[Bazirker]

I've been using the HA-2 with both of my iPads (original iPad Air and a mini 4, both updated to current version of iOS) as a DAC, and I have only experienced this garbled playback issue you guys describe once. It resolved after I turned the HA-2 off and then back on. I haven't had my HA-2 for long; maybe 10 hours or so of listening with it? This sounds like it's maybe an iPhone-specific problem.

 

[adeeb]

I've had the garbled playback issue happen over Bluetooth before (though I think it may have sped up). That's the only other digital connection I've used.

And it's definitely not the player/app, as I've had this happen in Spotify and Tidal.

I also had what I think is the same thing over Bluetooth in my car, but instead of the stutter/garble, it sounded like it was just playing at quarter speed. But there were no chops or disruptions. Again I was using HF Player but this time pausing and starting seemed to fix it.

Do you use HF Player? If so, does the problem happen more often than with other apps?

I'm also wondering if this is depends on the file format being played. In my case most of what I've been listening to is 192khz/24-bit Flac.

 

[adeeb]

The player/app is not the problem as far as I have tested (I usually use Tidal for streaming, but it also happened with regular iTunes/Music app on iOS).
And it's the loss of connection problem (looses connection, iPhone think it can charge and starts doing that for a second, music can be restarted by pressing play). 
And yes, it's a bit funny - i was hoping changing both iPhone 6->7, cable and HA2->SE would help, but it didn't. 

Edit: I also had the garble problem from time to time on the HA-2, but haven't heard it yet on the SE-version (I think I have listened to it for something like 10 hours by now, haven't heard it yet).

I have noticed that even if my phone is muted but not in airplane mode, sometimes receiving imessages causes HF Player to pause -- even if I'm using the Apple cable. It might be related to getting multiple messages in a short span. Not sure. Like with you, clicking play allows the music to resume.

With the garble, do you remember which file types and apps it happened with? Do you still use those apps and file types now? I'm trying to figure out why you aren't experiencing the garbles now...

 

[adeeb]

Been using iphone 6s with the ha-2 playing spotify, tidal, and neutron, no problems at all.  though I do use the iphone as a player only, no sim.

If you are only using your phone as a player and don't have any wifi based messaging/communication apps installed, I suspect that you will not have the pausing problem.

To help us identify the garble problem, can you confirm with iOS version you are using, which Player apps you use, and your most common file formats? Thanks.

 

[adeeb]

Aha - I can now reproduce it quite easily with a 9 out of 10 tries success rate...  

Wrapping the iPhone+ha2 in aluminium foil makes the HA-2 disconnect almost instantly in my case (playing off line music, so we are not talking about the phone loosing signal/network that interrupts the stream).
It needs to be fully wrapped in foil to block out the GSM signal.

It seems to be that when the phone looses the connection to it's GSM network (and starts searching and trying to roam) then it drops the connection to the HA-2 each time.

Maybe the extra power needed when searching for a network does something to the lightning connection that makes the HA-2 disengage... 

Can anybody else try this simple test?

Thanks for this test! You have likely confirmed my own suspicions that I did not know how to reliably test for. Did not think of the foil.

Which player app were you using? Can you try it with iTunes and see if it does the same thing? That would mean it is most likely OS rather than app.

 

[adeeb]

I've been using the HA-2 with both of my iPads (original iPad Air and a mini 4, both updated to current version of iOS) as a DAC, and I have only experienced this garbled playback issue you guys describe once. It resolved after I turned the HA-2 off and then back on. I haven't had my HA-2 for long; maybe 10 hours or so of listening with it? This sounds like it's maybe an iPhone-specific problem.

I wish it was just the iPhones as that would have pointed to it also being related to the phone switching between cell towers -- especially where there is a weak signal.

However, the fact that you experienced it even once means there is another cause. Do you remember which player app you were using at that time and the file type that you were playing? And of course the impossible question, do you know if you received a notification that may have prompted the garble?

 

[Bazirker]

I wish it was just the iPhones as that would have pointed to it also being related to the phone switching between cell towers -- especially where there is a weak signal.

However, the fact that you experienced it even once means there is another cause. Do you remember which player app you were using at that time and the file type that you were playing? And of course the impossible question, do you know if you received a notification that may have prompted the garble?

Spotify on highest quality, streaming. I might have gotten a notification...I'll pay attention and update if it happens again.

 

[adrift02]

Aha - I can now reproduce it quite easily with a 9 out of 10 tries success rate...  

Wrapping the iPhone+ha2 in aluminium foil makes the HA-2 disconnect almost instantly in my case (playing off line music, so we are not talking about the phone loosing signal/network that interrupts the stream).
It needs to be fully wrapped in foil to block out the GSM signal.

It seems to be that when the phone looses the connection to it's GSM network (and starts searching and trying to roam) then it drops the connection to the HA-2 each time.

Maybe the extra power needed when searching for a network does something to the lightning connection that makes the HA-2 disengage... 

Can anybody else try this simple test?

I tried this and it didn't do anything. So unless my signal went through foil, this doesn't seem to be it.

I also had what I think is the same thing over Bluetooth in my car, but instead of the stutter/garble, it sounded like it was just playing at quarter speed. But there were no chops or disruptions. Again I was using HF Player but this time pausing and starting seemed to fix it.

Do you use HF Player? If so, does the problem happen more often than with other apps?

I'm also wondering if this is depends on the file format being played. In my case most of what I've been listening to is 192khz/24-bit Flac.

