[john57]

I wanted to add that I am now using the theater bypass and it just sounds so much better. All my remote SS and tube amps have their own volume control which is especially important when playing back DSD files.

 

[wgb113]

I wanted to add that I am now using the theater bypass and it just sounds so much better. All my remote SS and tube amps have their own volume control which is especially important when playing back DSD files.

I do the same.

 

[Spamateur]

Dumb question for you guys, and excuse my noobishness:
 
I have Foobar2000 on my PC feeding the HA-1 through WASAPI push mode. Earlier I was listening and thought I was hearing a bit of distortion through my LCD-X on low gain, although I was doubtful I was actually hearing distortion as I'm still getting used to the HA-1 sound in general. I flipped the Oppo's screen over the VU meters and realized that the needles would regularly spike over the 0 level.
 
I noticed that the HA-1 automatically sets my Windows volume level to 100 and that adjusting it made no difference to the actual volume level being played on the Oppo. I went into Foobar and set ReplayGain preamp setting to a -10 dB level and left the actual volume setting in Foobar at 0 dB. Is this the correct method for addressing the fact that the VU meters were spiking over 0? I'm now seeing them never maxing out that high and mostly topping out at -3 to -1 max.

 

[john57]

Windows OS uses the direct sound method not the WASAPI driver  to control volume on web sites for example. In order for the windows OS to control volume you must exit Foobar to pass control back to Windows OS audio. Then you should be able to control volume  using the windows speaker ICON. I normally use the OPPO ASIO driver on Foobar and Jriver. Both WASPI and ASIO bypass Windows direct sound diver meaning you have to use the application volume control not windows.
 
If your VU meters are going into the red area that means the signal itself that going into the HA-1 is already at the clipping level. What type of connection are you using between the PC and the HA-1?

 

[Spamateur]

Windows OS uses the direct sound method not the WASAPI driver  to control volume on web sites for example. In order for the windows OS to control volume you must exit Foobar to pass control back to Windows OS audio. Then you should be able to control volume  using the windows speaker ICON. I normally use the OPPO ASIO driver on Foobar and Jriver. Both WASPI and ASIO bypass Windows direct sound diver meaning you have to use the application volume control not windows.

If your VU meters are going into the red area that means the signal itself that going into the HA-1 is already at the clipping level. What type of connection are you using between the PC and the HA-1?

Ah, ok. I did recognize that Foobar was taking exclusive control over my system volume during use, so I figured that I needed to make app-level volume adjustments. I am using Windows 8.1 (if that makes a difference) and using a USB 2.0 port on my motherboard into the HA-1. It seems that since i adjusted the Foobar preamp volume down it is keeping the VU under 0 and out of the red. I read elsewhere that a VU meter shows the average peak so I adjusted it down to the point that it stays under -3 99% of the time with the loudest tracks i could find. I'm assuming that I'm now in the clear or should I adjust it further down?

Also, thanks so much for your explanation and help! I've been a portable audio guy for so long and a complete neophyte when it comes to desktop/home audio.

 

[Spamateur]

Also, does adjusting the volume in Foobar affect playback quality of the music? I find conflicting answers when I google it. It seems that there's a consensus that JRiver has a better volume control? I might give JRiver a shot if that's the case.

 

[Hooster]

  I wanted to add that I am now using the theater bypass and it just sounds so much better. All my remote SS and tube amps have their own volume control which is especially important when playing back DSD files.

 
You are simply avoiding the use of 2 volume pots when you can use one. That has to be a good thing.

 

[olegausany]

Also, does adjusting the volume in Foobar affect playback quality of the music? I find conflicting answers when I google it. It seems that there's a consensus that JRiver has a better volume control? I might give JRiver a shot if that's the case.

For bit perfect playback you should keep Windows and Foobar volume at maximum and use HA-1's pot to control volume

 

[Spamateur]

For bit perfect playback you should keep Windows and Foobar volume at maximum and use HA-1's pot to control volume

Ah gotcha. Thanks. It looks like I won't be able to do that without clipping as under those settings it was well into the red on the VU meter. Is it possible using ASIO vs. WASAPI that I'm using now?

 

[john57]

Ah, ok. I did recognize that Foobar was taking exclusive control over my system volume during use, so I figured that I needed to make app-level volume adjustments. I am using Windows 8.1 (if that makes a difference) and using a USB 2.0 port on my motherboard into the HA-1. It seems that since i adjusted the Foobar preamp volume down it is keeping the VU under 0 and out of the red. I read elsewhere that a VU meter shows the average peak so I adjusted it down to the point that it stays under -3 99% of the time with the loudest tracks i could find. I'm assuming that I'm now in the clear or should I adjust it further down?

Also, thanks so much for your explanation and help! I've been a portable audio guy for so long and a complete neophyte when it comes to desktop/home audio.

Something is not right. Your are using a digital connection to the HA-1 and the VU meter should not be going into the red zone. There has to be another setting in Foobar that you may have turn on causing your issue possibly like replay gain as an example.

 

[olegausany]

For bit perfect playback you should keep Windows and Foobar volume at maximum and use HA-1's pot to control volume

Ah gotcha. Thanks. It looks like I won't be able to do that without clipping as under those settings it was well into the red on the VU meter. Is it possible using ASIO vs. WASAPI that I'm using now?

Yes, of course you can use ASIO especially if you want to play DSD

 

[Spamateur]

  Something is not right. Your are using a digital connection to the HA-1 and the VU meter should not be going into the red zone. There has to be another setting in Foobar that you may have turn on causing your issue possibly like replay gain as an example.

 
Previously I had the Foobar ReplayGain turned entirely off, and that's when I found that the HA-1's VU meter was spiking regularly into the red and I thought I was hearing distortion. Now that I've turned it on and adjusted the ReplayGain preamp to -10 dB, I'm seeing it stay below the red with the master volume in Foobar maxed and Windows 8.1 volume maxed.

 

[steventc93]

Hello All,
 
I seriously need help from those that own the Oppo Ha-1. I've just received the Ha-1 and it heats up like crazy and produces this smell that smells like burnt rubber. Has anyone else encountered this? Also, I'm a little disappointed in the sound quality. To me, it sounds mediocre and unnatural. Does anyone else share this opinion or is it just me? I mean for all of its features I suppose it's a steal; however, based on SQ alone, it's hardly anything spectacular. 

 

[goldendarko]

Hello All,


 


I seriously need help from those that own the Oppo Ha-1. I've just received the Ha-1 and it heats up like crazy and produces this smell that smells like burnt rubber. Has anyone else encountered this? Also, I'm a little disappointed in the sound quality. To me, it sounds mediocre and unnatural. Does anyone else share this opinion or is it just me? I mean for all of its features I suppose it's a steal; however, based on SQ alone, it's hardly anything spectacular. 

 


If it smells like burnt rubber, there's probably something wrong with it. That's a general rule of thumb for anything that's not tires.

 

[x RELIC x]

Hello All,

I seriously need help from those that own the Oppo Ha-1. I've just received the Ha-1 and it heats up like crazy and produces this smell that smells like burnt rubber. Has anyone else encountered this? Also, I'm a little disappointed in the sound quality. To me, it sounds mediocre and unnatural. Does anyone else share this opinion or is it just me? I mean for all of its features I suppose it's a steal; however, based on SQ alone, it's hardly anything spectacular. 

It's a class A amp and therefore will produce a lot of heat. As for burnt rubber........ Not sure.

Regarding sound quality I'm curious what you are used to listening to, what headphones you listen with and what sort of music files you are playing and from what source?