[wgb113]

I connect mine to my Mac via optical and downloaded BitPerfect for $10 which automatically adjusts the Audio MIDI settings to the native resolution of the file. Works like a charm.

Bill

 

[aqsw]

Just picked up my silver HA-1. Very easy setup. Running android box with power amp , coax, as I don't have a long enough usb cable yet. Audeze LCD 2.2s with custom made balanced cable.
Definitely not as powerful as the Lyr. Needs high gain for these phones IMO. Sounds really good out of the box. Hoping it gets better. Couldn't get the Bluetooth to connect with my android box, but I'm sure that's not the Oppos fault. I'll get back in a couple days with a better idea of this unit.

 

[Adamora]

How does this beauty fair with a pair of KEF R300 bookshelf speakers =3? I'm amping it through a NAD C275BEE and want something superior to my WA7 Fireflies DAC that I currently use :B!
 
My previous DAC was the DacMagic Plus, which I found very clinical and boring, no matter the amp paired to it =[.
 
Your replies are much appreciated.

 

[billhickok]

I connect mine to my Mac via optical and downloaded BitPerfect for $10 which automatically adjusts the Audio MIDI settings to the native resolution of the file. Works like a charm.

Bill

 
Is there really no other way to set the bit depth on a Mac without 3rd party software? Seems kind of absurd.
 
Thanks for the tip on the app though, i'll look into it.

 

[wgb113]

Not utmost ideally that I know of.

 

[atubbs]

 

In what way would you say the PM1 is better than the LCD3 with the Opo HA-1?

 
They weigh a lot less. Especially for folks that haven't spent much time with the LCD cans, this point should not be underestimated.

 

[konoyaro]

  Just received my HA-1 and absolutely love it so far. I'm only using a set of MDR7506's for the time being but it sounds splendid. Beautiful device too (got it in silver.)
 
One question though, i'm using Mac OS X and can't seem to set the bit depth to my liking. It's automatically set to 32bit in Audio MIDI Setup. I want to set it to 16bit so it matches the native bit depth of the majority of my music. I've had the same issue with my Apogee Duet DAC (automatically set at 24bit.) Anyway to change this?
 

Please file your request to have Audio MIDI Setup dynamically switch bit depth and sample rate relative to file playback with Apple - you don't need to be a developer, just use your Apple ID http://radar.apple.com
 
 I sent my request in and the more people who let them know there is a need here, the bigger the chance that they'll actually address it.

 

[sky.xd]

So I just received my ha-1 today and i'm having issues with listening over USB. I get a cracking sound when i play music. When there is nothing playing the dac is dead quiet but when i press play or keep restarting the song, i get an immediate crackling and throughout the song every few seconds.
 
The actual music comes out very clean but the distortion seems to be in the background. Not sure how else to explain it. It isn't a hiss or a popping sound.
 
Playing over bluetooth I don't have an issues and i've tried through both my macbook pro and PC connecting to all of the USB ports. The USB cable works perfectly fine with my bifrost so i'm unsure if I just have a defective unit or is there anything else I can cancel out before taking it back?
 
**EDIT** I just read a few pages back about someone having the same issue. Going to buy a new usb cable and hope it fixes the issue

 

[ImmaLizard]

 
Please file your request to have Audio MIDI Setup dynamically switch bit depth and sample rate relative to file playback with Apple - you don't need to be a developer, just use your Apple ID http://radar.apple.com
 
 I sent my request in and the more people who let them know there is a need here, the bigger the chance that they'll actually address it.

MIDI stills lets me choose sample rate but there is no option to change bit depth.  Doesn't this just mean that the HA-1 is able to handle up to 32 bit but won't necessarily change 16 or 24 bit files?  I usually choose the sample rate based on the files I'm playing so the DAC doesn't upsample, but I'm not sure I would even notice a difference if it did.

 

[ImmaLizard]

Also noticed that when I have the sample rate correct on MIDI, bit rate will show up correct as well.  For example, sample rate set to 44.1 for mp3 and FLAC files with 16 bit, HA-1 show Audio Format as PMC 44.1/16.  When playing HD tracks and adjusting MIDI, PCM sample and bit rate is also correct (192/24 for example).

