[marhol]

Hello, I would like to ask Oppo HA-1 owners the following question: Do you think it changes the sound signature a bit, when using balanced cable vs unbalanced cable ?  I mean, does it sound a bit brighter/more detailed/airier with the balanced connection ? What is your experience ?  I heard Oppo HA-1 balanced with PM1, it sounded great but did not have a chance to compare with unbalanced cable... Cause I had an experience with Violectric V281 and LCD-2. First I tried LCD-2 unbalanced and then balanced and it seemed to me that the sound signature became slightly brighter/more detailed/airier...Wondering if it´s similar with Oppo HA-1 ...?

 

[Poimandres]

Okay, so I am in the hunt for my first desktop setup and I keep coming back to the HA-1.  Does anyone have Audio GD NFB-28, I am wondering how these two compare?  I realize that the oppo has additional features and is definitely the classier looking unit, especially in black.  Specifically how do the dacs compare and what 9018 dac is in the oppo?  Is it the desktop version or the k2m?

 

[akhyar]

  Hello, I would like to ask Oppo HA-1 owners the following question: Do you think it changes the sound signature a bit, when using balanced cable vs unbalanced cable ?  I mean, does it sound a bit brighter/more detailed/airier with the balanced connection ? What is your experience ?  I heard Oppo HA-1 balanced with PM1, it sounded great but did not have a chance to compare with unbalanced cable... Cause I had an experience with Violectric V281 and LCD-2. First I tried LCD-2 unbalanced and then balanced and it seemed to me that the sound signature became slightly brighter/more detailed/airier...Wondering if it´s similar with Oppo HA-1 ...?

 
Personally for me, I'll go for the balanced output everytime, if possible.
Of all my headphones that I can change the cable to balanced, i.e. HD800, LCD-X, Sony Z7, I always choose balanced.
The balanced output on the HA-1 has more power than the single-ended.
On some headphones, especially those easy to drive, the difference might be hard to notice, but to me, balanced anytime.

 

[wgb113]

Via balanced the HA-1 seemed like it had better control over the Sennheiser HD650, resulting in a more effortless presentation, their sound signature just still wasn't for me though, I prefer my AKG K812 unbalanced with the HA-1.

 

[AudioMan2013]

Hello, I would like to ask Oppo HA-1 owners the following question: Do you think it changes the sound signature a bit, when using balanced cable vs unbalanced cable ?  I mean, does it sound a bit brighter/more detailed/airier with the balanced connection ? What is your experience ?  I heard Oppo HA-1 balanced with PM1, it sounded great but did not have a chance to compare with unbalanced cable... Cause I had an experience with Violectric V281 and LCD-2. First I tried LCD-2 unbalanced and then balanced and it seemed to me that the sound signature became slightly brighter/more detailed/airier...Wondering if it´s similar with Oppo HA-1 ...?

It may or maynot sound different but try to use balanced whenever possible. They are about twice the voltage level as unbalanced that results in a lower noise to signal level.

 

[PerfectHiFi]

  Hello, I would like to ask Oppo HA-1 owners the following question: Do you think it changes the sound signature a bit, when using balanced cable vs unbalanced cable ?  I mean, does it sound a bit brighter/more detailed/airier with the balanced connection ? What is your experience ?  I heard Oppo HA-1 balanced with PM1, it sounded great but did not have a chance to compare with unbalanced cable... Cause I had an experience with Violectric V281 and LCD-2. First I tried LCD-2 unbalanced and then balanced and it seemed to me that the sound signature became slightly brighter/more detailed/airier...Wondering if it´s similar with Oppo HA-1 ...?

I personally use balanced output when listening with my HD800, and I subjectively feel more "dynamic", more "room", "space", "air" (...you name it) when operating these headphones in balanced mode, compared to single ended (asymmetric) operation. However, I do believe that it is particularly related to this "high-impedance" model headphone. Model HD800 do not sound brighter on the HA-1 balanced output IMO, but may sound brighter on a cable with high capacity? Remember, you get more signal amplitude on the HA-1 balanced output, especially useful when driving high impedance transducers or high capacity loads.