All I use is streaming (Spotify and Tidal). I don't know the format, but that would be across 320K and 1440K. However, I should note that I'm not 100% sure I've had the garbled thing happen with Spotify, as I've been using Tidal since I got my HA-2SE. Spotify did cause the Bluetooth playback issue though.

 

[chimney189]

I have a question regarding this portable player against an O2 + ODAC desktop amp...
 
Would the OPPO HA-2 sufficiently power ALPHA PRIMES and HD 650 cans?
 
Or would one rather go with an O2 + ODAC? 
 
I would like the portability of the OPPO, but I do want enough power to begin with.
 
 
Any suggestions? They are both basically the same price.

 

[adrift02]

  I have a question regarding this portable player against an O2 + ODAC desktop amp...
 
Would the OPPO HA-2 sufficiently power ALPHA PRIMES and HD 650 cans?
 
Or would one rather go with an O2 + ODAC? 
 
I would like the portability of the OPPO, but I do want enough power to begin with.
 
 
Any suggestions? They are both basically the same price.

The HA-2SE powers my DT-770 (80oms) just fine (they definitely need an amp). From what I've read, the alpha primes should be just fine. The 650 will probably be fine too, but I think some people say they will scale well with really nice stuff, so you may not be at their limit.

 

[anticute]

I've also had some issues with garbled playback/quarter speed and drop outs on my iPhone, listening to Spotify. Turning the Oppo on and off or disconnecting/reconnecting the cable solves the problem. Interestingly, closing and opening Spotify also solved it the other day when I tried it.
 
Not sure what the common demoninator could be. It sometimes seem to coincide with phone notifications, but not always. I can get that it would be a problem with cell signal drops etc if you're in a car or something, but yesterday I was walking in an area that has pretty good cell reception on 2G/3G and LTE, and I still got the garbled playback. 
 
It would be very interesting if someone manages to pinpoint the issue 100%, and maybe find a solution for it. Doesn't happen that often, but it's still pretty annoying when it does occur.

 

[TimeLord]

I have a question regarding this portable player against an O2 + ODAC desktop amp...

Would the OPPO HA-2 sufficiently power ALPHA PRIMES and HD 650 cans?

Or would one rather go with an O2 + ODAC? 

I would like the portability of the OPPO, but I do want enough power to begin with.


Any suggestions? They are both basically the same price.

I posted this regarding the HA-2 and Alpha Prime earlier in this thread. Hopefully it will help you.

 

[inertianinja]

I just received my HA-2SE and tried it out with my iPhone 7 Plus. 
 
First, it sounds great. A few observations:
 
(1) Over Lightning, the volume controls still work on my iPhone. I expected it to just pass a straight digital signal to the HA-2SE without volume controls at all, as if it were connected to a dock. Not a bad thing, I'm just leaving it at 100%.
 
(2) After about 2 minutes with the HA-2SE turned off, the phone appears to start charging, even though the PowerBank function is not activated.
 
(3) There seems to be a little weirdness in the handshake one the amp is turned on. The phone first registers it as charging, then not...music doesn't start playing immediately. 
 
(4) It appears that the PowerBank function can be turned on even when music is playing. That is great!

 

[dennistdk]

  (1) Over Lightning, the volume controls still work on my iPhone. I expected it to just pass a straight digital signal to the HA-2SE without volume controls at all, as if it were connected to a dock. Not a bad thing, I'm just leaving it at 100%.
 
(2) After about 2 minutes with the HA-2SE turned off, the phone appears to start charging, even though the PowerBank function is not activated.
 
(3) There seems to be a little weirdness in the handshake one the amp is turned on. The phone first registers it as charging, then not...music doesn't start playing immediately. 
 
(4) It appears that the PowerBank function can be turned on even when music is playing. That is great!

 
1) The iPhone is controlling the volume on the HA-2(SE) afaik, not the digital lightning output. You do not need to run it at 100%, but off course you can - you won't loose any resolution if you turn it down from the iPhone side.
2) I have never seen this - not with my HA-2 or HA-2SE, but will keep an eye out for it.
3) This seem to be "standard"
4) Yep. Really nice function that saved me a couple of times.

 

[adeeb]

  I've also had some issues with garbled playback/quarter speed and drop outs on my iPhone, listening to Spotify. Turning the Oppo on and off or disconnecting/reconnecting the cable solves the problem. Interestingly, closing and opening Spotify also solved it the other day when I tried it.
 
Not sure what the common demoninator could be. It sometimes seem to coincide with phone notifications, but not always. I can get that it would be a problem with cell signal drops etc if you're in a car or something, but yesterday I was walking in an area that has pretty good cell reception on 2G/3G and LTE, and I still got the garbled playback. 
 
It would be very interesting if someone manages to pinpoint the issue 100%, and maybe find a solution for it. Doesn't happen that often, but it's still pretty annoying when it does occur.

I also noticed that when I experience the garble situation, quitting HF Player and starting it again solved the problem. 
 
Also, the other day I was listening through the oppo then powered off the Oppo and plugged my headphones into the iPhone and the music started to play back slowly (although without the choppiness that I hear from the DAC).
 
Another time, I was in my car but listening to the Oppo through headphones. When I turned the car on, the iPhone switched audio output to the car and the music played slowly.
 
Both of the above seem to indicate that the problem may be related to perceived switches in audio output or connections.
 
FWIW, I tried listening to the Oppo through iTunes for an entire day and did not experience any problems. Similarly, I used HF Player to playback non HD music and I did not experience the problem. Of course, neither of the above is conclusive.
 
I suggest that whoever is experiencing the problem with the garble should contact Oppo support.