I've not heard the NAIM so can't compare. What was a revelation is that I have some headphones that are high-end, but to whom I've never really warmed up to. I think the old sense that you should love XXX due to the price, reputation, etc. But I could never put my finger on the cause. I kept thinking maybe it was the player, the DAC, the whatever.
Using the HA-1 put all those thoughts into absolute clarity. it really showed exactly what was wrong with the headphones, and conversely what sounded really good. With all consideration, the HA-1 driving the PM-1 is a joy.
I was actually thinking that the PM-1's wouldn't sound better with the HA-1, especially in light of their extraordinary sensitivity. I used the Cambridge DAC Magic, the Korg, and the AudioEngine D3 before the HA-1 arrived, so I felt I had a sense of them, and once the HA-1 arrived, it was a different experience. Without commenting on the DACs, I can say that they HA-1 provided a richer, fuller sense of the music. Not only did the PM-1s sound better, so did everything else. Except for the headphones I wasn't thrilled with, which it helped pinpoint the issues.
I need more time before I can make sense of this, but I think that Oppo has a hit on their hands. It's not cheap, but for a pure class A system, with top flight DACs, and lots of flexibility in terms of input and output options, it is fairly priced, and completely solid.
Harris
