Oppo's BDP105 - discussions, upgrading, mods...

Hi Coris

I have a OPPO BDP-103 which I have upgrade a little.

1) I have change the IEC power inlet to a Furutech NCF IEC power inlet, plus 230V power the cables is also changes to Cobber/Silver cables.
This has improved the sound a little, there is more power on the colors :)
2) I just ordered a linear power supply, which I expect a lot from.

I did "only" buy a BDP-103 because I use an external Hi-fi DAC, so sound quality out of the analog side does not interest me.
I use the optical output into my DAC.

I was wondering if I could improve the picture quality further by replacing some of the clocks to reference clocks in the BDP-103.

Which clock would you recommend to upgrade if I chase /go after picture quality?
1) The 27MHz for the main processor.
2) The 20MHz for the HDMI Marvel chip.
3) Both.

If you say 3) both could you give a short example on what to expect for each clock upgrade ?

I have added a link to the clock which I already have and intend to use.

NewClassD Neutron Star

Thanks in advance :)

Br
Jacob Land Jensen
Denmark
 
Member
Joined 2009
Paid Member
Hi Jacob

Both clocks should be replaced. The original ones are only resonators, driving a PLL inside the chips. The overall result of replacing these clocks is an improved picture quality (more fine details, less noise, improved colours and contrast, richer tonal range). Also the linear power supply for main board is a important factor for improvements.
Also for the best picture improvement is investing in the new model 203 (+ new clocks, and linear PSU)...
 
Last edited:
Hi Coris


Thank you for feedback!


I don't need the analog stage, so I got the idea to disconnect its power and the flat cable to the main board.
This way do I minimize power consumption, heat and unneeded noise in the OPPO.


I could also use the +15V for powering the clocks, they run best at +15V :)


Do I destroy / disable any of the other function by disconnection the analog stage ?


Br
Jacob Land Jensen
 
Hi Coris


I am not going to upgrade my OPPO BDP-103, because I had a accident :(
I was trying to dismount the plastic clips for the "radiator" on the main processor and then my screwdriver slipped and did cut a lot of copper lanes to the HDMI connectors :(


Is your LPM for the OPPO BDP-203 commercial or have you only made for your self ?
If the LPM are commercial could you give me a hint where I could buy one in Denmark?


As upset as I am do I like to see the good things is life, so now do I have the opportunity to get an OPPO BDP-203 even I don't have a 4K TV jet I dont want another BDP-103 even I liked the machine a lot :)


Br
Jacob Land
 
I have been monitoring the group for what seems like forever and observed many excellent contributions. This one may be of interest since it is another essentially zero cost upgrade.

My BDP-105 main board developed an HDMI switching issue and I ordered a replacement board from OPPO. to R&R this board, you must pull out most of the other boards, pretty easy to do just a lot of screws. I noticed that all pads on the PC board were ground points and being a long-time believer in removing them I decided to buzz out which were redundant. Answer: almost all of them [top and bottom].

As I replaced each of the boards, I added electrical tape over these ground-loop causing pads and reinstalled the boards.I also isolated the RCA output jacks in a similar manner [tape on the ground pads and the outside of the chassis]. This keeps the pads and the screws from causing another ground loop.

Checking the pads on the digital power supply PC board yielded exactly the same results [the pad closest to the power inlet is the culprit here]. Taping the pad and not installing the screw is the option I chose for this one. Plus moving the ground wire of rear of the IEC socket from the chassis to the last screw nearest the rear panel onthis same digital PC board [opposite the now removed screw] puts the chassis ground at the same potential as the digital supply ground as the power inlet ground. This ground IEC ground wire must be lengthened since its current length will not allow it to reach its new location.

The results were mind blowing. First, the video blacks were plasma-like on my Samsung F8000 TV. This made a huge impression on my wife, the one who assures that my tweaks were real as opposed to the "It must be better because I did it" syndrome. Second, the sound - well, the sound stage is massive, pinpoint detailed, and highly articulated. The difference in the size of the sound stage between well produced studio recordings and a live recording is shocking and immediately noticeable. For example, when playing a well recorded organ piece in a cathedral I could close my eyes and see where each of the ranks were positioned L-R, F-B, T-B, and when the doors opened and closed [could hear a slight slapping also]. Well made studio recordings - Dire Straits "Fade to Black" - produced some of the most accurate reproductions of Mark Knopfler's guitar I have only heard on systems with astronomical price tags.

You must give this mod a shot if you do nothing else to your OPPO. I can say with good certainty that any of the OPPOs ever made would respond in similar ways - search out and remove those nasty ground loops!
 
I have been monitoring the group for what seems like forever and observed many excellent contributions. This one may be of interest since it is another essentially zero cost upgrade.

My BDP-105 main board developed an HDMI switching issue and I ordered a replacement board from OPPO. to R&R this board, you must pull out most of the other boards, pretty easy to do just a lot of screws. I noticed that all pads on the PC board were ground points and being a long-time believer in removing them I decided to buzz out which were redundant. Answer: almost all of them [top and bottom].

As I replaced each of the boards, I added electrical tape over these ground-loop causing pads and reinstalled the boards.I also isolated the RCA output jacks in a similar manner [tape on the ground pads and the outside of the chassis]. This keeps the pads and the screws from causing another ground loop.

Checking the pads on the digital power supply PC board yielded exactly the same results [the pad closest to the power inlet is the culprit here]. Taping the pad and not installing the screw is the option I chose for this one. Plus moving the ground wire of rear of the IEC socket from the chassis to the last screw nearest the rear panel onthis same digital PC board [opposite the now removed screw] puts the chassis ground at the same potential as the digital supply ground as the power inlet ground. This ground IEC ground wire must be lengthened since its current length will not allow it to reach its new location.

