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In any case both the 88.2 and 176.4 signals are internally reworked signals of the original layer. And therefor dependent on the used dac. I would suspect that the internals of a 250+ dollar machine would be inferior to the BDA3 (or Oppo205 for that matter) Though I've seen stranger things in audiophile country.
Taking the original into that superior DAC would be one's favorite then.
As always the proof is in the eating, and I will certainly try to arrange that anytime soon 
Cheers,
Marius
Marius, et al...
Some thoughts and experience with SACD & Oppo in a Bryston based system...
Most of my listening is CD, primarily classical and jazz, with selected performances from other genres. CD replay is via a BOT-1/BDP-2 to a good, non-Bryston (so far!) DAC. The balance of the chain is Bryston as well - BP17, 7B
3s, and Middle-Ts. For headphone use, I have a BHA-1 in the main HiFi. I attend live music frequently, and that is my primary point of reference.
Because I wanted to explore SACDs, which promise better reproduction, and many well-regarded classical recordings are available as SACDs (e.g. Alia Vox), I started exploring my options some time ago. I opted to purchase a Kanex HDMI de-embedder and a good DVD player as an experiment, without expending a lot of money. The DVD was a Pioneer Elite DV-58AV. I used the optical out from the Kanex, as that was the only available input on my DAC.
I was pleased with the improvement in sound vs the analogue output of the Pioneer, and it was better than the CD layer on most hybrid SACD discs (different mastering for the different layers may account for some variability.) The Pioneer downsampled the SACD to 88k2 for output on HDMI. As noted previously, some players will output 176k4. There is considerable debate about the merits of recording or playback of PCM sampling rates above 96/24. In fact Oppo has stated they chose 88k2 output because it was preferable, not because of hardware limitation.
When Bryston announced the BDA-3, I naturally lusted after it... and one of the reasons for my interest was the prospect of running full DSD64 via HDMI into the BDA-3. I don't usually jump in early when new products and technology come to market, but I have followed press and discussion closely.
Now for some of the complications... Bryston also released the BCD-3, which has raised the prospect of improved playback of the bulk of my library, which is rather large. I haven't taken full advantage of the BDP-2 for file-based playback, due largely to the horrors of the classical meta-data situation, and the uncertainty of provenance/mastering of much of the high-res downloads available. The thought of ripping my collection, and especially the need to massage the meta-data on a track by track basis is not appealing.
I also have a small number of Blu-Ray Audio and DVD-Audio discs, and I'd like to be able to listen to Blu-ray & DVD concert recording on the main HiFi, not just on the video system, which is good, but not up to the standard of the main HiFi. So, when the new Oppos were announced, I started following developments there. I already had very good experience with an Oppo 103D in the video system.
The introduction of the 203 & 205 naturally released some 103/105 series players into the secondary market at fair prices. I decided to purchase a used 103 for the music system, which would add Blu-ray capability, and improve various other aspects vs the Pioneer, which was starting to show its age. That worked out well, and I was happy.
I was still using the Kanex, and when an opportunity to try an upgraded DAC board and power supply for the 103 arose, I jumped in. The DAC was potentially similar to that used in the 105, and substantial claims were made about the benefit of the power supply. The end result was a significant improvement in audio quality, and I was very pleased, though it wasn't perfect - a very low level hum was introduced, related to drive activity, which I haven't resolved yet. It's only notable on headphones, but that is significant to me.
With the minor hum issue, the BDA-3 being a long-term goal, the BCD-3 nagging at me, and now the potential for the BP-17
3 to upset my equilibrium, I was still contemplating purchasing a 105, if one in suitable condition and reasonable cost came up. One did, and I bought it.
Another path to SACD nirvana that I had contemplated at length (I even made a failed purchase attempt), was a Marantz SA series SACD player. They have very good reputations, but are essentially single-purpose devices, and I was reluctant to add yet more boxes to the main HiFi.