 

[john57]

 
MIDI stills lets me choose sample rate but there is no option to change bit depth.  Doesn't this just mean that the HA-1 is able to handle up to 32 bit but won't necessarily change 16 or 24 bit files?  I usually choose the sample rate based on the files I'm playing so the DAC doesn't upsample, but I'm not sure I would even notice a difference if it did.

Just means that the ha-1 can handle 32 bit data stream. For 16 or 24 bit files there are extra zeroes being added for 32 bit but the 16 or 24 bit files themselves do not change. Using the ASIO driver on windows.

 

[ImmaLizard]

  Just means that the ha-1 can handle 32 bit data stream. For 16 or 24 bit files there are extra zeroes being added for 32 bit but the 16 or 24 bit files themselves do not change. Using the ASIO driver on windows.

Okay, so extra zeroes won't diminish sound quality right?  I guess I don't see it as a big issue since the HA-1 is still recognizing and displaying 16 and 24 bit accurately.

 

[john57]

 
Okay, so extra zeroes won't diminish sound quality right?  I guess I don't see it as a big issue since the HA-1 is still recognizing and displaying 16 and 24 bit accurately.

That is right. Some software like JRiver uses an internal 64 bit volume control and for some DSD processing meaning that any degradation of the 16 or 24 bit files will be less. With the HA-1 ASIO driver in Jriver the HA-1 will say 44.1k/32 for my CD redbook files. With J.river it will use the maximum bit depth that the DAC will support. 

 

[x RELIC x]

So I just received my ha-1 today and i'm having issues with listening over USB. I get a cracking sound when i play music. When there is nothing playing the dac is dead quiet but when i press play or keep restarting the song, i get an immediate crackling and throughout the song every few seconds.

The actual music comes out very clean but the distortion seems to be in the background. Not sure how else to explain it. It isn't a hiss or a popping sound.

Playing over bluetooth I don't have an issues and i've tried through both my macbook pro and PC connecting to all of the USB ports. The USB cable works perfectly fine with my bifrost so i'm unsure if I just have a defective unit or is there anything else I can cancel out before taking it back?

**EDIT** I just read a few pages back about someone having the same issue. Going to buy a new usb cable and hope it fixes the issue

This is why I hate computer audio. So many issues trying to isolate noise in the computer vs dedicated music sources. Thankfully my MacbookPro doesn't add any noise, but most other computers I've used have some sort of hard drive noise, USB noise, or other ghosts in the machine. I'm mostly using my X5 as a transport, coaxial to the HA-1, and it's very clean.

 

[jerick70]

So I just received my ha-1 today and i'm having issues with listening over USB. I get a cracking sound when i play music. When there is nothing playing the dac is dead quiet but when i press play or keep restarting the song, i get an immediate crackling and throughout the song every few seconds.

The actual music comes out very clean but the distortion seems to be in the background. Not sure how else to explain it. It isn't a hiss or a popping sound.

Playing over bluetooth I don't have an issues and i've tried through both my macbook pro and PC connecting to all of the USB ports. The USB cable works perfectly fine with my bifrost so i'm unsure if I just have a defective unit or is there anything else I can cancel out before taking it back?

**EDIT** I just read a few pages back about someone having the same issue. Going to buy a new usb cable and hope it fixes the issue

I had the same issue with my Bifrost when I first purchased it. I purchased Audioquest Forest USB cables and they helped a little. Then I purchased a Schiit Wyrd USB Interface and it fixed the issues for good. I've since replaced my Bifrost with an HA-1. I don't have the issues with my HA-1 either.

One other option, if you build your own PCs Gigabyte has a motherboard line the comes with what they call a DAC-Up port. Basically it is a USB 2 port that has an isolated power source. I built a PC with one of the Gigabyte boards for my audio system recently and DAC-up made a big difference in sound quality as compared to my old computer build. Here is what Gigabyte says about it:

"Featuring a gold plated USB 2.0 port, GIGABYTE USB DAC-Up provides clean, noise-free power delivery to your Digital-to-Analog Converter. DACs can be sensitive to fluctuations in power from the other USB ports, which is why GIGABYTE USB DAC-Up takes advantage of an isolated power source that minimizes potential fluctuations and ensures the best audio experience possible."