The results were mind blowing. First, the video blacks were plasma-like on my Samsung F8000 TV. This made a huge impression on my wife, the one who assures that my tweaks were real as opposed to the "It must be better because I did it" syndrome. Second, the sound - well, the sound stage is massive, pinpoint detailed, and highly articulated. The difference in the size of the sound stage between well produced studio recordings and a live recording is shocking and immediately noticeable. For example, when playing a well recorded organ piece in a cathedral I could close my eyes and see where each of the ranks were positioned L-R, F-B, T-B, and when the doors opened and closed [could hear a slight slapping also]. Well made studio recordings - Dire Straits "Fade to Black" - produced some of the most accurate reproductions of Mark Knopfler's guitar I have only heard on systems with astronomical price tags.

You must give this mod a shot if you do nothing else to your OPPO. I can say with good certainty that any of the OPPOs ever made would respond in similar ways - search out and remove those nasty ground loops!

Hello. It is really interesting! Could you take photos of your improvenents?
 
Hindsight is always 20-20 and I did not take any when the mod was performed [wish I had]. At this time, I cannot do so until I get ready to tear into it again. But a cheap multi-meter is all that is needed to buzz out the redundant grounds.

I used the Audio + and - grounds on the edge connector as the reference points for the audio boards and the digital ground edge connector for the digital boards.

BTW, the multi-channel RCA jacks are already isolated on the inside of the rear panel. Someone understood how these grounds were causing audio degradation. Too bad they didn't do the same for the stereo audio RCA jacks at the factory.
 
One probe to the PC board trace then put the other probe on the Audio + ground and then move that probe to the Audio - ground to assure that neither are redundant.

Thank you! I'll try to make this mod.
As far as I understood, now you have only one ground point for all boards?
Or you leave only one ground screw, closest to the rear panel, for each board?
 
One ground point for all boards. It's knows as a single-point ground, an old [circa 1970s] approach used in medical electronic equipment to keep eddy currents from forming.

Just imagine how much care must be taken to avoid such stray currents when an electrode from a device is placed on the heart or brain and the stainless steel table on which a patient is lying is connected to ground. One saline splash, one exposed body portion to this ground creates a return path to that device. A few milliamperes can cause irreparable damage and even death.

Now apply this concept to audio where ground currents recombine in random ways over whatever distance they travel through these multiple ground paths caused by these PC board screws. The electronic effect is phase smearing and increased noise [lower signal-to-noise ratio].

This identical effect is present in PC boards where computer layout programs do not account for the route of the ground path. Most programs [and universities] focus on the signal path and ignore the ground path. This same assumption was made with tube electronics and old automobiles where any convenient bare-metal was presumed to be a valid ground point.

If you want to lower noise, look at these grounds and study the paths they take. If there is a loop, just eliminate a path and the noise floor improves. In the past I have gone so far as to trace out the routes so-called ground planes take through in a PC board and are amazed at how many there are [on one I stopped counting at 100].

An Xacto knife lifting a trace segment creating a small gap is all that is needed. And if you make a mistake, you can always "put it back" with a solder bridge. But your multimeter will tell you that once the trace is cut and the reading goes to infinity.

This mod does not eliminate all ground loops, just the ones caused by the improper PC board grounding. And newer electronics use multi-layered boards so finding all of the built-in ground loops on such a PC board may not even be possible.

This mod is simple and it works. It costs pennies worth of parts and maybe as much as a few hours of your time. Plus it is simple to undo if you do not like the results but I can pretty much assure you that you will love it.

Remember that the RCA jacks on the stereo audio board also need tape on the chassis both internal and external [screw head isolation]. It wouldn't hurt to slightly enlarge these same screw holes holding the RCA jacks in place on the chassis to reduce the possibility of a ground through a misaligned mounting screw. DO NOT ENLARGE THE HOLES ON THE PC BOARDS since they may provide a path between the top and bottom traces.

Good luck and remember to take pictures and post your results.
 
Last edited:
Question on diodes Oppo 105d

Hello everybody
A question about Oppo 105d
I have read here on the forum in various posts and even on the web in general.
There, I have noticed that changing the power supply diodes on the analog card can make a difference to the sound.
I have a good idea of ​​how the switch should be made and thought to start with this because I use Oppo mostly for music.
Against this, I am very very uncertain of the diodes and values ​​of these I will use. There is a plethora of everything.
The posts and articles I have read are a few years old now and I do not know if it might have come up with something newer / better to use.
If there is anyone out there who can advise me and share their experience of this change, I would be very grateful.
It is also very interesting to hear what the outcome of the change was.
If you have pictures on it, please feel free to post them. As you understand the text, I'm a newbie, but I can solder and screw.
What exactly this seems to be about.
(Well, I heard the news, there's good rockin' tonight.)
Thank you all.
 
Member
Joined 2009
Paid Member
Well, I am not very sure about how much noticeable improvement, the only replacement of the rectifier diodes, it may bring in this case. However, this is only a part of an improvement process (which it is more extended for the real and obvious results).

You can use Schottky diodes of 3-4A, and relative low voltage rating (40-60v). Such parameters it may also provide small enough component dimensions. Just cut the original diodes from their terminals, and solder the new one on that remaining terminals. Unsoldering/removing the original diodes from the board, it is not very easy, and it may damage the copper planes.
 
Last edited: