I was constantly coming across online reviews that fortune finally smiled at us – “No other device sounds better, no matter how much it costs”. So, I just had to check whether it’s true.

I bought it, tested it. And here’s what I have to say about it. The device is fairly good as a digital source. It’s able to read almost every format of sound and video. User-friendly. Good image. No claims in this respect.

But the analog sound was far from being impressive. There’s no arguing that the digital output is good – it really sounds fine, I compared it with 3000-5000 USD devices – not bad, but I’ve seen better.


The sound from analog output is not that great: harsh, foul, poor in timbre. Bearing in mind that I have been using upgraded Onkyo/Integra processors for a long time, the difference is evident. No need to harken.

That is why I made up my mind to study upgrade opportunities for Oppo BDP-105D.

I removed the top cover, looked inside, examined the circuitry. What did I see there?


I’d say that there is no circuitry. It’s just a beautifully arranged set of good-quality components. The circuit has obvious deficiencies. The Chinese assembly culture definitely leaves much to be desired.


What I decided to do. I did not alter the multichannel output, but put the frontal XLR and RCA outputs in order. The manufacturer installed an eight-channel ESS SABRE32 9018 for them. I left it alone – let it work. Then I had to remake almost everything in the analog part. Luckily, the existing board was suitable for my manipulations.

What can I say after my upgrade. Brightness and sharpness is gone. Tonal balance came to normal. Timbre balance became more remarkable. In general, I’ satisfied with the result.

Harmonic distortion	Modulation distortion

I decided not to go further in Oppo BDP-105D upgrade, as I have more interesting solutions on the basis of Onkyo/Integra processors. But those who don’t need multichannel and stereo sound of super-quality will surely appreciate this upgrade.

Author: Timur Sheykhov