Asit, Psychotropic:
I would agree with most of what Suhas say's. The Oppo is an excellent player for both video and audio. The Oppo 980 and 983 have special circuitry designed by a audio specialist company (unnamed by Oppo), and because of this are as good as most CDPs for Redbook CD.
In terms of direct comparison, I have heard the 340C and the 540C, and the Oppo 983 that I have beats them straight away. I am sure the 980 that has the same circuitry would also fare with equal gusto. There is no special mention in Oppo site about the audio capabilities of the 981, excepting the VP saying 'it performs equally well'.
640C? I have listened to the 640C (with the 640A and Quads 12L) for a few hours as part of a audition at home. Keeping all else the same, the Oppo could put up a valiant fight but may lose out in complicated tracks, and may not be able to create the soundstage, for say a Beethoven number. It certainly cannot compare with the 740C and 840C that have advanced DACs and up-sampling technologies.
Asit, if you are looking for a CDP with the capabilities of a 740C or above, no universal player will work for you. Though you can see a movie in a 2.1 setting, I do not see any value in a DVD Player unless that is the first step in your building a complete HT system within a specified time. If music is more important to you, and you watch just 1 movie in 2 months, a simple DVD player such as a Samsung, Pioneer, or a Philips should suffice for that.
Psychotropic, I believe I have answered your question.
Cheers
That is most helpful information, Venkat. While I have already got the Oppo 980, it is yet to arrive from the US. What is the Oppo 980 priced at here in India?
And about the Quad 12L - are there any dealers for Quad in Chennai? How did you find the speakers?