You kinda hoggin the HA-1's aren't ya? How do you possibly use/need 3 HP amps? ...Oh I know....instant comparison of all your Focal collection without having to actually switch Headphone cords.... I only have one Black one and it does not get a fraction of the use that my main speakers get. I just love crankin up the tunes Main Speakers) that Headphones just don't do it for me most of the time. Great for late night listening without pissing off the SO.
Thanks my friend. Yes I am more headphone person, than speaker listener. Originally, I have got 3 Oppo HA1, to keep them in 3 different locations. But later end up to keep them all in one place. And use portable HA-2 as amp instead.
And YES....., That small black switcher box on Focal picture is quite handy to do the comparison between headphones ) Regards, Kim
Yeah it sounds good but the ESS is starting to feel a little cold. I guess i could go that route and use it for amplification. Its just a nice piece of equipment that is no longer made. And i'm one of the ones who actulally like the spectrum visuals.
I bought my HA-1 for purely nostalgic reasons because I wanted to pair it with my PM-1. I bought it pre-loved, as a father's day gift for myself last year. i then sold it on an impulse, regretted it immediately and eventually found another pre-loved unit which was in mint condition and I bought that earlier this year. I have other DACs in my collection such as the Chord DAVE and the Oppo 205. the HA-1 still retains a place among my gear as I just have "good feels" whenever I am listening to it.
I have a Zen Stream connected to it and I am currently toying with the idea of connecting a Neo Stream via the XLR inputs of the HA-1 just to see what that is like sound-wise.
It is a nice piece of equipment for sure. I like the classic stereo vibe and spectrum just looks cool. I think i am having the rabbit hole itch lol, looking for something new and chasing better sound. Maybe i should explore other headphones other than the Sennheisers and Meze. I was about to get the 799 pair of Focal but read the reviews and kind of made me look elsewhere.
Yeah it sounds good but the ESS is starting to feel a little cold. I guess i could go that route and use it for amplification. Its just a nice piece of equipment that is no longer made. And i'm one of the ones who actulally like the spectrum visuals.
Agreed. I can't imagine where a $10.00 DAC board (I'm guessing on the price) can compete in any way with the likes of a celebrated $2400 dedicated DAC. My HA-1 was transformed into something very special when I connected my Gungnir DAC to it's balanced inputs. I think more folks should consider upgrading their HA-1 with a dedicated DAC.
Earlier this week, I bought the iFi audio Neo Stream. It has a 4.4mm balanced output which I connected to the HA-1’s XLR input using a cable that I got from iFi. I was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in sound with my PM-1. It is like breathing new life into my HA-1. Do any of you utilize the HA-1‘s XLR input this way to fully utilize the 4pin XLR headphone output?
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. I only have one Black one and it does not get a fraction of the use that my main speakers get. I just love crankin up the tunes Main Speakers) that Headphones just don't do it for me most of the time. Great for late night listening without pissing off the SO.
) Regards, Kim
