Cambridge Azur 752BD and OPPO BDP-103D in the test

Blu-ray players like our two test candidates have developed over the past few years to become true Swiss officers of digital audio and video technology. The Cambridge Azur 752BD and the OPPO BDP-103D are the best in image and sound processing for performance and performance. Although many a cheap plastic player today is equipped with more “smart apps”, but this is simply about quality of image and especially sound.


Cambridge Azur 752BD (1,400 Euro)


Almost it seems forgotten: High-resolution digital audio started with the introduction of the DVD almost 20 years ago. Since the beginning, it has been able to transmit PCM stereo sound with 24 bits and 96 kilohertz, optionally up to 192 kHz. The standard resolution of Dolby Digital and DTS was 24 years before the introduction of DVD-Audio and SACD at 48 kHz. Traditionally, the decoder chips from DVD and Blu-ray players have always had high-resolution sound formats - and since the introduction of DVD-Audio and SACD, they have even been around 15 years ago in surround.


Oppo BDP-103D (820 euro)


So it's hardly surprising that there are some serious models, such as the Cambridge and OPPO players tested, which can play in the picture and sound, and in the extreme case can replace some traditional hi-fi devices.

Common features


Let's look at the capabilities of both devices. They are based on the same drive and motherboard.


Many inputs


First, they play all common disk formats from the CD via DVD video and audio via SACD to the 3D Blu-ray disc. The players even decode HDCD and all audio resolutions of all standardized formats from PCM via DSD to the codec packages from Dolby and DTS. Photos, music and videos can also be played on burned discs. All USB ports may also contain files from the memory stick or from a hard disk. The local network can also be a data source.


The integrated player not only detects Mediaserver, but also reads shared drives (NFS or SMB). Since the player is also registered as a UPnP / DLNA renderer in the network, you can also use external programs or apps to send data to the player, such as the Windows Media Player or any tablet or smartphone with apps such as UPnPlay or PlugPlayer.


If you have already built such a high-quality processor for image and sound, should also use other devices in the same system, the developers thought and built a few inputs to the player. Both models offer an HDMI input on the front and back. This allows you to use the high-end video booth also for external devices such as a satellite receiver.


The test team has also tried this, and it always amazes how much quieter, more detailed, clearer and crisp the TV picture is, above all, by standard definition channels. The 720p resolution of the public sector is also gaining on details on the screen of the test cinema, especially the OPPO.


But the players offer more HDMI tricks. The front HDMI input is MHL-compatible (Mobile High-Definition Link) for the direct connection of modern tablets and smartphones with HD picture and sound. Even the two HDMI outputs have a trick in stock with ARC (Audio Return Channel): If you use a satellite or cable receiver, which is installed in the TV, you get the digital sound into the player and its high-end D / A converters - and without additional cables. The Cambridge also offers one optical and one cinch digital audio input for additional digital sound sources.


Altogether this almost sounds like the functionality of an extended AV preamplifier, only with integrated streaming and Blu-ray player. In fact, both players can be used in this way, because the bass management with calibration possibilities and the comparatively finely adjustable analogue multichannel output allow the direct operation of amplifiers or active loudspeakers. Even the adjustable audio delay (Lip Sync) for the synchronization of picture and sound, the engineers thought (some purists practice it).