[LarryMagoo]

In case anyone reading this thinks poorly about the Remote...one of the reviews I read on the HA-1 said the remote was way too sensitive...I think thats BS cause mine works great!  I can turn the volume real easy...in fact I can see the DB meter Volume readings from across the room ....The Volume knob rotates also giving visual clues as what the remote is doing...

 

 

[Bangkokphoto]

@LarryMagoo
 
When I lift my finger off the volume button; there is a 0.5 second delay; so the volume does not stop for (-/+) 0.5-1.0db. I'm going to refer to this as "knob inertia".. I don't know if it's the remote, knob, or motor, but it is an issue which could annoy people.
 
@WayTooCrazy
 
It looks good, sounds great. I can live with the the bugs I described. 
 
If you intend to place the HA-1 in an enclosed environment DO NOT buy it. And to respond to the people claiming its "designed" to operate this hot; nothing in the world consumer audio should have an exterior surface capable of burning you. The problem worked itself out; not very scientific; but I assure you it's true. 
 
HD800 Fanboys: entry level Stax "earspeakers" are better than HD800/HD800s. 

 

[WayTooCrazy]

  @WayTooCrazy
 
It looks good, sounds great. I can live with the the bugs I described. 
 
If you intend to place the HA-1 in an enclosed environment DO NOT buy it. And to respond to the people claiming its "designed" to operate this hot; nothing in the world consumer audio should have an exterior surface capable of burning you. The problem worked itself out; not very scientific; but I assure you it's true. 
 
HD800 Fanboys: entry level Stax "earspeakers" are better than HD800/HD800s. 

I was looking at going with either the HA-1 and a Woo Audio WA6, or the skip that and just go with the WA8. I don't really need it transportable, but it is nice that it is.
 
On your second statement, which Stax do you refer to here?

 

[Bangkokphoto]

  {...}including a more than few gaming marathons for 16+ hrs {...} Maybe there are bad experiences with Oppo support out there (how can there NOT be?), but I can't remember seeing one, so I think they are rare.

 
@craftyhack Can you describe your settings for gaming?; I cannot get game audio to play over the Oppo via USB or Optical. All of the windows sounds work; foobar works, vlc works. I cannot any of the games I own working over the HA-1: (GTAV, NFS Most Wanted/The Run, Sniper Elite V2, Battlefield). Im sure this is my mistake with a setting somewhere.
 
Oppo support responded to me; their response to my request for WHQL drivers was disappointing. Basically: we dont have WHQL, dont want WHQL, and will never have WHQL because it slows us down. I accepted that. Then I was thinking about it a few days later::: Slows what down? Your ONE driver revision in 3 years? Your online knowledge base answering 4 FAQs? Then I looked at the Support for their BDP players; its unreal; constant firmware updates; very detailed clear setup instructions; even how to set the BDP for ASIO from several different applications. 
 
Another oddity about Oppo Digital support; the Japanese Oppo Digital support forum is the most helpful. Oppo Support admitted it and told me to use google translate... lol  

 

[LarryMagoo]

   
 
HD800 Fanboys: entry level Stax "earspeakers" are better than HD800/HD800s. 

This is YOUR opinion ....don't force your crap on everyone else!

 

[Allanmarcus]

  @LarryMagoo
 
When I lift my finger off the volume button; there is a 0.5 second delay; so the volume does not stop for (-/+) 0.5-1.0db. I'm going to refer to this as "knob inertia".. I don't know if it's the remote, knob, or motor, but it is an issue which could annoy people.
 
@WayTooCrazy
 
It looks good, sounds great. I can live with the the bugs I described. 
 
If you intend to place the HA-1 in an enclosed environment DO NOT buy it. And to respond to the people claiming its "designed" to operate this hot; nothing in the world consumer audio should have an exterior surface capable of burning you. The problem worked itself out; not very scientific; but I assure you it's true.  

 
I too see knob inertia, but only when I hold the volume not he remote for more than 1 "clock". If I tap tap tap on the remote's volume rocker, I get pretty precise control. That said, the HA-1 is right next to me at my desk, so I usually use the volume knob.
 
As for the heat issue, mine doesn't get that warm. How long do you have it on before it gets so hot that it burns you? I played mine for 30 minutes and the solid part of the top (not the grill) was only 82 degrees (F) right next to the grill.

 

[Bangkokphoto]

  This is YOUR opinion ....don't force your crap on everyone else!

I love how the thread was hijacked for 2-3 pages of a Sennheiser viral marketing effort and that was ok with you. One mention of Stax sets you off.
 
