The Oppo BDP-105D (AU) Blu-ray player is an almost flawless device, but think hard before you buy it, writes Stephen Dawson.

The Oppo BDP-105D (AU) is the brand’s top of the line Blu-ray player. It features upgraded audio handling, weightier build and the ‘Darbee’ video processor. The bracketed ‘AU’ signifies that this is the Australian model, which means it defaults to 50Hz output when it’s not doing anything, and supports Region 4 DVDs and Region B Blu-ray discs.

All About It
The BDP-105D weighs a rather substantial 7.9kg. Thanks in large part to the solid build the disc tray opens and closes very smoothly, with the whir of the drive motor well suppressed.

In addition to the usual CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs, it will also play Super Audio CDs and DVD Audio discs and supports HDCD discs.

On the audio side there are many significant changes from the lesser models, starting with the use of a toroidal transformer (the circular shape reduces stray electrical fields) and including a proper headphone amplifier.

There are full 7.1 channel analogue audio outputs, plus separate stereo analogue audio outputs. The latter are provided both as regular RCA outputs, compatible with pretty much every amplifier, and also as XLR balanced outputs, suitable for use with some high-end amplifiers.

XLR balanced outputs reduce the amount of noise being generated in the analogue interconnects compared with RCA connections.

The unit packs two high-end 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9018 DACs. Each is capable of decoding eight channels of audio and that is what one is used for (it drives the 7.1 channel analogue outputs). But these can be configured to give even higher performance in stereo mode, which is what the other one is use for. It produces the analogue signal for the two channel outputs, including the headphone.

Oppo is a rarity in being able to share its capabilities with other devices. It has two HDMI inputs – one on the front panel – so that you can use its advanced video processing with output from other HDMI devices. The front panel one supports the ‘MHL’ standard which allows some Android devices to deliver full HD video and audio while being charged. You will need a special MHL/HDMI cable for this (available from the Australian distributor).

It also has a USB Type B socket (the squarish-sort you see on USB peripherals). Download a Windows driver (not required for Macs) and you can use this unit as a USB-DAC for your computer with support for up to 192kHz audio.

It has two HDMI outputs and offers full support for 4K (i.e. it can upscale) and 3D. The second HDMI output can be set to run vanilla video content. If you have a receiver that doesn’t support 3D, for example, you can connect HDMI 1 direct to your 3D display and HDMI 2 to the receiver. Your receiver will be able to decode the sound since it’s not being upset by a 3D video signal, while your TV will get the proper image.

The unit can upscale 720p24 video to 1080p24 rather than converting it to 1080p60 which is the norm. Since Oppo doesn’t limit its capabilities to particular sources, this worked equally well with the 720p24 MKV format video I streamed from my server as it did with 720p24 content on Blu-ray discs.

The unit offers a number of online streaming services, including YouTube, Pandora internet radio and the movie subscription service Quickflix. It is also a high capable media player, whether from plugged-in USB media or from media fed via DNLA over your home network. The on-screen interface is clear.

Most of the normal photo, video and audio formats are supported, plus some not so common ones, such as DSD64 (the SACD standard) and DSD128 (a newer higher resolution form of Direct Stream Digital). It is rare in playing multichannel FLAC files as well.

Picture and Sound Quality
Setting up this unit isn’t hard, but do note that it lacks the wizard that guides you through the setup of some players. Just follow the very clear and detailed instruction manual and there won’t be any problems. I tried the network connection both wired and using the included – and quite substantial – WiFi dongle, and both worked well and connected readily in my network.

The ideal use of this unit for the combined audiophile/videophile would be to run one of the HDMI outputs to a home theatre receiver and the stereo analogue outputs to a quality stereo amplifier. Want to listen to high quality stereo music from CD or SACD or perhaps streaming from the network? Just switch on the analogue system and get sound quality rivalling any high-end product on the market. Want to watch a movie? Then on goes the home theatre receiver.

Of course you can use the analogue outputs for multichannel sound as well, but I suggest this is a case of diminishing returns. But if your receiver supports eight channel analogue inputs and you’re up to connecting all the cables, try it for yourself. For me there was so much going on, and so much clarity from the quality multichannel music I was using, that the difference between the Oppo decoding 7.1 and my (admittedly high-end) receiver decoding 7.1 was indistinguishable.

With stereo on high quality stereo recordings, especially CDs, there was a slight increase in air and roundness in the stereo stage, and a touch more solidity in the upper bass when I used the Oppo to decode rather than the receiver.

There are two quite distinct aspects to the video performance: non-Darbee and Darbee. Let’s leave Darbee off for the moment.

As is pretty much always the case, with high quality 1080p24 Blu-ray discs, the quality was excellent, though not much different from any number of other players, there being no reason why there should be. When it comes to more difficult discs, though, this player shone. Those difficult discs are most Australian DVDs, and the occasional Australian Blu-ray disc (e.g. Pulp Fiction) which is encoded at 1080i50 rather than 1080p24.

With such discs the quality of the progressive scan conversion is very important. This player has a reasonably good automatic converter. It generally detected whether it needed to apply ‘Video’ or ‘Film’ type deinterlacing. But not always, and it was tricked by some of the ambiguous clips I use to test these things.

However, the player also has a setting so that you can force either ‘Film’ or ‘Video’ mode deinterlacing (full disclosure: at my request). The more useful option is usually ‘Film’. Select this with one of those 1080i50 movies and playback will be locked into the ideal deinterlacing mode, avoiding all picture degradation.

The Darbee processing is unique. It acts as a kind of picture sharpener and contrast extender, but works differentially in different parts of the picture. It seems able to identify the more important parts of the picture – presumably by means of relatively central placement and sharper focus – and does most of its magic on this. The result is greater perceived detail without the obvious artefacts caused by naïve sharpening and edge enhancement processors, and a more solid presentation due to the ‘stretching’ of contrast on those selected objects.

A dedicated key on the remote allows this to be switched on and adjusted very easily. It worked by far the best with high quality full HD content. With DVDs it could be problematic, especially with discs that had received some form of edge enhancement during preparation. Darbee tended to make the resultant picture degradations due to this even more obvious.

Conclusion
This is clearly a magnificent Blu-ray (and other disc) player. But stop for a moment before you may your purchase. Do you actually want this unit or, perhaps, the significantly less expensive BDP-103AU or BDP-103D model? The 105D costs a lot more and is primarily for someone who wants to use its digital audio decoding capabilities. If your plan is just to plug its HDMI output into your home theatre receiver and let the receiver do the decoding, then you’d be wasting your money.

Unless, of course, you want to use the USB input for high resolution audio from your computer, or listen through a high quality headphone amplifier. Or you just want to know that your disc spinner is capable of extremely high end audiophile performance whenever you want it.