I have only had the 105 a short while, but the results have been very encouraging. Yes, undoubtedly there is better, as a DAC, and as a SACD player. However, it is very good, and I got an immaculate unit, which had been used primarily for its non-disc capabilities, at a very fair price. I've also added DAC inputs in my system, which is good since I'd filled all the inputs of my current DAC and have use for more. Another advantage to having a 103 or 105 is that it is now possible to extract the hi-res audio from SACDs with a fairly straight-forward process using a player of that series. If one's DAC will process DSD files, as mine does, one can now play the hi-res audio directly, using one's DAC, even if it does not provide HDMI inputs, thus bypassing the restrictions imposed on SACD playback.
There is still a relative paucity of credible reviews and commentary about the audio merits of the Oppo 205 vs the 105, but so far the 205's audio plaudits are somewhat muted. The chap that sold me his 105 has purchased a 205, primarily for audio, and while it is too early to provide a final conclusion, he was not immediately convinced it was substantially better.
As well, although my feeling is that the technical quality differences of leading DACs in the Bryston's league are narrowing, differences in character remain significant. I prefer what I perceive to be a neutral presentation - not too euphonic, not too "HiFi", but rather a good likeness of real instruments in real space. Thus, the BDA-3 remains a goal.
Since I do not foresee my moving to UHD video for some time (I'm not very video driven, relative to my music/audio mania) the 205, while intriguing, goes beyond my needs for video, and it's not clear to what degree the 205 outperforms the 105 as a DAC, I'm happy where I've ended up. The 105 is acquitting itself very well, its character suits my music system and my tastes, the 103D is doing an admirable job in the video system, and the upgraded 103 will end up in the (home) office setup.
For substantially less cost than a 205, I've added high quality multi-format playback in two systems, and the Kanex will migrate to the video system, giving enhanced SACD playback there. The key is if you want to go down the UHD video rabbit hole (yet). The 105 is an extremely well-regarded unit, with much to offer, if you don't need the newer video capabilities.
Some operational notes... In my Oppos, you have the option of setting DSD or PCM output for SACDs. That has an modest impact on what you hear from the analogue outputs (I prefer the direct DSD conversion so far) and it also affects the digital output on HDMI. If you choose SACD-->PCM, HDMI is 88k2; if you choose DSD, the limitations imposed by Sony cause the Oppo to output 44k1. Both are sourced from the SACD hi-res layer or CD layer, depending on your choice of setup options in the Oppo (you have the option of choosing which layer to play with hybrid discs.) Decimation of the 1-bit hi-res digital bitstream, to 88k2 or 176k4, is a mathematically straight-forward process and in theory should not be too detrimental, but as with all things audio, the devil's in the details. Then it's on to the DAC (internal or external) to do the conversion to analogue, with whatever effect that has.
The BDA-3 offers the option of upsampling 44k1 material to 176k4, or 48k to 192k. That's an entirely different process, and should be evaluated based on the end result, comparing the original vs the upsampled output, with your own music. Some manufacturers don't give you the option of choosing, and I appreciate Bryston leaving it to us to decide for ourselves.
The Oppos all have two HDMI outputs, in the 203/5 one is for video, and the other just for audio, so if needed the video can be routed to your UHD video playback chain, and the audio to the the BDA3 or another audio processor. The 103/5 offer the same split audio/video mode, but both outputs will do video, albeit with different video processing. If you care about multi-channel audio (i.e. surround - more than two, up to 11.2!), it'd need to be handled by a system capable of that. With the recent introduction of UHD players, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos etc., equipment that can handle all the new audio & video capabilities is not common, and there are still many wrinkles to be worked out. I don't envy Bryston and other quality manufacturers trying to keep up in the audio-for-video processing space without compromising quality.
In the end, while we all strive for the best performance from our systems, we shouldn't lose sight of why we are doing this. It's to enjoy the benefits of great music, and if the end result is a compelling and enriching experience that enhances our lives, it doesn't matter how you get there. Playing music is the only meaningful way to assess the impact of any piece of equipment in our systems. Obsessing about the minutiae has its rewards, and its costs, but it's the music that counts.
Back to Bach...
Regards,
Syncytial.
