Attack of the Clones Revisited

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macrojack

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #1 on: 15 Jan 2010, 09:17 pm »
Thanks, Dan. I could never have encapsulated the experience and benefits of High End Audio so neatly as your example does. 
I have a recently purchased OPPO BDP-83 which I like very much. I'm going to give it TAC certification and hold onto my $3000 for a TAS/THX approved HDMI cable. I don't want to short myself in that all important area.

It occurred to me some time back that a lot of audio upgraditis is driven by concerns about what we may be missing. There is much too little notice made of what we already have.

zybar

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #2 on: 15 Jan 2010, 09:28 pm »
WOW!!

Shame on Lexicon for what they are doing!   :nono:

I can safely say that I will never purchase one of their products.

Good job Audioholics.   :thumb:

George

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #3 on: 15 Jan 2010, 09:41 pm »
It occurred to me some time back that a lot of audio upgraditis is driven by concerns about what we may be missing. There is much too little notice made of what we already have.

I also came to this same conclusion and a few others in the summer of 2006 and it has made all the difference in my audio world.

The OPPO is on my short list if the whole Blu-ray thing keeps its legs.

Thank goodness they got caught, wish we could catch some others.  I know many people love to complain about XYZ cheap, off shore gear but I know there's some rebranding going on there too.  Sadly, it's only going to get worse.

Russtafarian

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #4 on: 15 Jan 2010, 10:28 pm »
Cary Audio did the same thing a few years ago when they they dropped a $150 Oppo DV-970 into a new chassis with an aluminum face plate and charged $1,200 for the DVD-8.  I think the 8 stood for 8X markup for the chassis and Cary name.

When Oppo discontinued the DV-970 a while back, the DVD-8 also mysteriously went out of production.

I asked Dennis Had about the Oppo/DVD-8 connection at an audio society meeting last year.  He would only say that Cary DVD players were produced by Cary Audio East in Hong Kong.

Russ

bummrush

Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #5 on: 16 Jan 2010, 12:08 am »
  All of it just to make a buck,pretty f-in sad

Big Red Machine

Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #6 on: 16 Jan 2010, 12:36 am »
ballsy

srb

Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #7 on: 16 Jan 2010, 12:46 am »
I think I would have at least tossed out the Oppo chassis and mounted the transport and boards directly in the new chassis.  Then to back up my claim, I would have upgraded a handful of power supply and other parts.
 
It still wouldn't be worth the extra cost, but at least I wouldn't be standing there with my pants down the first time someone had a look inside.
 
Steve

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #8 on: 16 Jan 2010, 01:25 am »
Lexicon also saves on tech support costs, they can just email Oppo a question. Heck just drop in another BDP-83 in the BD-30 chassis and it's fixed in less than 24 hours.

Wayne

turkey

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #9 on: 22 Jan 2010, 06:03 pm »
Lexicon also saves on tech support costs, they can just email Oppo a question. Heck just drop in another BDP-83 in the BD-30 chassis and it's fixed in less than 24 hours.

Wayne

Actually, when things are done like this, the company that sells to the consumer normally provides all support.

It's like with a Seagate hard drive used in a Dell or Apple computer. Seagate is the OEM, and gives Dell or Apple a discounted price for the drive. The consumer is then expected to contact Dell or Apple if there are problems.

In a lot of cases, the OEM won't even talk to the consumer. They just refer you to Dell or whoever. They also won't directly cover the warranty on the item; you have to go to Dell for that.

So, Lexicon might go to Oppo in a few cases for support, but in most cases Lexicon is the one expected to handle things. (They could possibly have a different deal with Oppo where Oppo is on the hook for most support, but that would be unusual.)

rollo

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #10 on: 22 Jan 2010, 07:05 pm »
  It is a business. Some Manfs do the right thing some do not. Buyer beware. Thanks Dan for the exposure.
  Which raise another question. How many Manfs actually make their own CDPs ? Cannot we say the same for ICE based amps? Even with some minor mods the prices are quite high for some. Live and learn.
 

charles

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #11 on: 22 Jan 2010, 07:34 pm »
With all this talk about the Lexicon, it is given Oppo a lot of great exposure. I am even very interested in picking one up (the Oppo that is).

 I know a lot of manufacturers are doing this with Chinese manufactured products. I think it is rude and disrespectful for companies to be benefiting just because of their name.

There are some out there that are using stock machines as a platform and then giving them a substantial, and hopefully justifiable, upgrade which is some cases is worth further looking into.

The problem is we simply do not know who is doing what because nobody will admit what they are doing.

rollo

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #12 on: 22 Jan 2010, 07:39 pm »
Good point Dan. I'm buying an OPPO as well.


charles

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #13 on: 22 Jan 2010, 07:48 pm »
I have a BDP-83.  It's absolutely a steal for the money IMO. 

Bryan

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #14 on: 22 Jan 2010, 08:36 pm »
Lexicon also saves on tech support costs, they can just email Oppo a question. Heck just drop in another BDP-83 in the BD-30 chassis and it's fixed in less than 24 hours.

Wayne
Actually, when things are done like this, the company that sells to the consumer normally provides all support.

It's like with a Seagate hard drive used in a Dell or Apple computer. Seagate is the OEM, and gives Dell or Apple a discounted price for the drive. The consumer is then expected to contact Dell or Apple if there are problems.

In a lot of cases, the OEM won't even talk to the consumer. They just refer you to Dell or whoever. They also won't directly cover the warranty on the item; you have to go to Dell for that.

So, Lexicon might go to Oppo in a few cases for support, but in most cases Lexicon is the one expected to handle things. (They could possibly have a different deal with Oppo where Oppo is on the hook for most support, but that would be unusual.)

Sorry, my post was ambiguously worded. I was thinking that since Lexicon did not develop the player or write the software then they did not have to spend any funds writing the trouble shooting manual for tech support, they probably received the manual as part of the deal. In all likelihood, Lexicon contacts Oppo's tech support for complicated issues, but in most cases it would be cheaper for Lexicon to just drop in a new BDP-83 than pay for more than the most basic problem solving.

gerald porzio

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Re: Attack of the Clones Revisited
« Reply #15 on: 22 Jan 2010, 09:07 pm »
Given Lexicon's DNA, if they survive this scandel, the cable biz is a perfect fit for them.