New HDMI I2S Input module!

Official - Updates
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Does Oppo output I2S signal?

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Oppo 205 does not but there is a hardware mod for the 105 to do so

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Turns out they do not output the DSD signal.

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this is description of the hardware mod that can capture DSD out of an Oppo 105

2S Card Upgrade - $220

*This is add on card which extracts the I2S signal from OPPO’s internal digital audio data and transfers via HDMI to the I2S input of DAC’s such as the PS Audio DAC.

With this upgrade all digital audio signals, including SACD and DSD, can be transfered to the outside of the OPPO BD player (These signals can not be transmitted by a normal S/PDIF coaxial or optical output).

Currently, there are no standards for transmitting these I2S signals, but many manufacturers are following the PS Audio standard. This specification uses the HDMI terminal physically (not the HDMI transmission standard).*

I2S Card Features

  • Extracts I2S Data Signals

  • Can transmit SACD and DSD to DAC’s

  • Follows PS Audio Standard

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If someone has one of these transports with the card installed, I would be happy to test it and verify it works.

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For anyone interested this card is made by oppomod.com

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Seems the card is only for the 93, 103 and 203 models. Not a big deal for me. The entire idea is a curiosity.

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I already used this site to upgrade my OppO 203 with linear PSU a few years back including the enhanced disc transport parts. Everything was pretty easy to do. I’m not sure that I use mine enough to upgrade the digital out, and get the I2S module. I have a few DVD audio discs, and a bunch of DVD/BluRay/4k discs.

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189

Does anyone feel that the latest firmware has made some changes to the sound quality of I2S module?

My DAC was on v26 previously; frankly the sound quality of the I2S module did not impressed me…. I got better sound with AES / EBU.

Today, I realised that there is v27, and thus I updated my DAC with it. Sound became better immediately. Muddy mid-low has gone, dynamics improved.

The changes seem happened to the I2S module only; sound quality of the network renderer and AES / EBU seems not changed.

Is that the latest firmware supposed to do? Or I am just being delusional?

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Checking in to say the I2S connection from my Antipodes Kala K-50 to my Premier + DD works great. I don’t have a USB input module to compare it to. It sounds fantastic. Tons of detail. Setup was a breeze.

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So… what’s the verdict on the Shanling Onix Zenith XST20 SACD CD Transport with the MSB I2S module… is it worth it?

I had reached out to PS Audio, and yes, they are sold out on the PMG SACD Transport which would have been my first choice. But this is what their sales manager shared with me a couple of weeks ago - “I’m aware that our engineers are working towards a new SACD/CD transport design which may have a top-loading drive. I would encourage you to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates from our team if you’re interested.”. Sounds like they are working on a new (flagship?) SACD transport!

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I have the Onix and have had no issues using it with the i2s module. The only issue is the remote control is almost useless at distance. The IR window of operation is really small and requires a good aim. I am going to try an IR repeater with the stick on sending unit.

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Thanks! And how is the sound quality?

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Although I don’t possess one, there seems to be an issue with gapless native DSD playback. I talked to a Shanling representative at their booth at HIGH END vienna2026, and he told me that based on the way the Shanling SACD transports/players read and process the DSD layer from the disc, no perfectly gapless playback is possible. Apparently this applies to

  • all three of their current models, irrespective whether transport or player, i.e. the Onix Zenith XST20, the Shanling SCD3.3, as well as the YBA Design YT302
  • and it aplies to native DSD output via I2S on all devices and even the analog conversion inside the SACD3.3 when playing SACDs (so I would infer that it also applies to the DoP signals via the other digital connections where DoP is possible)

And according to the rep, this inability is so structurally engrained in the hardware, that one cannot expect this deficiency to be healed with a future firmware update.

If gapless playback is important - like for classical music - this might be a consideration.

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I think it sounds great and didn’t notice the gapless playback issue. How many CD transport options do we have that can play the DSD SACD layer to i2s at near the Onix price?