[Dishman442]

Dan,

Has the 203 ever hit your radar for modification?  Even if potential limitations might curtail the all out assault you did for the 205,  I bet there would be enough demand to make it feasible.  What say you?

James

[Phil A]

Dan,

Has the 203 ever hit your radar for modification?  Even if potential limitations might curtail the all out assault you did for the 205,  I bet there would be enough demand to make it feasible.  What say you?

James

Believe that was decided long ago that mods for the 203 wouldn't be offered.  Modwright doesn't even mod the 205 any longer - http://www.modwright.com/modifications/oppo-udp205-modification.php    (or the Sonica DAC -  http://www.modwright.com/modifications/oppo-sonica-dac-network-streamer-modification.php)  The Oppo models are over 4 years old, and, while Oppo still has limited support available, one would expect that to disappear in the near future.  The stock Panasonic 9000 is better than the 203 on video and audio (but of course won't play all the disc formats that the Oppo does) and for someone looking to upgrade a 203 is good (I sold my 203 and have the 9000 and liked it so much I bought the cheaper Panasonic 820 for video in 2 systems).

[Phil A]

btw - there are various mods being offered for the 203 - e.g. https://www.oppomod.com/   or   https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-linear-oppo-203.html   and tons more.  Note that Oppo hasn't announced when the end date will be for support for the 203 or other models - https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/4/3/17191912/hi-fi-audio-disc-player-oppo-digital-shut-down     

I'd expect that will be announced at some point in the future so doing a mod vs. just buying something like the Pioneer UHD LX-500 (which is still modded by Modwright) or the other option I noted previously (which would forego SACD or DVD-A playback).

[rbbert]

Where does one buy that Pioneer UHD?

[Phil A]

Best Buy may have them. Haven’t followed it as I went with the Panasonic players as I’m not into disc playback and basically just used them for video playback. Not sure if the chip shortage has impacted the availability.

[Audiosaurusrex]

Where does one buy that Pioneer UHD?

Got my LX500 from B&H Photo. Dan modded it to spectacular results! He might chime in as to whether it’s sonically an improvement over the Oppo line but I am very happy with mine 

[rbbert]

I don't think the Pioneer has been available for over 2 years.  Moreover, the company has both changed ownership and also the US distribution, so it is unclear if it will become available in the future.

[Phil A]

Apparently, this is the lateest on Pioneer distribution (at least that I could find) - https://investors.voxxintl.com/news-releases/news-release-details/voxx-international-corporations-subsidiary-premium-audio-company       It looks like Sharp will be the manufacturer going forward and it's not even clear what role, if any, Pioneer will have in future R&D. 

The problem with some things made in the far east, is that on some things they are made in various factories that produce a variety of electronics.  The production line might have been making microwaves the week before.  If they run out of a part they don't have, they sometimes may substitute something close to it.  That's why Rotel, a Japanese company (in business I believe since 1955), has its own factory in China.  I remember years back a manager of a stereo store (I knew) calling me into the sound room to listen to a $900 Adcom preamplifier that had gotten rave reviews.  He had two units.  One sounded great and the other not so great.  At another stereo store, they carried NAD and I was shown an amp, preamp and tuner that were all charcoal grey but of slightly different colors and it seemed apparent that perhaps they were made in different factories.

[eichlerera1]

It's a shame that the Pioneer UHD LX-500 is no longer available.
I was the first unit modded by Dan and it is a killer!
I added Bybees, ERS Paper, NOS Amperex Tubes, separate AC inputs for digital and analog and car noise insulating material.
I'll put this up against any OPPO unit in the free world....

[Phil A]

The above situation and similar ones (e.g. drives for disc players have limited lives and are only produced for a limited time frame) are what pushed me away from physical media (which I never thought I’d do) about a dozen years back. I buy downloads if possible and if that isn’t possible I’ll rip the disc (of whatever format) and as long as I have sufficient backups (I keep 4 in different spots) I don’t have to think about something becoming obsolete without being able to get parts. I still have disc spinners and use them for video primarily and if someone comes over and wants to hear a disc. I still have a Modwright solid state modded Oppo 83 in the main system connected to my DAC.