[erich6]

Happy Again - Peter

Congratulations! Enjoy.

 

[zilch0md]

Found the kid's 5th gen IPod (he has moved on to his IPhone ) and this IPod - HA-2se seems like really a nice set up. Cleared everything else off the IPod but music and music apps - 25 or so GB for storing music for offline listening now available. Streaming Music working like a charm - Just need to be hooked up to WiFi. I even get to use the short cable I bought to use with the phone. Now with the red IPod and cord it looks like I planed it the whole time.

This set up also has the advantage of when stacking, the rubber bands are only covering the mechanical home button vs the fingerprint sensor (using my iphone 7 this was a problem). The IPod fits like a glove (much thinner and smaller footprint - Fits like Oppo designed the HA-2se for the IPod vs a IPhone) leaving much better assess to all functions buttons and switches especially the volume knob. For me the delicate adjustment using the volume knob to dial in the perfect level for listening is a feature I personally think is awesome.

So far no Drops - Fingers Crossed! No need for long cords, incoming messages/emails are a N/A issue (yes the phone will be around nearby), battery life on The IPod crushes the IPhone and I can charge it anytime with the HA - 2se.

Will let you know - But thanks again for the suggestion to try the Ipod vs Iphone with the current drop issues - I love this set up (for now)!!

If there is a big quality difference between the IPod 5th and 6th gen (or Iphone 7 for that matter) in a set up like this, I'm not seeing it. All this matched up with the Oppo PM 3's seems like a fantastic solution for me - The end of the story sound I am getting is amazing to me!! Bonus is how well the HA-2se works as a portable DAC/Amp to improve sound of my home stereo and even when I hook it up in my vehicle. Heck I am going to take it where ever I go now. I can now see how great sound is so very addictive. Slippery Slope ahead I am sure!!

Happy Again - Peter

Peter,

It's a great pleasure for me, of course, to convey a suggestion, then see it applied with such satisfaction. The best part is that, in your case, you didn't have to buy anything to make it happen. I love my 6th Gen Touch and you're right - they fit the HA-2 so perfectly. You've got me beat with that red and black Zeskit cable. My white cable works perfectly, but doesn't look nearly as nice - especially with your red Touch. Sheesh!

And yes, the PM-3 finishes the recipe so nicely. Enjoy!

Mike

 

[halo9]

Received update from tech saying engineering are still looking into it. I'm not holding my breath.

I'm reading about this on a lot of forums and everyone mentions 10.3.x on an iPhone. Has anyone tried it on an iPad with same iOS, if they have one, to confirm it is not just phones with the issue?

 

[bfhyan]

Which one is better, HA 2 or HA 2 SE? And why?
A cellphone with an Oppo is better than a dedicated dap like Fiio X7 and Fiio X5 III?
Thanks

 

[drykoke]

Received update from tech saying engineering are still looking into it. I'm not holding my breath.

I'm reading about this on a lot of forums and everyone mentions 10.3.x on an iPhone. Has anyone tried it on an iPad with same iOS, if they have one, to confirm it is not just phones with the issue?

I have just bought the latest CCK USB 3 which works perfectly with Ipad 2017 (IOS 10.3.1) and Dragonfly Red. However, everytime I plug the CCK in, the Ipad keeps asking me to update it, and I have to click the 'Later' button because I don't dare to update to the latest version (there's no way back if it then stops working with Dragonfly Red).

 

[jegnyc]

I have just bought the latest CCK USB 3 which works perfectly with Ipad 2017 (IOS 10.3.1) and Dragonfly Red. However, everytime I plug the CCK in, the Ipad keeps asking me to update it, and I have to click the 'Later' button because I don't dare to update to the latest version (there's no way back if it then stops working with Dragonfly Red).

Just curious - does your iPad have cellular capability or is it WiFi only?

 

[drykoke]

Just curious - does your iPad have cellular capability or is it WiFi only?

Wifi only. Haven't tested it out of home.

 

[Gilles De Rais]

Which one is better, HA 2 or HA 2 SE? And why?
A cellphone with an Oppo is better than a dedicated dap like Fiio X7 and Fiio X5 III?
Thanks

Depends on your budget and your needs. The Ha-2SE has a lower noise floor than the Ha-2 - ie less hiss on efficient iems, it also has a newer Sabre DAC chip which reduces the famed Sabre treble glare. So if they're important to you than the SE is a better purchase at a slighlty higher cost in some markets, if not then go original.

Compared to a DAP? Do you want to carry around an extra device with increased music capacity and or sound or do you want to merely enhance the sound from your phone? Will your headphones benefit or indeed are they even good enough to benefit from a DAP? Can you hear the difference? Answering these questions for yourself will help.
Generally speaking a DAP at X5III or X7 will sound better than a phone/oppo stack, but whether you can tell is a question only you can answer...

regards,

Giles

 

[zilch0md]

Which one is better, HA 2 or HA 2 SE? And why?
A cellphone with an Oppo is better than a dedicated dap like Fiio X7 and Fiio X5 III?
Thanks

There's also the issue of most DAPs having notoriously buggy user interfaces. FiiO is better than some, but just give any DAP thread a good hard look and you will see a lot of owners reporting bugs, waiting for firmware upgrades, applying the firmware upgrades, reporting new bugs, waiting for the next firmware upgrade, until... the manufacturer cuts their last firmware upgrade for that device, with several bugs not yet fixed, as they turn their attentions to writing bug fixes for a successor product. The quality assurance for most DAPs is performed by the a highly-conditioned fan base that has lowered its expectations to find contentment.

