[LeoTheAwesome]

Recently, I bought a PHA-1 from a Chinese online audio store advertising on TMall. The price was approximately the same as the MSRP in Japan (i.e. not the usual crazy "import markup", but not stupidly cheap either). The DAC came in the correct box, marked "Chinese market only", and all the expected accessories were supplied, including Walkman LOD and spare iPod straps. On the underside of the unit there is a serial number and a product information label in Mandarin. It sounds the same as the one which I tested at Jaben.

After about six months of light use, the print on the side panel, around the gain selector, has worn away. All other print is robust. Is this to be expected, or should I suspect my PHA-1 of being a fake?

I don't think that there are fake sony PHA-1s around. So you can be safe on that side, if you are really suspicious you can always open the unit and check if the pcb looks like the ones you see online.
 
But to be honest I doubt very much this is the case, this is not the kind of item that are easily copied, too many specific extras and odd shaped corners on manufacturing. 
 
Paint on aluminum can be a function of many factors, if the humidity or temperature where not correct when your batch was done it can result in not that good adhesion. 

 

[Mickice]

Mine started wearing off too, with a light rub it was all gone. Now I tell people it's the awesome switch, lol.

 

[jonvply908]

Question everyone, it seems like on the back there is both a full size USB cable and a micro usb slot. 

My question is, which one would I plug into to use the DAC component on an android device? Do I need a Micro to micro cable, or will a Full Size A to Micro B cable work for use as a DAC?

EDIT: Man I feel really dumb....a micro usb OTG cable will plug into the Big side of a regular micro usb charging cable to complete the connection.....d'oh

 

[LeoTheAwesome]

In the end of the day, can you use it with a android device? And using what port? Im actually curious now... 

 

[Mickice]

  In the end of the day, can you use it with a android device? And using what port? Im actually curious now... 

You can to a degree, some Samsung devices are supported and maybe Nexus. 
You use the OTG cable to get a female side on your phone and plug a micro into the PHA-1 then switch the selector on the back to the right.

Alternatively some other phones may work using this bit of software I've read.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudiorecorderpro&hl=en

The PHA-1 will only work for 5hrs as a portable DAC, infinitely out of a laptop / PC port.

 

[LeoTheAwesome]

You can to a degree, some Samsung devices are supported and maybe Nexus. 

You use the OTG cable to get a female side on your phone and plug a micro into the PHA-1 then switch the selector on the back to the right.


Alternatively some other phones may work using this bit of software I've read.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudiorecorderpro&hl=en


The PHA-1 will only work for 5hrs as a portable DAC, infinitely out of a laptop / PC port.

Just too late... I just posted a review on my pha-1 like 20 min ago... I didn't know what to say about android users...

I'll update later... Thanks...

 

[Mickice]

Thats cool, I don't think many will go that route as most myself included simply strap a Walkman or iPod onto it and just amp.
I only use it as a DAC via PC, even then this is only sometimes as I need my Creative Sound Blaster USB HD Soundcard to run my record player.

 

[ZzBOG]

Does anyone heard about PHA-1 mod? Make the unit can line out. So you can add another Amp.

 
Hey there is indeed a line out mod for them
 
Documented here:
 
http://www.erji.net/simple/index.php?t1439392.html
 
 
Unfortunately google translate does not provide enough info and I can not see the images uploaded by the OP there.
 
Can anybody provide some extra info on this?

 

[LeoTheAwesome]

Hey there is indeed a line out mod for them

Documented here:

http://www.erji.net/simple/index.php?t1439392.html


Unfortunately google translate does not provide enough info and I can not see the images uploaded by the OP there.

Can anybody provide some extra info on this?

Wow, that's some heavy stuff... Not even pictures, just plain Asian! Hahaha

Seen that we are in the mods topic... Does the pha-1 has any other mod?

 

[CJG888]

Can anyone shed some light on this?

I for one would be wiling to give it a go (would like to use the PHA-1 with one of my tube hybrids).

 

[ZzBOG]

I think we would need a person who understands Chinese enough tl register on that forum and download photos hat are probably invisible to unregistered users

 

[ClieOS]

I think we would need a person who understands Chinese enough tl register on that forum and download photos hat are probably invisible to unregistered users

 
The photo doesn't tell you anything as the soldering part is mostly covered by tape and the exactly detail of the mod isn't mentioned in any of the posts. Though judging from the limited pictures, I'll guess they just cut of the trace feeding the headphone-out jack, then solder a jump wire from the input of the pot directly to the headphone-out. This should bypass both volume pot and amp section, therefore giving you the line-out from the DAC section.

 

[CJG888]

Ideally, I would like to connect the line in socket as a line out. That way I can still use it as a standalone DAC/amp with iOS devices, or attach an external amp.

I presume I just need to disconnect the line in socket and wire it to the output of the DAC chip... Will this provide a true line output, or should it really have an additional buffer stage?

The objective: iPC 160GB / Furutech ADL digital LOD / PHA-1 / VdH The Tide / BL-2 / Toxic Cables Viper / HD600

 

[ZzBOG]

Ideally, I would like to connect the line in socket as a line out. That way I can still use it as a standalone DAC/amp with iOS devices, or attach an external amp.
 

 
That would be really good actually. I wonder how risky is it to try something like that.. 
 
By the way - somewhat related - I saw on that board they are talking that using headphone out is not much different from line out (or Google Translate is lying to me). Does one lose a lot by connecting PHA-1 to some other amp via headphone out?

 

[LeoTheAwesome]

   
That would be really good actually. I wonder how risky is it to try something like that.. 
 
By the way - somewhat related - I saw on that board they are talking that using headphone out is not much different from line out (or Google Translate is lying to me). Does one lose a lot by connecting PHA-1 to some other amp via headphone out?

Funny you say that, I just commented about this with another head-fier this morning. 
 
I do agree with this statement and ill expand on that:
 
Why do we use the line out? Because amps are dirty, they distort, the add hiss, they add unwanted EQ to some extent...
 
I don't know what Sony did to this amplifier, but this is a master piece when it comes to hiss and dirty signal management. I use my Shure SE535 (they are very sensitive) on my PHA-1 because they are even cleaner than the output of my DAP. If I max the volume on the PHA with the SE535 there is almost not hiss, and that is amazing. Also the level of distortion at line levels are bellow 0.01%, that is well within margin of error of a DAC as well... 
 
If you manage to bypass the amp successfully, there will be a slight decrease in mid highs. As this amp is ever so slightly forward in that region. I would not risk it...