[RAFA]

How was the audio quality?

Well, it is still on the way from Japan. I expect it to sound good. Also, I am very excited about it, since it is my first sony (source) device since minidisc.

 

[outbookinsis]

okay.I do very much hope that this time L/R balance at low volumes and low Ω earphone/headphone performance is better. Battery life... I've never used an amp system as a DAC for more than 5 hours in a portable situation, so I'm not the best judge. 

 

[Noble-Geezer]

  How was the audio quality?

 
excellent, according to my ears

 

[musicisthekey]

How does it compare to NW-F887? Which one sounds better?

 

[fkrieger]

I am in japan this week and see that I can get the pha-2 for about ¥50,000 ($489 usd) if I show my passport and purchase duty free.

What I struggle with is if pairing this with an iPhone 4S and the onkyo app is worth it all. I would need the cck to a special cable to the Sony? Seems like a lot of hassle.

I get that this can pair with the zx-1/f88X series and it should sound great.. But at that point shouldn't the money be best spent on a zx-1 and calm it a day?

I have 64gb of storage on the iPhone 4S and would like to continue to use it after I get a new phone. Thus my original interest in looking into the pha-2.

There are so many products out there and on the horizon, etc. I have a bit of frozen buyer syndrome.

 

[BillsonChang007]

I am in japan this week and see that I can get the pha-2 for about ¥50,000 ($489 usd) if I show my passport and purchase duty free.

What I struggle with is if pairing this with an iPhone 4S and the onkyo app is worth it all. I would need the cck to a special cable to the Sony? Seems like a lot of hassle.

I get that this can pair with the zx-1/f88X series and it should sound great.. But at that point shouldn't the money be best spent on a zx-1 and calm it a day?

I have 64gb of storage on the iPhone 4S and would like to continue to use it after I get a new phone. Thus my original interest in looking into the pha-2.

There are so many products out there and on the horizon, etc. I have a bit of frozen buyer syndrome.

No you do not need CCK to connect to the PHA-2!

 

[Bootsy1]

Tried it out finally, paired nicely with the Tera Player and Tralucent 1+2 iem. Low noise floor,very clean, and the bass sounded full .

 

[fkrieger]

No you do not need CCK to connect to the PHA-2!

Ok. I was under the impression that the 30 pin on the iphone limited the digital output to 24/96. The 3.5 mini limited it to 44 or 48(?)... And that the onkyo player can play dsd, 24/192, etc... But Dsd would be converted to PCM prior to leaving the iphone (possible battery drain) and the 192 would be limited to 96.

This is why I thought the cck was needed. To see if I could listen to higher res files natively.

Thanks for the input!

 

[BillsonChang007]

Ok. I was under the impression that the 30 pin on the iphone limited the digital output to 24/96. The 3.5 mini limited it to 44 or 48(?)... And that the onkyo player can play dsd, 24/192, etc... But Dsd would be converted to PCM prior to leaving the iphone (possible battery drain) and the 192 would be limited to 96.

This is why I thought the cck was needed. To see if I could listen to higher res files natively.

Thanks for the input!

No problem !

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[BillsonChang007]

Are you guys 100% sure that DSD-over-PCM of Onkyo HF Player could work just fine WITHOUT any CCK at all? If so, please kindly confirm and that's gonna be very interesting.

I got complicated by it as well

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[fkrieger]

Ok. So to be clear: in order to obtain DSD or 24/192 (just to be clear) out of the iphone:
1. Download the onkyo hf app ($10)
2. Buy the Apple Camera connection kit (CCK) $29
3. Get a USB to USB cable ($?)
4. Connect one end of the USB cable to the CCK and the other end to the Sony PHA-2
5. Sony PHA-2 ($600)

 

[fkrieger]

Picked up a pha-2 from e-earphones in Tokyo today. Really cool. I won't bother to submit a review because I'm somewhat new to this blog.
If you are looking for a good deal however, I got mine for 44900 yes (about $438). So good deal for a (perhaps?) slightly used amp.

 

[Cotnijoe]

Picked up a pha-2 from e-earphones in Tokyo today. Really cool. I won't bother to submit a review because I'm somewhat new to this blog.
If you are looking for a good deal however, I got mine for 44900 yes (about $438). So good deal for a (perhaps?) slightly used amp.

 
so you got them in Japan not online?