[HasturTheYellow]

  Do you guys offer audio demos at your Mountain View location? I know you have 30 days trial, but I would rather audition it before purchase. I live in the North Bay about 90 minutes drive from you.
thanks.

 
Yes, we have a small setup in a cubicle where you can listen to the HA-1 and the PM-1 headphones. We also have headphones from other manufacturers and you are more than welcome to bring your own headphones as well.
 
You may want to bring CDs, SACDs, a personal media player, USB harddrive or thumbdrive with you as well so you can better evaluate the performance of the HA-1.

 

[LajostheHun]

Great, I'll contact you guys shortly.

 

[PerfectHiFi]

When you talk about USB harddrive and thumb sticks, does it mean that HA-1 can play mp3 and/or FLAC files directly? If so, can it display album artwork and songtext? What format (ext. FAT, NTFS...)?

 

[HiFiAudio]

When you talk about USB harddrive and thumb sticks, does it mean that HA-1 can play mp3 and/or FLAC files directly? If so, can it display album artwork and songtext? What format (ext. FAT, NTFS...)

You would connect the USB hard drive or thumbstick probably to a computer, which has a USB type A to type B cable going to the back of the HA-1 most likely.   
 
The HA-1 cannot decode music files, you need a player supporting that type of file decode or a computer to do that.  It will not display album artwork, the player or computer could do that with a display.

 

[HasturTheYellow]

It does not. We have a BDP-105 connected to the setup so the customer can connect harddrives and thumbdrives to the BDP-105 and feed the signal to the HA-1 through optical or digital coaxial.
 
The USB port on the front panel of the player is designed for mobile devices (primarily Apple devices) that can use the player as an outboard soundcard. The Asynchronous USB performs similar functionality but for computers.

 

[HiFiAudio]

Beat you. 

 
 
 
Figured you had a BDP-105 configred there for this.

 

[craftyhack]

 
Are you related to Bill Gates or something? LOL

HAH, I wish!  I just work a lot (24 yrs, https://www.linkedin.com/in/craftmike, I'm 38, and have invested almost all of my money in this stupid stuff instead of something smart like gold ) and don't have much of a life outside of that.  I also have been addicted to slickdeals and eBay for a long time... you can see the gear I mentioned I purchased recently there even... my eBay id is craftyhack since 1997, and I have gotten some great deals from the classifieds here too, and it turns out the folks from eBay were from here too .  I am also liquidating some firearms/ammo and other HT gear for stuff I will actually use like this, and I am not going to keep all of this (I don't think), just spend a few months going through gear until I find a few setups I really like.  My home theater gear(in my profile) and firearm/ammo/blade collection is much worse; oh yeah... and camera gear... and tools... and Audi's... and computer crap (the WORST addiction for an OCD person into the latest and greatest TOTL stuff).... and I will stop now, it is clear I have a problem :/.  Once I get get rid of a bunch of it I should be able to get more head-fi gear as well to do some more reviews on my path to find what I like the most.
 
As far as amp's I only really have Firefly's on the list (with the new tube PS) for sure which other ones yet.
 
The ONLY thing I have paid anywhere close to retail is the HA-1 the second it came in stock and I saw it.  Even got $200 off the AK240 on Amazon (new from auth reseller even) which was great I thought until I saw the FP deal here on the UE/AK combos.  I really HAD to at least try it, Jude talked me into it along with Currawong, their reviews made me drool as I watched them over and over... although it was expensive as hell!!!  Since I am definitely keeping that though(unless those SOBs better come out with another flagship ), I am gonna get it RWAK'ed after I have done all of the reviews with it, so that I can do all of the reviews with it again .  Definitely cannot afford to buy another to compare at the same time tho .
 
 
I forgot to mention that a set of PM-1's is also on the very short list (next 30 days), how could I forget!  I am wondering if that is going to be the magic set if it was designed to be paired with this HA-1.  

 

[PerfectHiFi]

Too bad, bad luck... Perhaps possible with future firmware upgrades? I would like to substitute HA-1 for my Logitech Touch. Perhaps, will combine iPod with iPeng app for streaming. possible? Does HA-1 take digital stream from Apple devices?

 

[PerfectHiFi]

What sample rates are supported by HA-1 when using Bluetooth connection?

 

[x RELIC x]

Too bad, bad luck... Perhaps possible with future firmware upgrades? I would like to substitute HA-1 for my Logitech Touch. Perhaps, will combine iPod with iPeng app for streaming. possible? Does HA-1 take digital stream from Apple devices?

Yes, digital stream with both 30pin and lightning cable.

 

[x RELIC x]

What sample rates are supported by HA-1 when using Bluetooth connection?

Mine shows 16/44.1, just checked as I never really use BT.

 

[jonstatt]

  It does not. We have a BDP-105 connected to the setup so the customer can connect harddrives and thumbdrives to the BDP-105 and feed the signal to the HA-1 through optical or digital coaxial.
 
The USB port on the front panel of the player is designed for mobile devices (primarily Apple devices) that can use the player as an outboard soundcard. The Asynchronous USB performs similar functionality but for computers.

 
Regarding the USB port on the front panel, you said "primarily Apple devices". The manual specifically quotes only more recent iPod, iPhone and iPad devices. Are there in fact some Android devices that can provide direct digital transfer this way?
 
A great set-up with a BDP-105 should also include balanced connections from the player to the HA-1 for SACD/DVD-Audio

 

[HiFiAudio]

What sample rates are supported by HA-1 when using Bluetooth connection?

Sampling rate is limited to 48 kHz with aptX.

 

[hikinokie]

Kinda feeling sorry for you dude,
Because I don't see this unit ever getting to you unless you catch it before it sells out again, at FULL PRICE (!)

Implementation iis everything. .
You just read it takes longer to make and being a precision unit..
Sonically,(For audio) don't think the 105 could touch it.

Does anyone have the 105 and the HA-1 and compared?

 

[hikinokie]

  It does not. We have a BDP-105 connected to the setup so the customer can connect harddrives and thumbdrives to the BDP-105 and feed the signal to the HA-1 through optical or digital coaxial.
 
The USB port on the front panel of the player is designed for mobile devices (primarily Apple devices) that can use the player as an outboard soundcard. The Asynchronous USB performs similar functionality but for computers.

What is the word length/sampling rate limit, if any, on the optical/coaxial inputs on the HA-1?