 

[marhol]

Thank you very much for your insight and impressions ! Happy listening ! I will probably buy Oppo HA-1 at some point in the future. But at first I would like to add Oppo BDP-105 to my rig.
It´s a great source, DAC and it (supposedly) has also a very good headphone amp, which I hope to be sufficiently powerful to drive my moderately sensitive HE-400i headphones.

 

[x RELIC x]

Thank you very much for your insight and impressions ! Happy listening ! I will probably buy Oppo HA-1 at some point in the future. But at first I would like to add Oppo BDP-105 to my rig.
It´s a great source, DAC and it (supposedly) has also a very good headphone amp, which I hope to be sufficiently powerful to drive my moderately sensitive HE-400i headphones.

While the BDP-105 is a great muti format player the headphone out is no where near the HA-1. The DAC implementation isn't quite the same either, even though they are using the same chip.

 

[Poimandres]

How is the sound compared to the NFB-28?  I am really on the fence on which way to go between the HA-1, NFB-28 and the Mjolnir/Gungnir.

 

[drewTT]

While the BDP-105 is a great muti format player the headphone out is no where near the HA-1. The DAC implementation isn't quite the same either, even though they are using the same chip.

I agree.  I have the 105 in my living room setup and find that the HA-1 has slightly better sound.  Seems like there is a touch more detail in the music with the HA-1.  

 

[drewTT]

In regards to balanced connections, it just makes sense to use, since the HA-1 is a fully balanced design. 
 
Can't comment on headphone sound but I am using XLR outs to my amp and there is absolutely zero noise even if I put my ear right up to the speaker.  

 

[Gr8Desire]

The HA-1 produces significantly more power on the balanced output.

I would suspect this is a better explanation for the improved sound.

 

[x RELIC x]

That, and a fully analogue dedicated class A amplification circuit with toroidal power supply, a topology entirely dedicated to headphone output.

 

[marhol]

That, and a fully analogue dedicated class A amplification circuit with toroidal power supply, a topology entirely dedicated to headphone output.

 
 

While the BDP-105 is a great muti format player the headphone out is no where near the HA-1. The DAC implementation isn't quite the same either, even though they are using the same chip.

Thanks for an opinion. Yes, it´s understandable that the integrated headphone out on BDP-105 can hardly compete with HA-1 which is a solid state amp class A in the price range  of 1000-2000 $/€. I haven´t heard BDP-105 (headphone out) yet, but I can imagine that HA-1 will have an edge in power supply, overall dynamics or refinement. But still it should be a decent headphone amp (able to deliver 187 mW into 32 Ohm) for my HE-400i which is quite an efficient headphone for a planar (35 Ohm and 93 db/mW). As far as the headphone amp integrated in BDP 105 can match the performance of solid state head amps within the price range 300-500 $/€, I´m fine with that. 

  I agree.  I have the 105 in my living room setup and find that the HA-1 has slightly better sound.  Seems like there is a touch more detail in the music with the HA-1.  

Thanks for an info. But, are you talking about the DAC or the headphone out ? I would like to ask you or other experienced users which option would bring a better sound quality, if I want to listen digital files (mainly FLACs)  stored in HDD with my active speakers:
 
Option 1: HDD ⇒Oppo BDP 105 ⇒ Dynaudio Focus 110A
Option 2: HDD ⇒ Laptop Asus N50 VC⇒Oppo HA-1⇒Dynaudio Focus 110A  
 
I would be grateful for your insights because I am a bit sceptical that a laptop + an external DAC (Oppo HA-1) can match  Oppo BDP-105 as a main source for listening music via speakers.  I am especially doubtful that a  laptop with Foobar + HA-1 combo would match or even exceed a direct playback of DSD/DSF files  (SACDs) via BDP-105...

 

[aqsw]

Loaded question.
Im pretty sure the HA-1 will kill the blueray player every day. The balanced outs just make it so much better.