[t0mcat]

Hi,
 
I've been looking at the Oppo from when it came out but I just can't seem to pull the trigger. I'm just wondering if it will be a big (or any) improvement over my current setup: asus xonar stx soundcard connected with line out to musical fidelity x-can v3 with tungsram E88CC valves + seperate x-psu v3 in combination with a senheisser HD800.
Any thoughts?

 

[Canadian411]

Hi,

I've been looking at the Oppo from when it came out but I just can't seem to pull the trigger. I'm just wondering if it will be a big (or any) improvement over my current setup: asus xonar stx soundcard connected with line out to musical fidelity x-can v3 with tungsram E88CC valves + seperate x-psu v3 in combination with a senheisser HD800.
Any thoughts?

Asus sonar! Can't compare with this.
I even noticed the diff sonar essence and my cheap burson dac and oppo is far better.

If you live in US or anyother country where the duty fee is minimal you should try audiogd.

I wanted to get Audio gd but Canadian custom applies very heavy taxes and duty fees etc. Good luck.

 

[Maxx134]

In case anyone is interested:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/affordable-and-transparent-oppo-ha-1-headphone-amplifierdac

very nice review and I was beginning to think the HA -1 was on the sweet side of neutral because of how clean and not traditionally harsh solid state the highs are,
but now after reading your review it seems that it's strength is how the amp is simply so well done...

This old post is what nailed it for me long ago that I knew I had to buy one, especially what was noted in first 3 sentences :

http://www.head-fi.org/t/699787/new-oppo-ha-1-ces-2014/100_20#post_10512247

[COLOR=222222][COLOR=898F9C]Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity recently posted this:[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=141823]Here are some spectra from bench testing the new OPPO HA-1 headphone amplifier. The spectra look very, very clean at the signal peaks, in fact, some of the best I have ever seen from what is essentially a low wattage speaker amplifier. Second and third ordered harmonics predominate, and this gives a terrific sound. For the IMD test, there was no measurable second harmonic at 14 kHz (from the 7 kHz fundamental test tone), so the IMD is incredibly low, and this results in the sound having marvelous detail. The numbers are a bit high, due to some inaudible (but measurable) noise in the 0 to 2 kHz region, and with the signal peak at about 1 volt, the noise is a larger proportion of the calculated THD+N than it is with power amplifiers tested at, say, 10 or 20 volts.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=141823]The HA-1 is definitely one of the finest headphone amplifiers ever made. I performed these tests on an Audio Precision, which generated the digital signals. The coax digital input on the HA-1 was used. These initial graphs are for 16/44.1 samples. The full review is scheduled for publication in Secrets shortly.[/COLOR]

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[COLOR=222222][COLOR=333333]Some more details about the OPPO HA-1 headphone amplifier. It will decode PCM up to 24/384 and DSD up to DSD128. These are both emerging high resolution codecs, and music is available from 2L in Norway. I believe some of the high rez music websites may be starting to offer downloads in these formats soon. Right now, I listen to the HA-1 using my iPod connected via USB on the HA-1. So, that sends t[/COLOR]he digital bitstream directly to the HA-1's DAC rather than using the RCA analog inputs, which would use the iPod's DAC.


The extremely low measured IM on the HA-1 means you get very fine details in the music, and since the headphones place the "speakers" within an inch or so of your ear, you can hear all those details that get lost when you have speakers across the room. Take a look at some other power amplifier reviews we have done at Secrets, and you will see how remarkable the IM results (as well as the 19 kHz, 20 kHz test results) are on the HA-1 in comparison.


The distortion spectra were taken with the HA-1 set to 0 dB, which is a bit louder than I would listen, but you may need it with lower sensitivity headphones. The HA-1 volume control will go higher than 0 dB, but for these initial tests, I decided to use 0 dB, since that is a standard way of measuring a "typical" volume setting.


More later . . . .
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Full review:
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/headphone-amplifiers/headphone-amplifiers/oppo-ha-1-headphone-amplifier-review.html

 

[Vacheron]

Was able to send some DSD files to the HA1 this morning for the first time. Pure audio bliss. Love this thing. Initially only thought id use it as a headphone amp, but its not my go to for 2 channel stereo. 
 
Fingers crossed Oppo makes a portable DAC/Amp.

 

[john57]

I am thinking about trying this amp for my Alpha Prime. Oppo will be coming out with the HA-2 soon! It looks very nice for a portable DAC/AMP.

