[Badas]

I beleive the Ray Samuels 'Apache' has this feature between balanced and SE, but it's almost 3x the cost.

My Woo WA22 also allows both single end and balanced to be driven at the same time. Often when I'm burning in NOS tubes I just plug in a crappy headphone into the single end. When I want to hear how the tubes are going I just plug in the balanced. Both sets are playing at once.

 

[Alou]

As far as i know on most head amps the dual headphone out is usually at the same time.
I have seen some professional monitor selectors do that but the are just distribution amplifiers not the amp its self.

 

[mrscotchguy]

Nope.

My AudioGD 10.33 runs two headphones at once. Not sure if there's in sonic negatives by doing this, but I'm never anywhere close to full volume with any of my headphones running from low gain.

But sound and features between the two are about as far apart as you can get.

 

[john57]

My AudioGD 10.33 runs two headphones at once. Not sure if there's in sonic negatives by doing this, but I'm never anywhere close to full volume with any of my headphones running from low gain.

But sound and features between the two are about as far apart as you can get.

Not sure how the AudioGD 10.33 amp configuration is setup with the balanced and single headphone output. You can not simply just rewire the balanced outs to single ended. On the Woo WA22 it is a bit different. On the WA22 it uses a output transformer where the center tap is shared between the single ended and balanced outs and therefor about the same power.

 

[x RELIC x]

Yeah, dual output as far as I understand seems rather complicated. I know there was a good reason Oppo didn't do it for the HA-1 but I can't remember exactly what it was.

 

[john57]

Yeah, dual output as far as I understand seems rather complicated. I know there was a good reason Oppo didn't do it for the HA-1 but I can't remember exactly what it was.

Another amp maker Cavalli Audio has amps that has the 4-pin XLR but it is single ended. All their amps are single ended except one that I am aware of. 

 

[Maxx134]

Hello All....

I was wondering if anyone happens to be using the OPPO HA-1 just as a DAC and running the output to the Woo Audio WA7d + WA7tp?
...

Like this?


Nice combo but the wa7 are not at a higher level.
I place it a tad lower overall than oppo amp but it does have a very nice sound.
I would go with a balance tube or a tube amp with more than one tube per channel..
If going a step up.

Remember the oppo in general is extremely hard to beat or move up from...
To move up you need to go end game material.

I replaced the DAC and kept the functionality and Amp. I added the Arcam irDac (pictured under iPod). So much better. Super lush, nice mid-range and treble rendered sweeter.

Happy now.

When I owned the irDac I found it to be just excellent with black background, maybe darker overall but neutral in general.
The oppo dac to me is both more resolving of detail space and air, in other words larger soundstage.
To be fair though, I didn't own them at same time.

No

No

No

Haha!
yes, yes,yes !
Seriously though,
I have a very early version that for various reasons they swapped out with latest audio board so this should be the latest firmware which to me really just means nothing except it is meant for this board...

 

[x RELIC x]

I ordered 5 minutes after they were released.

I want a new board and FW too!

:wink_face:

Edit: I kid I kid.

 

[elwappo99]

nvm....

 

[Schokolade bar]

Like this?


Nice combo but the wa7 are not at a higher level.
I place it a tad lower overall than oppo amp but it does have a very nice sound.
I would go with a balance tube or a tube amp with more than one tube per channel..
If going a step up.

Remember the oppo in general is extremely hard to beat or move up from...
To move up you need to go end game material.
When I owned the irDac I found it to be just excellent with black background, maybe darker overall but neutral in general.
The oppo dac to me is both more resolving of detail space and air, in other words larger soundstage.
To be fair though, I didn't own them at same time.
Haha!
yes, yes,yes !

Seriously though,
I have a very early version that for various reasons they swapped out with latest audio board so this should be the latest firmware which to me really just means nothing except it is meant for this board...

 
So you actually think the HA1 is a step above the WA7? Interesting, as I thought the WA7 albeit having a slightly "technically inferior" DAC would have better sonic capabilities solely functioning as an amp. The HA1 does indeed have fantastic sound, but I also have heard the WA7, and it seemed pretty close, if not on par with the HA1. I do find the DAC in the HA1 to be excellent, at least to what I can hear, as it sounds basically the same as the XSABRE DAC which costs almost the same price and doesn't have an amp, I'm much more satisfied with the HA1 setup for sure.

 

[Badas]

Like this?


Nice combo but the wa7 are not at a higher level.
I place it a tad lower overall than oppo amp but it does have a very nice sound.
I would go with a balance tube or a tube amp with more than one tube per channel..
If going a step up.

Very nice. You need to get that WA7 of the Oppo heat grate. Won't be good for either.

 

[Maxx134]

Sorry I posted wrong pic of oppo in bottom my post So I updated...

As for the WA7+WWA7TP combo,
Yes the wa7 dac is mid-tier compared to the oppo which is one of best implementation of the Sabre dac available, so in that regard (dac),
Its easy to tell..


As for the WA7 amp section,
I have always liked the amp but yes we are stepping up another level with the oppo amp and also a very easy to tell upgrade. ..

I started with the WA7, then WA7+WA7TP and then oppo HA-1.

I compared them side-by-side and also as dac& amp for a week or so before selling my WA7 & it was an easy choice as gerneral upgrade..

but really depends also on your headphones,
as I notice some members actually prefer a certain "signature" sound over a greater transparency.

Indeed you can go other ways preferring a "clean" sound without the micro plankton detailing,
that a "brighter" piece of gear can provide ..

Edit :
I speak in generailties because there are no 100% clear absolutes or choices with so many variables, when including your taste & hearing sensitivities.
..every amp has a mix of every aspect of sound we can speak of so the user's task is really to find what suites "them" best, & no one else.

 

[avraham]

I finally broke down and ordered balanced cables for my Oppo PM-1.  I received them today and as usual with Oppo the cables weren't just thrown in a box and shipped, they were boxed in a nice presentation cardboard box.  I think Apple started a trend with packaging.  I was skeptical that I would hear a sound difference other than the phones would require less power.  I was wrong I can hear more detail and the volume level is defiantly lower. 

 

[mithrandir38]

So you actually think the HA1 is a step above the WA7? Interesting, as I thought the WA7 albeit having a slightly "technically inferior" DAC would have better sonic capabilities solely functioning as an amp. The HA1 does indeed have fantastic sound, but I also have heard the WA7, and it seemed pretty close, if not on par with the HA1. I do find the DAC in the HA1 to be excellent, at least to what I can hear, as it sounds basically the same as the XSABRE DAC which costs almost the same price and doesn't have an amp, I'm much more satisfied with the HA1 setup for sure.

having owned both, the midrange always felt "off" to me with the WA7. There was no body to the sound, imo. The HA-1 has virtually perfect, transparent mids. I did find the tube highs on the Woo to be superior, although this could be due to the dac and not the amp. Overall, i really prefer the Oppo. Btw, the HA-1 is a killer preamp. I use it for for my pro-ject turntable, using a lounge audio mk iii phono preamp going into the Oppo. This thing is a secret weapon.

 

[Hooster]

Yes, it is a good preamp but like this it is even better:
 

 
 

 
Using the headphone out to drive a power amp.