Product review: OPPO UDP205 Blu-ray Player

Oppo builds on the incredible UDP203 platform with the new UDP205, but do the upgrades truly live up to the claims…

As strange as it seems when compared to last year, we now live in a world with a multitude of 4K players all vying for our attention. From Sony to Panasonic everyone has one, but it was Oppo UDP203 that really lit up the stage and showed just how good 4K could look. Not one to rest on their laurels, Oppo has released the UDP205 which looks to be the same and then so much more.

If you’ve read Garrett’s lovely review of the UDP203 you already know about how much care and attention Oppo put into their products and the UDP205 is no different. Oozing class straight out the box and offering such a cornucopia of attachments and functionalities that I barely know where to start….but I will try.

Connection wise, you’ll be looking at dual HDMI outputs, one of which is version 2.0 for 4K pass-through and one purely for audio if you’re running an older AV receiver. It also has a solitary HDMI version 2.0 input primarily designed to be used with streaming devices (meaning you can upgrade your streaming system whilst still keeping the UDP205 as your physical medium player) but it can also be used to loop through HDMI signals if you’re running low on inputs on you TV or AV receiver.

On top of HDMI connections, it also has more audio connections then I’ve ever seen on a Blu-ray player, giving you not only 7.1 channel analog audio out, but also a separate 2.1 stereo out via RCA and balanced XLR, both of which run on the duel ES9038PRO DAC chip hidden within. It has an asynchronous USB input that can support sample rates of up to 768 kHz PCM and DSD 512, meaning you can connect your computer up and play any stored music you have. It also has the ability to both input and output digital coax and digital optical. To end the list of connections it also has two 3.0 USB slots on the back and one 2.0 on the front, all perfect for plugging in any memory sticks you may have with righteous tunes on.

Honestly, the amount of audio outputting the Oppo can do is insane. The addition of a specific headphone amp and HDMI audio jitter reduction by utilising a high-stability, high-precision HDMI clock and a special jitter reduction circuit means sound has never been so clear. This is definitely one for the audiophiles among us.

Whatever the source, you can output the sound pretty much any way that’s possible.

In regards to playback, it boasts the ability to play practically anything you can think of, including 4K Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, DVD, Audio CD, SACD and DVD audio disks. It can also decode HEVC, H.264, VP9 4K, and Hi10P video codec’s for compatibility with user-made content.  It offers HDR10 support and will at some point be compatible with Dolby vision, after an upgrade has been made available. This playback ability is boosted even more by the OP8591 quad core process0r which offers probably the most advanced image decoding of any current 4K Blu-ray when compared to other processors.

Moving on to build quality, the unit is one of the most robust units that has ever been built, coming out the box with a brushed aluminium front panel and metal chassis. The chassis itself is double layered, giving it more vibration cancelling qualities. Internally it utilises a toroidal transformer for superior power efficiency whilst also having separate power supplies for digital and analog circuitry to eliminate almost all interference.

Of course, what is a player without the visual itself, and the Oppo takes expectations of what a 4K Blu-ray can be and turns them up to another level. Not only does it take standard 1080p video and make it look like you’re watching 4K but when you run actual 4K and let it run at HDR10 you’re treated to an insane picture with a colour gamut that’s a wonder to behold and contrast, brightness and resolution that really makes you appreciate how far we’ve come with visual medium in the last few years.

I’ll finish by saying that a premium TV really deserves to be paired with a Blu-Ray of the same caliber, and when you’re in the upper echelons of screen technology there is no company better suited than Oppo to deliver you the perfect picture. That being said there are always alternatives and if you pop into store or give us a ring we’ll be more than happy do go through just what’s best for you.

Click to find out more about the Oppo UDP205.

Author: Hal, Plymouth store