BDP3>DAC>SP3--Can't get 2Ch bypass to work

[moonhawk]

I have a new BDP3 and a new OPPO 205. Iam trying to get them to play nice with my SP3. I want to play 2ch music from the BDP through the DAC in the OPPO. I'm running USB from the BDP to the OPPO, and balanced interconnects out to the SP3. The SP3 is set to 2ch bypass.

I get no sound, but the BDP indicates it's playing the music selected. What am I doing wrong? Also, the BDP works great when connected to the SP3 directly by AES/EBU.

(The OPPO is set to USB audio input, and I'm using the USB port they indicate for connecting to a DAC.)

[John Jordan]

Dave-

This may sound silly but have you moved the component selector around on the SP3? CD to Tuner to Phono etc? I am not at all familiar with the Oppo but is there a setting when using it as just a DAC for another component? A "pass through" mode if you will.

[moonhawk]

Hi John-
Yes--I've set the SP3 to 2ch bypass. Don't know what else it might need.The only setting I could find for the OPPO in the book was input to USB Audio in. Manuals seem to be rather vague these days.

Thanks for the reply!

[moonhawk]

I got some of my issues worked out with oppo, but they tell me that the BDP may not have the necessary drivers to use the oppo as a 2ch DAC. I'm going to try posting the question in the BDP3 thread, as this one has seen so little activity.

[nicoff]

I hope that you can make it work.
The DAC in the Oppo 205 is better than the DAC of the SP3.
Have you checked if your Oppo 205 has the latest firmware?

[moonhawk]

Hi Nicoff--Thanks. Yes, after some struggle due to issues with"upgrading" the OS on my Macbook to Mojave, I have all the right drivers ,but no go running the usb from the BDP to the digital USB input on the oppo.

HOWEVER: I figured out I don't really need to.I bypassed the BDP entirely, and just set the oppo as my Roon endpoint. It worked perfectly, connected only by ethernet to the network, and balanced out to the SP3.

I need more time to evaluate the SQ, but I'm getting full Tidal and Roon functionality including full MQA hi-res unfolding, which is why I got the oppo in the first place--plus I needed a new movie player so I can upgrade my TV to 4K--(8K?).

Now if I can get the Roon Nucleus+ to work... It's been real tech hell around here for the last week.

Oh yes, and the oppo sounds fantastic so far.

[moonhawk]

One more thing--oppo support told me the BDP might not have the drivers to support the oppo. I thought a DAC was a DAC. Oh, well.

[nicoff]

Are you planning to replace the BDP-3 with the Oppo? I also own the SP3 and much prefer the DAC of the Oppo as that in the SP3.

[moonhawk]

Originally Posted by nicoff

Are you planning to replace the BDP-3 with the Oppo? I also own the SP3 and much prefer the DAC of the Oppo as that in the SP3.

Depends on if I can find some good reason to keep the BDP-3. Nothing comes to mind right away, since the oppo sounds so good, and serves multiple purposes. I'm always saving for new gear, and could use the bucks if I sell it.


I wish I'd known how well the the Oppo would work with Roon and tidal, and how great it sounds before I got the 205. I do 99% of my listening now with Roon/Tidal. MQA sounds really great. I'll do a lot more listening before I make a final judgement on iy. Found the MQA version of most of my favorite Van Morrison albums. He never sounded so good.

[nicoff]

Originally Posted by moonhawk

....
Depends on if I can find some good reason to keep the BDP-3. Nothing comes to mind right away, since the oppo sounds so good, and serves multiple purposes.
.....

I was wondering why you would still need the BDP-3 if you are not using the SP3 as a DAC. In my case, Roon sends the music to the Oppo. I then use the Oppo as a DAC. I connect the Oppo to the SP3 via analog XLR cables and listen via the SP3 in 2-channel bypass.