A notable exception is the nearly bug-free user interfaces seen in Sony DAPs, which, unfortunately have very anemic power output at the headphone jack - on the order of 10 to 15mW per channel into 16-Ohms. (You'd better have some very efficient headphones if you expect good dynamics out of so little power.)

They do, however, offer digital output in the form of an optional USB emulation cable that can be plugged into the Oppo HA-2/HA-2SE (or any DAC with USB input.) This gives you the bug-free and featureful UI of a Sony DAP with the power of an HA-2 (or whatever USB DAC/amp you decide to use.)

Check out the Sony NWZ-A17, for example:

 

[halo9]

I have just bought the latest CCK USB 3 which works perfectly with Ipad 2017 (IOS 10.3.1) and Dragonfly Red. However, everytime I plug the CCK in, the Ipad keeps asking me to update it, and I have to click the 'Later' button because I don't dare to update to the latest version (there's no way back if it then stops working with Dragonfly Red).

That is strange as 10.3.1 is the current latest version. iOS 10.3.2 is still in beta and has not been released as far as I can see. I wonder what exactly it is going to update to? If you go to settings/general/about are you definitely on iOS 10.3.1?

Another strange thing, since the drop outs started with iOS 10.3.1 on the HA-2SE (every 2-10 mins) I haven't used it with my iPhone and only use it with my laptop. I plugged it into my iPhone this morning as wanted to time the drop outs and it has been running an hour solid now with out a drop out. What the?

 

[jegnyc]

That is strange as 10.3.1 is the current latest version. iOS 10.3.2 is still in beta and has not been released as far as I can see. I wonder what exactly it is going to update to? If you go to settings/general/about are you definitely on iOS 10.3.1?

Another strange thing, since the drop outs started with iOS 10.3.1 on the HA-2SE (every 2-10 mins) I haven't used it with my iPhone and only use it with my laptop. I plugged it into my iPhone this morning as wanted to time the drop outs and it has been running an hour solid now with out a drop out. What the?

On your first question, I am pretty sure the update referenced was to the CCK. I got the same message.

On the second - the experience with drop outs seem to vary from user to user, maybe based on the way the phones are used (and please note I said maybe). But there are so many reports with so many different DACs that I must conclude that this is an issue that originates with iOS 10.3. Hence I have not updated.

 

[claud W]

I have the Sony A17. It sounds very nice on my Campfire Vega IEMs. The HA2SE is my next move then Oppo PM3 headphones.
I read lots of DAP threads before I bought the Sony. Thought about the fancier Z2, but wanted to keep it simple. Added a 128GB card to the A17,s 64 GB. ,
I also use 160 GB iPods for non Hi Rez tunes with a RSA Shadow.

 

[zilch0md]

I have the Sony A17. It sounds very nice on my Campfire Vega IEMs. The HA2SE is my next move then Oppo PM3 headphones.
I read lots of DAP threads before I bought the Sony. Thought about the fancier Z2, but wanted to keep it simple. Added a 128GB card to the A17,s 64 GB. ,
I also use 160 GB iPods for non Hi Rez tunes with a RSA Shadow.

I'm impressed with your pre-purchase research abilities. You did well to settle on a Sony DAP, following a lot of research. I wish I had gone straight to a Sony DAP, instead of messing around with DAPs by HiFiMan and FiiO - I will never go back. They are capable of making some really great sounding portable DAC/Amps, with a remarkable amount of power, but it's all for naught when the user has to "enable" lousy UI software by jumping through hoops just to select and play files. It's like trying to stick a square peg into a round hole, for the entire life of the DAP. The firmware upgrades keep coming, but in the end, it's the user who is conditioned to tolerate UI. The UI itself never comes close to what you get with a Sony DAP, or for that matter, what you get with something like the Sanza Clip+.

Your decision to get an HA-2SE will allow your Sony NWZ-A17 to do what it does best - a microSD card reader with a very friendly, hassle-free interface, that can deliver gapless playback with numerous file types - while eliminating what the Sony DAP does only nominally - bypassing its proprietary DAC and anemic amp, to output a very clean USB signal that is completely free of AC power-noise artifacts for which devices like the Uptone Audio USB Regen are necessary when connected to noisy PCs or laptops. (I'm a big fan of battery-powered audio devices, as they eliminate the need for expensive AC power conditioners used with desktop gear, in an effort to get the noise floor down.)

You will have to get one of these USB emulation cables to go between your NWZ-A17 and the HA-2SE:

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-WMC-NWH10-Conversion-Cable-Output/dp/B00FF086HE <-- This Sony cable requires an additional USB cable to connect to the HA-2SE.

Source: https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/oppo-ha-2.20594/reviews#review-13812

-OR-

https://www.amazon.com/Custom-Walkman-Digital-WM-Port-Degrees/dp/B00YWEHSQY

 

[claud W]

Bought that cable 2 weeks ago. Now for the SE and PM3. Is the DAC in the SE better than the one in the Sony??

Nice photography by the way.

 

[claud W]

Ordered PM-3 and HA2 SE a few moments ago. Will eventually get a Wywires Red headphone cable for PM-3s. Always a great improvement.