 

[sbgunn]

Was able to send some DSD files to the HA1 this morning for the first time. Pure audio bliss. Love this thing. Initially only thought id use it as a headphone amp, but its not my go to for 2 channel stereo. 
 
Fingers crossed Oppo makes a portable DAC/Amp.

They're making one! Its called the HA-2 and its coming out early next year. There are photos and beta impressions in a thread on head-fi

 

[Dixter]

I'm a little surprised that its not talked about the fact that the OPPO HA-1 incorporates a DSD DAC and that when the DAC is allowed to process the files in a DSD format they sound so much better...
 
Using JRiver Media Center 20  you can force any file format that your music is encoded and deliver it to HA-1 in a 2X DSD encode and let the HA-1 DSD DAC do its magic... even the iTunes music sounds much better this way...
 
The HA-1 does an absolutely fantastic job of taking FLAC files and playing them back at 2X DSD...   very impressive... 
 
And of course the HA-1 plays back DSD files native... also very impressive..

 

[john57]

Dixter,
 
That is good to hear. I have quite a few native DSD files. I was not sure how well the Sabre 9018 chip used in the HA-1 handle DSD since it has to reconvert the format before the low pass filters.

 

[holzohr]

Quote:

  I'm a little surprised that its not talked about the fact that the OPPO HA-1 incorporates a DSD DAC and that when the DAC is allowed to process the files in a DSD format they sound so much better...
 
Using JRiver Media Center 20  you can force any file format that your music is encoded and deliver it to HA-1 in a 2X DSD encode and let the HA-1 DSD DAC do its magic... even the iTunes music sounds much better this way...
 
The HA-1 does an absolutely fantastic job of taking FLAC files and playing them back at 2X DSD...   very impressive... 
 
And of course the HA-1 plays back DSD files native... also very impressive..

 
 
 
I was talking about the DSD DAC a bit, a couple of weeks ago. I hope for the DSD128 upsampling feature for the Auralic Aries soon.
 
 
Quote:

  I think, I have read the complete thread but not sure now if it was discussed already. The HA-1 accepts DSD (DoP) via its digital inputs (for toslink it needs a "better" optical cable). A very nice surprise to me.
 

 

[john57]

The HA-1 can also do DSD256 in native mode only with the windows driver.

 

[jerick70]

  Hi,
 
I've been looking at the Oppo from when it came out but I just can't seem to pull the trigger. I'm just wondering if it will be a big (or any) improvement over my current setup: asus xonar stx soundcard connected with line out to musical fidelity x-can v3 with tungsram E88CC valves + seperate x-psu v3 in combination with a senheisser HD800.
Any thoughts?

I have to agree with other posters.  In my opinion The Oppo is hands down better.  I had a Xonar Essence STX when I first started into head-fi and the Oppo is 10 steps up.

 

[j0ewhite]

Hi, I'm toying with the idea of changing my headphone. Currently I'm on HA-1 balanced out to Beyer T1.
 
I'm considering the PM-1, HD800 and LCD-X. Any opinions on the pairing of HA-1 with these? Thanks.

 

[john57]

I am also considering the HA-1 and from what I found two posts that may answer your question.
 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/717834/oppo-ha-1-impressions-thread/195#post_10545027


http://www.head-fi.org/t/717834/oppo-ha-1-impressions-thread/210#post_10548573

 

[zilch0md]

  Hi, I'm toying with the idea of changing my headphone. Currently I'm on HA-1 balanced out to Beyer T1.
 
I'm considering the PM-1, HD800 and LCD-X. Any opinions on the pairing of HA-1 with these? Thanks.

 
I have the HA-1, the PM-1, the HD800, and an LCD-2 rev.1 - and I used to own a Beyerdynamic T1.
 
I don't have any experience with the LCD-X, but personally, I think the LCD-X or PM-1/PM-2 would be much better choices for the HA-1 than the HD800.
 
Mike

 

[x RELIC x]

Hi, I'm toying with the idea of changing my headphone. Currently I'm on HA-1 balanced out to Beyer T1.

I'm considering the PM-1, HD800 and LCD-X. Any opinions on the pairing of HA-1 with these? Thanks.

I'm using LCD-2 and LCD-XC with the HA-1 and both sound great with their own signatures. The LCD-X should sound amazing and the PM-1 has been reported to pair extremely well. The HD800 is too fatiguing for my taste so I can't comment on the pairing specifically, but I will say the HA-1 already presents detail and texture very well and the HD800 pairing might be too much of a good thing.