[Middy]

For android you need an OTG cable and a printer cable. OTG for your android tablet connector. Then a printer cable feeding the source to the Dac in the back. I am using one now for a Samsung S5 micro usb to usb2 OTG cable.

Try Onkyo hd player. Then off you go.

Do clean all connections with Caig Deoxit red and gold. From plug to headphones...

Good luck
Just an OTG Cable...

 

[Megalith]

How much better does the balanced headphone out sound compared to the balanced pre out? I'm trying to decide whether I should get a splitter and connect my studio monitors to the balanced headphone out instead.

 

[zilch0md]

 
[snip]
 
I'm just guessing, but I suspect...
 
[snip]
 

 
 

Curious why you would expect the 105's implementation to sound better?

[snip]

 
My unproven hunch is based on two assumptions:  The DAC performance is potentially similar -and- it's a lot safer, in terms of audible sound quality, to use good analog cables (balanced, no less) between two components than it is to gamble with all the variables that can degrade signal integrity when transmitting S/PDIF through a Coaxial or Toslink cable.
 
Your chances for avoiding jitter and signal integrity problems are better, if you get the conversion done inside the source component (assuming the two DACs are comparable).  
 
Signal integrity can be impaired by insertion loss (attenuation due to conductor and dielectric losses), crosstalk (loss of integrity caused by capacitive or inductive coupling with other signals in close proximity), and potentially, worst of all (because it can itself increase insertion losses), reflections (caused by impedance mismatches). Using the shortest possible digital cables will reduce the impact of all three causes of signal integrity impairment, but especially if you have have reflections caused by impedance mismatches anywhere along the PCB-mounted connectors, the cable connectors and the cable itself.
 

    Source: http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5988-5978EN.pdf
 
---
 
It would be really cool to make all three connections between the BDP-105 and the HA-1, then while playing a good test track, use the HA-1's remote to jump between COAX, OPTI and XLR.  How fun would that be?  (Joy!)
 
If XLR sounded better than COAX, I'd still wonder if I couldn't find a better Coaxial cable (even though Oppo, like just about everyone else these days, chose to use RCA Coax connectors instead of proper, 75-Ohm BNC connectors).
 
And if XLR sounded better than OPTI, I'd still find myself wanting to experiment with better Optical cables.  
 
I'd be much happier, having tried all three, if either OPTI or COAX sounded better (using the HA-1's DAC) on first comparison to the XLR connection (using the BDP-105's DAC) - because I would be less haunted by thoughts of improving the cables, than I would if XLR won the contest straight away.  
 

 
 
---
 
Interesting reading:
 
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/75ohmrca.htm
 
http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5988-5978EN.pdf
 
Mike

 

[x RELIC x]

Excellent, thorough, and articulate answer as always. Thank you Mike. I thought you were thinking along these lines, but didn't want to make any assumptions.

 

[zilch0md]

Thanks!

 

[hikinokie]

I guess I should have added the 105 is powering my home theater and I use it directly to an amp utilizing the 105's onboard volume control which I will turn all the way down. That also keeps the signal sensor in the subwoofer from turning it on. So for now at least I need to use the digital out of the 105 feeding the HA 1.

 

[zilch0md]

 
I guess I should have added the 105 is powering my home theater and I use it directly to an amp utilizing the 105's onboard volume control which I will turn all the way down. That also keeps the signal sensor in the subwoofer from turning it on. So for now at least I need to use the digital out of the 105 feeding the HA 1.

 
That's perfectly OK. You could still try both COAX and OPTI connections, to see which sounds the best to your ears, but I wouldn't fault you for trying only one or the other.
 
Despite my warnings of potential problems of impedance mismatch with Coaxial connectors and cables, I use this $7.99 Toslink cable between my Sony Bravia HDTV and the Oppo HA-1 (for after-hours television viewing with the Audeze LCD-2 rev.1)  Optical cables should be kept short as well, and there are certainly better cables out there than the one I'm using, but this one's good enough for watching TV.  

 

 
One advantage of optical cables is that they cannot be a path for ground loop currents running between components.
 
Mike

 

[Allanmarcus]

I'd bet $1 that no one could tell the difference in a blind test between the coax and the optical

 

[hikinokie]

That's perfectly OK. You could still try both COAX and OPTI connections, to see which sounds the best to your ears, but I wouldn't fault you for trying only one or the other.

Despite my warnings of potential problems of impedance mismatch with Coaxial connectors and cables, I use this $7.99 Toslink cable between my Sony Bravia HDTV and the Oppo HA-1 (for after-hours television viewing with the Audeze LCD-2 rev.1)  Optical cables should be kept short as well, and there are certainly better cables out there than the one I'm using, but this one's good enough for watching TV.  




One advantage of optical cables is that they cannot be a path for ground loop currents running between components.

Mike

Mine will be powering an Audeze as well ( lcd xc )
I like the no metal connection optical idea. Just dont know if it will pass 24 bit. Guess ill find out.

 

[x RELIC x]

Mine will be powering an Audeze as well ( lcd xc )
I like the no metal connection optical idea. Just dont know if it will pass 24 bit. Guess ill find out.

If using a quality optical cable it will pass up to 24/192.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

 

Sexy rig! I Like!

 

[Middy]

Well placed, elegant, understated, with pose and élan. Delivering the goods.
You should call it the Trump look.....


@8^o

 

[goldendarko]

It's the best amp. It's got the best parts and people love it. It makes great deals too. Best part is We're going to have Mexico build it - and they're going to pay for it and it's going to make amps great again.

 

[marhol]

It's the best amp. It's got the best parts and people love it. It makes great deals too. Best part is We're going to have Mexico build it - and they're going to pay for it and it's going to make amps great again.

Successfully overtrumping  others 

...

 

[gPope]

Sorry if this has already been discussed but a search did not produce a reliable answer.  I just sold my Nuforce Icon HDP and am ready to pull the trigger on the HA-1.  My Sony computer has an S/PDIF optical output and that's what I used with the HDP.  My question is, is there a sound quality difference between optical and USB inputs on the HA-1?  When I asked Oppo about this, I am not sure their answer is clear to me:
 
"USB is a better connection if you want stereo audio, while optical from your computer would be better if you want to Bit Stream Dolby Digital or DTS to the player."
 
Clearly, the HA-1 is a stereo unit and I am not sure what to make of the Dolby Digital and DTS references.