, Jaehong is claiming I was too rough and wants me to have it soldered, which given the distance is the easiest first step in any case. But given that this is the second HDMI/I2S board that has been defective, caveat emptor.
Update: After a further exchange of emails, Jaehong backed off the accusation.
I have a question, looking at the HDMI port and identifying why the Oppomod card stopped working: What is the purpose or goal of soldering it to the board in terms of functioning, beyond stabilization? That is, if its four legs are pushed down fully so that the 18 strips or pins on the port touch those on the board, shouldn’t the needed electrical connection be made? If so - and that’s what I did in checking - then how could the HDMI port be the culprit?
Can’t help specifically with your issue, but were you swapping hdmi cables in and out a lot?
Any soldered connecter on a pcb can be fragile, prefer just to plug the cable in and leave it.
Just a thought.
No. Twice at install and once on Nov 27 when I changed cables. Changed HDMI cables many times with the ebay external box, DS and Oppo w/o problems. Shoddy soldering job.
I’m also trying to figure out what kind of solder used, lead, tin, silver, etc. Hopefully, Jaehong will let me know.
Update: Jaehong just sent word not to worry about solder, a replacement is on the way.
Good you got a replacement, but if it were me I’d have gave Jaehong a chance to remedy the issue first before stating “shoddy soldering” on a public forum?
Just a thought.
Issues can happen to any manufacturer, large or small, it’s how they deal with them as they come up that counts.
Sounds like he’s been happy to address your issue quickly, I’d say great customer service.
Wonder if he reads this thread?
If it is shoddy, it is shoddy.
How the manufacturer/distributor responds is a different matter.