OPPO UDP-203 and UDP-205 now Roon Ready

[Sky-Watsher]

oppo203 does MQA ! i have it setup as my primcipal endpoint.

[Jim_F]

No, it does not. The Oppo 205 will do MQA if it is connected with USB input.

[Sky-Watsher]

@Jim_F this is my 203 through Ethernet

[Jim_F]

No, it should look like this. The Oppo 203 does not do MQA.

[ged_hickman1]

That’s just saying that roon has authenticated it as an MQA stream

[Rob_Crossland]

I’ve tried this very recently and it’s only when using Roon that the 5.1 gets downmixed to 2.0. My files are on a NAS and when I play them via the network menu on the Oppo they definitely play in 5.1 out of HDMI into my Marantz 6007. Saves scratching about searching for the disks with those 5.1 surround mixes. It’s a bit frustrating that I can’t use Roon as it recognises the files for what they are and lists them accurately but insists on downmixing them. It seems to me that Roon is introducing a downmixing stage that simply isn’t needed. If the Oppo is given direct access to the files without Roon ‘in the way’ they play fine. This doesn’t sound like an Oppo problem to me but I’m not a techie. It seems like Roon is just, for once, being a bit too clever. “Roon! Leave them files alone!”

[Paul_Hermans]

From the partners page.

“Due to technical limitations within these products, the audio interface available to the RAAT firmware is unable to support DSD or multichannel playback. OPPO is investigating a path forward, but as of now, we don’t know if or when these limitations will be bypassed.”

Since OPPO Digital has gone, you know the answer.

[BlackJack]

Feel free to read the thread and not just append to it. If you had done so, you would have come across:

OPPO UDP-203 and UDP-205 now Roon Ready

The official message from Oppo we were instructed to give when this multichannel limitation comes up: Due to technical limitations within these products, the audio interface available to the RAAT firmware is unable to support DSD or multichannel playback. OPPO is investigating a path forward, but as of now, we don’t know if or when these limitations will be bypassed.

[Rob_Crossland]

I’m afraid that I don’t know what RAAT firmware is. All I know is the the 203 happily plays back 5.1 FLAC files directly through my home network and I think it’s a shame that it won’t do this through Roon, that’s all. Please don’t tell me that the 203 doesn’t support multichannel playback over ethernet because I’ve been enjoying it for several days now. That may have been the case when the original notes were issued but it isn’t now. If I’ve replied in the wrong place, my bad. I ‘am’ new to this.

[BlackJack]

@Rob_Crossland

I’m afraid that I don’t know what RAAT firmware is.

The firmware release from OPPO that made the UDP-203 Roon Ready / integrated RAAT support in the UDP-203.

There is also a nice post that shows the available connection options and if they support 2-channel or multichannel with Roon. It’s made for the UDP-205, but I think it is the same for the UDP-203.

OPPO UDP-203 and UDP-205 now Roon Ready

Since the Oppo UDP-205 is very flexible in its connection options, a lot of the multi-channel limitations stated on this thread are ambiguous and I think a summery would help future buyers (I know the latest from Oppo leaving audio but still the UDP-205 will be available for some time). This is what I’ve gathered, correct me if I’m wrong: PC --> HDMI --> UDP-205 --> Analog out: 7.1 Supported PC with Roon --> HDMI --> UDP-205 --> Analog out: 7.1 Supported PC --> HDMI --> UDP-205 --> HDMI Ou…

[Leporello (David Liguori)]

@da_Choge

Unfortunately, multi-channel audio seems to be an endangered diminishing species that no mainstream manufacturer wants to save. Not too happy about that.

History repeating itself? The difference, though, is it’s alive and well for home theater.

[Frederick_Levick]

Would it be possible to add an external DAC to the 203 so that the it would decode MQA?

[Enrico_Castagnetti]

From Oppo 205’s website:

• MQA Support
  The latest firmware update to the UDP-205 adds MQA decoding to the UDP-205’s digital audio file playback. When a user navigates through music files using the UDP-205’s “Music” app, the player will be able to identify and decode files encoded with MQA. Listeners can enjoy the full benefit of MQA-encoded music with studio-quality sound.

Sorry, I didn’t realize you have a 203

[wklie (Peter Lie)]

If you wish to use the 203 coaxial output to another DAC, you get fully decoded MQA only from a MQA DAC that supports MQA decoding from SPDIF input (only a few do, e.g. Esoteric N-01XD).

[Frederick_Levick]

Can you translate that for me into terms an old man would understand? Would I need to get a DAC that is Roon Ready? How would I determine which DACs support decoding from a SPDIF input? Would Chord Qutest do this?

[wklie (Peter Lie)]

Actually even without additional purchase you can use Roon MQA Core decoder to play to your 203.

MQA decoding from SPDIF can usually only be found from the manual and/or specifications.

The brand you mentioned does not decode MQA.

[Frederick_Levick]

Yes I can use the OPPO and have the core do the first unfold, but it does not fully unfold the MQA file.

Am I mistaken that being Roon Ready requires ability to decode MQA?

[wklie (Peter Lie)]

@Frederick_Levick

Am I mistaken that being Roon Ready requires ability to decode MQA?

Roon Ready for non-MQA player does not require MQA to be supported when playing from Roon - Roon will do the first unfold.

Roon Ready for MQA player must support MQA decoding when playing from Roon.

[Jim_F]

You could simply purchase a Roon Ready DAC that is MQA capable. Connect it to your network with ethernet or WIFI and then directly to your sound system and leave the Oppo out of the equation.

[Frederick_Levick]

Have any recommendations? I was trying to get the biggest bang for the buck and thought the oppo could provide some functionality but I am in over my head.