Well stop turning an HA-1 Impressions thread into an HD800 viral marketing campaign and rewire instruction thread. Sennheiser trolls are the worst; go rewire that junk and find an appropriate thread tell everyone alllll about it. Don't forget your invoice to Sennheiser AP to get paid for all your mentions today.  
 
@Allanmarcus First 2 days it was over 80C (170F) on the top vent + around; the vent reached that within 15 minutes of use and stayed there for hours. Power cord remained ice cold. Volume knob was ice cold, sides were warm, back was slightly warm; didnt touch the bottom.
 
Now, over a month later the top vent+around is 43C (110F) constant; nothing dangerous now but higher than yours for some reason. I keep the room at 22C (72F). 

 

[polecrab]

I played mine for 30 minutes and the solid part of the top (not the grill) was only 82 degrees (F) right next to the grill.

Do you keep your room ice cold or something? My grill is usually 25-35 deg F higher than the ambient temp. I keep chocolate in the fridge, so if I want to soften it up, I just set it on a dish next to (not covering) the grill for a minute.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I played mine for 30 minutes and the solid part of the top (not the grill) was only 82 degrees (F) right next to the grill.

Do you keep your room ice cold or something? My grill is usually 25-35 deg F higher than the ambient temp. I keep chocolate in the fridge, so if I want to soften it up, I just set it on a dish next to (not covering) the grill for a minute.

LOL, nope, not ice cold. About 75F.

I let the amp continue to play (into my HD800 for another 90 minutes. Temp around the grill is 115F. Very warm, but not 175!

 

[polecrab]

Ok 115F is pretty normal for me. For a second there I thought you had an updated unit that had better heat mgt.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Oppo should start slapping heatsinks on the sides... like this.
http://www.heatsinkusa.com/3-500-wide-extruded-aluminum-heatsink/
 

 
@3.5" wide, .75" deep and 13" in length, it is only $14.95 per side for extra cooling by airflow.

 

[etc6849]

Nothing like being objective or providing useful information; name calling is definitely the better way to go
 
Just curious have you owned and listened to the HD800 at length?  The soundstage/image sounds very realistic and accurate to me and the dynamics are very very good (matches every objective review that I read).  I'd love to own a pair of Stax SR-009's and like the looks of them, just can't justify the cost especially when it would never be my main system. 
 
Still the HD800's are very comfortable and portable too; although we'll see how traveling with the HA-1 goes.  I'm thinking my $984 was a decent investment and it would be very easy to resell them for $750 after I've used them for a year.
 
Your entitled to your opinion, but almost every review I read before buying says the opposite.  A $700 electrostatic headphone would have a hard time competing with the HD800 if you go off of what people who review them say.  I don't have any headphones to compare to the HD800 though and don't plan to buy another pair for a very long time.  I did read the Stax SR-009 is the world's best headphone though, and knew I was only buying a world class headphone and not the best.  I'm fine with that for $984 and it doesn't make me a fanboy.
 
Quote:

  HD800 Fanboys: entry level Stax "earspeakers" are better than HD800/HD800s. 

 

[polecrab]

Oppo should start slapping heatsinks on the sides... like this.

And they should turn off the class a amp module when nothing's plugged in to the headphone jacks. 90% of the time I'm using the pre outs to drive my speakers and it seems like a waste to have all that heat being generated, reducing life of the components and burning energy, for no reason.

 

[etc6849]

Seems silly doesn't it?  Up until last week I had never plugged headphones into the thing as I really bought it to run off my nvdia shield android tv box and feed into an amp for my bookshelf speakers in my bedroom.
 
Kind of like no auto speaker mute feature when i plug headphones in...
 
Quote:

And they should turn off the class a amp module when nothing's plugged in to the headphone jacks. 90% of the time I'm using the pre outs to drive my speakers and it seems like a waste to have all that heat being generated, reducing life of the components and burning energy, for no reason.

 

[polecrab]

Regarding pre outs not muting automatically when you plug in headphones, at least you can hit the mute button. Sometimes I forget and I wonder why the bass sounds so powerful on my HD600 and then I realize I've been blasting my subwoofer late at night. I know that the HA-1 really isn't the ideal preamp for someone who mostly listens to speakers like me, but all the other units in a similar price range either had a bunch of analog and phono inputs I didn't want or not enough digital inputs or no extra pres for sub. Basically, I wish there was a unit that had all the features of the HA-1 except that the headphone circuit was off when nothing's plugged in. Well, bass mgt and DSP room correction would have been nice too.