Oppo DV-980H review

A talented DVD player that also has some interesting audio capabilities, especially of interest to SACD devotees Tested at £160

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

You can pay less for a DVD upscaler this good, but the Oppo’s extras will ensure its appeal for some

Pros

  • +

    Fine DVD upscaling, unique SACD DSD capability

Cons

  • -

    Slightly awkward front-panel controls

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

The world's not exactly short of upscaling DVD players – you can buy one for £50. So anything costing much more had better tick a few boxes of interest to stand out from the pack.

The DV-980H, from Californian company Oppo Digital, makes a great first impression on emerging from the box by being a remarkably slim – it's just less than 5cm tall – universal machine. It's equipped to play SACD and DVD-A audio, and you can get hold of one for 198 euros (approx £160) delivered from Oppo's online shop in Sweden www.opposhop.com.

It has one attribute that sets it apart – it can deliver native direct stream digital (DSD) audio from SACD over its HDMI connection. Provided you have a receiver able to accept DSD (we used the Onkyo TX-SR875), it's a very attractive prospect for SACD devotees.

Great for upscaling and music
The Oppo is very good indeed as a cost-effective 1080p upscaler or as a music machine. Images are sharp, well detailed and free from noise , and if you have a mid-range TV of up to 42in or thereabouts, you'll find this is an excellent partner.

But it's the musical ability that sets this player apart. Like most machines of this kind it's merely adequate when playing CDs out through its analogue sockets; but it really shines when hooked up to a DSD-capable receiver and loaded with some good SACDs.

An oddball – but a fine spinner
To put it through its paces, we played some of the latest Linn Records releases through it, and it impressed with the depth, scale and detail of its sound, and the sheer musical flow on offer.

It's a bit of an oddball choice, this Oppo – it even has a USB 2.0 socket for playing files stored on portable devices – but if you're captivated by the idea of its SACD capabilities, you won't go far wrong here.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Read more about how we test