Roon Nucleus with HDMI out to Oppo 203

Currently, I have Roon core loaded on my laptop and use RAAT to my Oppo 203. If I purchase a Nucleus or Nucleus+ and go HDMI out from the Nucleus to my Oppo 203, will Roon still see the Oppo 203 as a Roon end-point if it’s only connected via the HDMI from the Nucleus? The Nucleus will be connected to my network using ethernet.

Hi @Jim_F,

Per the Oppo website, the Oppo 203 can be used via Roon Ready and HDMI. So if you’re connected from the Nucleus via HDMI you’ll be able to choose either HDMI output or Roon Ready in Settings > Audio.

I need for the Oppo to use HDMI in from the Nucleus and HDMI out to Bose while acting as a Roon end-point from the connected Nucleus. Will it do this? I realize HDMI out will bypass the Oppo DAC. Thanks.

If it can’t, I’ll just connect both the Nucleus and Oppo using ethernet to each and won’t use HDMI from the Nucleus to the Oppo, although I think it should work and might be preferable.

Hi @Jim_F,

Just to verify — You want the Oppo to be taking two streams at the same time, one being passed to the Bose via HDMI and one being played as a normal Roon endpoint?

Or just the option to use one or the other?

No, I plan to purchase a Nucleus to run the Roon core. I want to connect the Nucleus to my Oppo 203 via HDMI. The Oppo 203 is my current Roon ready end-point. Then, I have HDMI out from the Oppo 203 to my Bose. Roon doesn’t see the Bose, but that’s my amp and speakers.

Currently, my Roon core is running on my Dell laptop. I use RAAT to my Oppo 203 which is the Roon end-point. Bose is connected to Oppo via HDMI.

So, only difference is I plan to move the Roon core from my Dell laptop to a Nucleus. Then, instead of using RAAT, I want a hardwired connection (HDMI) from Nucleus (Roon core) to Oppo 203 (Roon end-point). Question is will this work using the HDMI connection?

If that won’t work, it’s no big deal. I’ll just put the Nucleus next to my router and instead of next to my Oppo 203. Nucleus will be connected to network via ethernet, regardless.

Hi, it will work assuming there are no anomalies with HDMI. But you lose MQA if that matters. It makes sense if you use the Oppo as a hub, but you could potentially go direct to Bose!

Hi!
My roon core is running on a Windows machine, but I have an Intel NUC with ROCK installed on it (what a Nucleus also is using as OS I think). This NUC I use as roon endpoint. My Oppo 205 is connected via USB (for MQA) to the NUC and via HDMI (for multichannel) to the NUC. In the roon audio settings I have 3 audio outputs for my Oppo: Ethernet, USB and HDMI. All three work without problems. You wont be able to use both (Ethernet AND HDMI) at the same time, as the Oppo can only deal with one input at a time.

Chris

Yes, I could go HDMI from Nucleus to Bose. However, I currently have RCA out from Oppo to Sennheiser headphones for listening to 24/192. At least I think that’s what I’m getting. Sometime in the future I want to get an amp and speakers to connect to the Oppo RCA out.

If the Oppo acts as a hub then cool. It makes perfect sense.

I don’t know what a hub is in this situation. It is my Roon end-point.

Who, if anyone, in the Atlanta, GA, USA area sells the Roon Nucleus. If nobody, I will order from Moon Audio. Thanks.

I ordered directly from Roon.

While HDMI from Nucleus to Oppo 203 works perfectly well, I just ordered a switch and two 3 foot ethernet cables. I’m going to try ethernet to both Nucleus and Oppo 203. I’m not expecting any difference in SQ, but I’m hoping I can view Roon on my LG 65C7P OLED that is wired to the Oppo 203.

I have the Ethernet connection to the OPPO 205 and it does display the OPPO version of the Album art and track information on the connected TV if that is what your after. The sound between the HDMI connection and the Ethernet Roon Ready connection if different. I can’t say why but it sounds better to me. I still use the HDMI connection for multi-channel.

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I got the ethernet connection installed and it sounds great. I guess the difference is with ethernet it’s stereo and with HDMI it’s playing out of all 5 speakers.

Yes, Stereo only is a downside of the Ethernet Roon Ready pairing with the OPPO. If OPPO had not pulled out of the player market perhaps the interface would have been multi-channel by now.

With Ethernet it does have the sub channel, the USB/DAC interface does not. My speakers are not good enough to trade MQA for subs.

Ethernet does provide the OPPO version of the now playing screen with HDMI out to your TV.

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I actually prefer stereo for most music listening.

I would like to have one zone that will play everything Roon can send to it. MQA, DSD, PCM, Multi-channel, Stereo, whatever. And play the files as recorded in the original format. No converting DSD to PCM, No down-mixing channels, etc. I think that is why I’m leaning towards the e38 MKII with the Roon Ready streamer that Kal mentioned previously. But I will continue to be happy with what I have for awhile.

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Got a question that’s kind of related here. My Oppo 203 is connected by HDMI to my Marantz receiver, which then goes to my amps and speakers. Can I connect a Nucleus (or other Roon server such as Sonic Transporter) by ethernet to the 203 and have it pass the signal on through the chain successfully? I know the 203 is a Roon endpoint, but I don’t think the Marantz is. Does that create any problem? Just want to make sure before I order a server.

Yes, I have my Oppo 203 connected to my Nucleus with both ethernet and HDMI. I have the Oppo set up in Roon twice and can use either connection.

When you go HDMI from your Oppo 203 to Marantz receiver, you are bypassing the Oppo DAC and using the Marantz DAC. The only way to use the Oppo 203 DAC would be to go RCA out of the Oppo to an amp and speakers without converting back to digital.

I go HDMI out of my Oppo 203 to a Bose sound system. While it sounds great, I am not getting the benefits of the Oppo DAC and am using the Bose DAC. This is why I hope to someday purchase an amp and passive speakers to connect via RCA from my Oppo 203.