Since so many of us around the saloon also own at least one OPPO Digital product, I figured it would be good to take a minute to post a couple links to news about their next generation of players. OPPO has representatives at CEDIA this week with at least one prototype of two new players, the BDP-103 (replacement for the BDP-93) and the BDP-105 (replacement for the BDP-95).

So far I've only seen one real blog post about the players (Secrets blog post by Robert Kozel - go about half-way down to see the start of the OPPO discussion), but there have been a few other posts in forums from others who got a chance to see the players.

Hopefully the price point isn't too far from the current condition.

I wouldn't expect much difference. The BDP-103 will likely land at the same point that the BDP-83 and BDP-93 have occupied ($499). The BDP-95 went up some over its predecessor ($999 compared to $899 for the BDP-83SE) so I guess we could see a little movement again there, but I haven't heard any discussion of price anywhere yet - they may stay put at the current prices for both.

Maybe OPPO should consider making the 105 an ultimate player - include most of what the modders do (at a super high cost that excludes most of us). Oppo's purchasing power should make such a player much less expensive than the modders' products.

its DAC capabilities and headphone amp.

What types of mods are being done to the BDP-95/93 which can be actually justified vice just bragged about. Every review I have read on the 95 states that it is SOTA at any price and is generally used as the reference machine during reviews of other equipment. I don't believe OPPO will get into the esoteric snake oil changes that a lot of "audiophiles" seem to want to spend big $$$ on unless there is a real improvement.

I think the BDP-105 is already a reasonable "ultimate player" based on specs. The mods I've seen for the BDP-95 have struck me more as mods for the sake of modding than something that I would see as a meaningful improvement. Frankly, even if I could afford it, I wouldn't want to mod my BDP-95. Add in the feature improvements incorporated into the BDP-105 (HDMI, coaxial, optical, and USB inputs; elimination of cooling fan; etc.) and a generation of "lessons learned", and I would expect an even stronger aversion to modding the BDP-105.

Not to say that there won't be mods, because there will be. I just don't think that many (if any) of the mods will represent meaningful change that could benefit the stock design.

Add an amp and some room correction and its out the door HTIB.

Good one, XenonMan!

A friend that works for an A/V custom installation company told me that they just tried to order a BDP-93 for an install, only to be told that Oppo was out of those players and that the model had been discontinued. Not that the BDP-103 is ready, but this news indicates that it should be released sooner than later.