[Smarty-pants]

 

[Headzone]

woot finally some good dacs for cheap

 

[Zurv]

It is really nice that they have the bypass mode (i don't want a digital amp.) I'll be doing what they demo'd. I'll have the sonica go to the HA-1 for a headphone amp. (then bypass from that to a rega amp to desktop speakers)

 

[SharpEars]

  I emailed OPPO to get a few questions answered now that the RMAF is over.

"Our upcoming products are still, unfortunately, deep in development, which is why we have not updated the Sonica Grand, Sonica DAC, and UDP-203 websites. Once we are closer to release, we will be updating our website to contain all the features and specifications of these products.

- Is the volume control mechanical (pot) or digital?
5. The control is purely digital.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc."

 
Finally, some sense here. The worst WORST *WORST* thing about my HA-1 is that damn analog volume control with its poor tracking and curious ability to spin in the wrong direction when adjusted with the remote.
 
I don't care about lost bits at low volumes, the DAC is 32-bit internally and has more bits than anyone can possibly hear when the volume control is adjusted digitally as it should be.

 

[Whitigir]

Finally, some sense here. The worst WORST *WORST* thing about my HA-1 is that damn analog volume control with its poor tracking and curious ability to spin in the wrong direction when adjusted with the remote.

I don't care about lost bits at low volumes, the DAC is 32-bit internally and has more bits than anyone can possibly hear when the volume control is adjusted digitally as it should be.

Call Oppo services and send it in. If your unit is under warranty, shipping and services are free. My Ha-1 just had similar issue that the potentials knob is out of controls and the left channel is lower than the right channel when the unit is cold, when it is on for 40 - 60 minutes it will gets to normal, but the volume knob is out of control....such could easily blow headphones drivers. I just called and they sent email for shipping label immediately. The sad thing is the shipping back and forth down time. . But at least they are taking care of their customers

 

[pibroch]

  Reviewing a thing by it's dac chips. Sounds like a deadend to me.

Absolutely!
 
Marketing invariably trumps sound quality engineering when it comes to product development of big mass market products. Like the retail price is set in stone at $799 USD while the product itself is still "deep in development".
 
Looking at many internet forums I've discovered that many punters think the main determinant of sound quality is the DAC chip when in reality the model of chip used is largely irrelevant - it's the implementation of a particular chip that matters. Oppo seems to be carefully avoiding any promotion of the quality of the analogue stage!

 

[michaellynn]

Some more information can also be found here 
/img/vimeo_logo.png 

 

[sealykojac]

I wish their gear was more desktop friendly, I dont have space to slot a dac in that is 12" deep before you add cords. That was the main reason I sold the HA-1 which I thought was great. This looks to be about the same depth.

 

[Sunya]

Available in silver? 
 
It should have a digital output also to be able to use it just as a streamer/USB host connected to a separate DAC.

 

[trappedintime]

Not sure why someone would buy this just as a streamer to send digital out from. It's way overpriced for what it does if that's your only use. I also haven't seen photos showing digital outputs on it, so I'm skeptical it does that either.

And honestly, after finding out the RCA/turntable input becomes digital as well, I can't justify this as a preamp either. A marginally better DAC than the HA-1 that does nothing else as well as the HA-1 and no headphone amp at all.

If this had been all digital and provided Roon integration, I might consider a purchase but this product seems like it falls short of competing products that present a much better value proposition. I don't really see how you take advantage of DSD or any higher res format without this connected to a computer, completely defeating the wireless streaming capabilities.

I'd just buy a used HA-1 for the same price and call it a day.

 

[erik701]

Not sure why someone would buy this just as a streamer to send digital out from. It's way overpriced for what it does if that's your only use. I also haven't seen photos showing digital outputs on it, so I'm skeptical it does that either.

And honestly, after finding out the RCA/turntable input becomes digital as well, I can't justify this as a preamp either. A marginally better DAC than the HA-1 that does nothing else as well as the HA-1 and no headphone amp at all.

If this had been all digital and provided Roon integration, I might consider a purchase but this product seems like it falls short of competing products that present a much better value proposition. I don't really see how you take advantage of DSD or any higher res format without this connected to a computer, completely defeating the wireless streaming capabilities.

I'd just buy a used HA-1 for the same price and call it a day.

Sonica DAC will contain new flagship DAC chip from ESS. Even when you will use it with HA-1 as headphone amp, it would be step forward. Price is very good if you consider that other DACs which contain ES9038PRO Sabre DAC cost about 8000$. I will definitely go for it and sell my HA-1. As an amp I will use Moon.

 

[trappedintime]

 
Sonica DAC will contain new flagship DAC chip from ESS. Even when you will use it with HA-1 as headphone amp, it would be step forward. Price is very good if you consider that other DACs which contain ES9038PRO Sabre DAC cost about 8000$. I will definitely go for it and sell my HA-1. As an amp I will use Moon.

It will be a minimal step forward at best. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that a single 9038 doesn't outperform multiple 9018's like the Gustard X20. If you have other components and just want a cheap 9038, sure, this will be a nice starting point, but that's not how Oppo is positioning this product. An all-digital preamp marketed with streaming your analog turntable is super weak. The lack of Roon support is too. Just seems like a half baked product in general, and their rollout of it seems pretty half baked too. I'm a big fan of the HA-1 and had high hopes for this, but it takes up a whole lot of space to do so very little correctly.

 

[AudioMan2013]

I don't know about the switching power supply for anything that has an analog stage.  I had to return the Nad M51 dac because of it. My Olasonic Dac's switching power brick was replaced by a true linear power supply with a nice choke and audio grade filtering caps and the sound just opened up.  I have also tried the audiophile power adapters from iFi audio and although they had a low noise floor due to their cancelling technology, it made everything sound bright.  I measured the noise from my linear power supply with a few upgrades and the iFi audio power brick and the linear supply using an old school analog Tektronix 150Mhz oscilloscope.  The linear supply still had lower noise.  
 
Any how I am an Oppo fan and own several of their products.  I may buy the Sonica just to try it out however with the dozen or dac's that I have, nothing has beaten the old pair of TI's PCM1704U in my Lite Dac 60.  I really, really wish that Oppo would span out a bit and try some other dac chips other than ESS.
 
Cheers.   

 

[LarryMagoo]

  I might feel better about this Sonica if it was a new design from the ground up. The HA-1 felt like ice picks in my ear; an upgrade to bigger better ice picks would not be appealing... but hey, feel free to disagree.

When you say Ice Picks from the HA-1....did you hear it warmed up?   I say this because my HA-1 sounds harsh if not up to temp ( Have determined about ~ 45 minutes)....also what HP's did you use?   I think that Class A amp rocks and not the least bit harsh after warming up completely!...IMO!

 

[Armaegis]

 
When you say Ice Picks from the HA-1....did you hear it warmed up?   I say this because my HA-1 sounds harsh if not up to temp ( Have determined about ~ 45 minutes)....also what HP's did you use?   I think that Class A amp rocks and not the least bit harsh after warming up completely!...IMO!

 
It was turned on for a solid week. My primary headphone was the Hifiman HE-6, but I also used a Senn HD6590 and HD598, and probably whatever else I was rotating through at the time.