[kanadarox]

Hi all, I just recently joined after months of reading as an 'outsider'. I've got an Oppo HA2 and will be receiving a pair of HD6xx cans and a LD mkiii tube amp in the near future. I currently do most of my listening through a pair of Shure SE 425 IEMs, with PCM files running off the Onkyo player on my iPhone 6 into the HA2. This is great for portable use but as I look to getting my desktop rig set up I'm wondering if I'll be getting the most out of 6xx's with the LO from the HA2 into the mkiii or if I would hear a big improvement by upgrading into a desktop DAC. Thoughts?? Thanks!

 

[Nick 214]

Hey- 
 
First off, great headphone and future amp selection. Lovely match. Now, regarding the HA2... 
 
This thread will be of great help:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/755879/oppo-ha-2-portable-headphone-amplifier-dac-discussion-thread
 
 
That being said, I'm just confused (not you, it's me) on your chain here... So what holds the FLACs? 
 
NK

 

[kanadarox]

Hey Nick, thanks for the encouragement on my choice of cans/ amp combo. I'm really looking forward to everything arriving. Should be getting 6xx's this week I've read through a lot of the Oppo discussion thread and have yet to find anyone addressing specifically using the line out from the HA2 (ie- to an external amp). Most people use the HA2 for portable use only.
Once I get the Little Dot mkiii I'm going to want to use it as my desktop amp but I only have the Oppo to do DAC duties currently.
My music files are on my computer. I'm using XLD (an app) to rip CDs into FLAC format. It also has a player and I've used it a bit although it seems a bit cumbersome so far to have to import the files/ folders. I just haven't gotten that far with it yet. I guess I've been spoiled by the iTunes interface. On my iPhone 6 I'm running an app called Onkyo HF which apparently does a better job with higher res files than iTunes and it is recommended on the Oppo thread. The interface with Onkyo is so so (not great) but the songs do sound good. If you have any other suggestions for players in the Mac environment I'd welcome them. I've started browsing HDtracks -- looking to experiment with 24/192 to see if I can notice differences from my CDs. I'm going to start by downloading Higher res files that I've already got on CD so I can compare them directly. I'll play them through XLD (on the Mac) or Onkyo on my phone.

 

[Nick 214]

Hey Nick, thanks for the encouragement on my choice of cans/ amp combo. I'm really looking forward to everything arriving. Should be getting 6xx's this week

I've read through a lot of the Oppo discussion thread and have yet to find anyone addressing specifically using the line out from the HA2 (ie- to an external amp). Most people use the HA2 for portable use only.
Once I get the Little Dot mkiii I'm going to want to use it as my desktop amp but I only have the Oppo to do DAC duties currently.
My music files are on my computer. I'm using XLD (an app) to rip CDs into FLAC format. It also has a player and I've used it a bit although it seems a bit cumbersome so far to have to import the files/ folders. I just haven't gotten that far with it yet. I guess I've been spoiled by the iTunes interface. On my iPhone 6 I'm running an app called Onkyo HF which apparently does a better job with higher res files than iTunes and it is recommended on the Oppo thread. The interface with Onkyo is so so (not great) but the songs do sound good. If you have any other suggestions for players in the Mac environment I'd welcome them. I've started browsing HDtracks -- looking to experiment with 24/192 to see if I can notice differences from my CDs. I'm going to start by downloading Higher res files that I've already got on CD so I can compare them directly. I'll play them through XLD (on the Mac) or Onkyo on my phone.

So I use a Mac, and use either XLD or Max to convert FLAC to AIFF (or ALAC would work, too) then just play them right in iTunes with zero problems... Don't leave a friendly interface if you don't have to. 
 
Since you're headed to a desktop setup, I'd browse about for a cheap USB DAC... Or if your Mac has an optical out (it probably does) you could save even more and just get a nice quality DAC. 
 
All this being said, I had some nice results using an iMac G5 just outputting to analog when I has my LD3. It was a PCM27202 chipset, and sounded good enough. 
 
I'm always weary about trying to make a portable player/DAC/thing work in a desktop situation... YMMV
 
NK